The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-09-24
.SHAKE-UP DUE
|. fORBASEBALL
Ban Johnson Recalled BY Chi
caoo Jury to Tell BIackmaiI
Story Of World Series.

League, will be recalled today. it is
expected, to tell the Cook county
grand jury what he knows about an
alleged plot to "blackmail" the Chi
cago White Sox into losing the
American League pennant this year.
PROBE COHAN's BETS.
George M. Cohan. the actor, and
Mont Tennes. a well known Chicago
gambler. probably will be subpoenaed
for questioning regarding reports
that between them they lost $4,000
betting on the White Sox in the 1919
worlds series. ."
Johnson's statement of a black mail
plot Ia but one OF the sensational
angles of the baseball scandal that
are being made the subject OF rigid
grand jury investigation. Predictions
were made today that the evidence
produced before the grand jury will
result in a thorough .housecleaning"
in organized baseball.
The statement made by Johnson de-
clares he has been informed that the
white Sox will not dare to win the
pennant in 1920" and alleges that the
gambling syndicate which is said to
have fixed" certain Sox players in
the 1919 series IL threatening the
players with exposure IL they SHOULD
win the flag this year
BENTON's STORY SENSATION.
On top of Johnson's sensational
declaration came a bombshel from
Rube Benton, the New York Giants
pitcher, who revealed that he 10 ready
to tell the grand Jury, IL he - asked
to do 20, that Pittsburgh syndicate
OF gamblers, with betting comrnis-
sioners in the, leading cities, 10 said
to have paid 100000 to White Sof
players to have the last world series
thrown" 10 the Cincinnati Reds.
Last fall" Benton said. "a man
named Hahn. who halls from Cincin-
natl and who is known az betting
commissioner, visited me at my home
in Clinton, N. C. One morning, while
we were hunting, asked him about
the worlds series. He said the series
was not on the square. He said that
the deal 10 Ak players to throw the
series had been engineered by a syn
dicate Of gamblers from Pittsburgh
for whom he worked as a betting com.
missioner in Cincinnati
He said certain players on the
White Sox team had visited Pitts
burgh before the series and made
arrangements to throw the games for
price. He said the players de-
manded 100000 to lay down SO that
the Sox would lose, and that this
was paid them"
Benton said he and Hahn discuss
ed various players of the team. but
the names of Buck Weaver, Eddie
Collins, John Collins, Joe Jackson,
and Ray Schalk were not mention
ed.
Five players were mentioned by
Hahn in the course of the converse
ton" Benton said.
LOSING PITCHERS NAMED.
, They are: Eddie Cicotte, pitcher |
of the first game OF the series: Claude |
Williams, pitcher of the second game |
Of the series; Chick Gsndil. first |
basemsn; Hap Felsch, center fielder, |
and another that do not recall"
President Johnson in his lengthy |
statement said he knew that several !
players checks for their share of the 4!
world series receipts had been held
up, but said he could not give their |
names.
But six weeks after the season
closed" Johnson said, "Cicotte wrote |
me, saying he had not received his |
check, and Gandil and McMullcn
wired me from California saying their |
checks had not been sent. All eight |
checks held up during the investiga-
tion eventually were sent to the play i
ers."
II Is alleged that George NJ. Cohan
lost $40. 900 on games that his own in
vestigations have indicated to him
were "fixed" and that Tennes lost
$4,000 on the last worlds series.
Charles A. Comiskey. owner of the
White Sox, made the first statement
today that he has uttered publicly
since the investigation started. He
admitted that the club had held up
the checks of four players and said
that $4,000 had been spent by she
club in privete Investigation. The
checks were finally paid the players,
pey had advised that the investigation
for holding them.
COMIsKEY MAY GIVE FACTS.
"was anything found to justify your
suspicion that these four players had
been bribed?" Comiskey was asked.
'T may have statement to give
out on that score today after I see
Mr.. Austrian (the clubs attorney, or
possibly after the grand jury finishes
its investigation" he answered.
what is the explanation of the
presence OF these men on the 1920
team II their honesty In the series
could not be absolutely provsd7" the
Sox owner was asked. He anawered:
'Tts the same problem over again.
There was no evidence against them
that Justified legal action"
Comiskcy emphatically declared
that the White Sox welcomed a com
plete investigation and said he did
not believe the investigation will hurt