The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-09-30
PLAYERS CONFESS
TO SELLING GAME
INDICTMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS
BREAK UP WHITE SOX.
Cicotte and Jackson Confess
Veteran Players Tell Cook County
Grand Jury of How Games
Were '"ThrOWn.'

Chicago, Sept. 2s.-Indictments
were voted against eight baseball stars
today and confessions obtained from
two of them, when the Old Roman,
Charles A. Comiskey, owner of the
oftime champion Chicago White Sox,>,
smashed his pennant chasing machine
to clean up baseball. The confessions
told how the White Sox threw last
years world championship to Gin
cinnatti for money paid by gamblers.
Seven White Sox regulars and one
fomer player comprise the players
against whom true bills were voted by
the Cook county grand jury and the
seven were Immediately suspended by
Mr.. Comiskey. With his team only
a game behind the league leading
Cleveland Indians the White Sox own
er served notice on his seven stars
that, if they were found guilty, he
would drive them out of organized
baseball for the rest of their lives.
Officials of Chief Justice Charles
NIcDonald's court, desirous of giving
the national game the benefit of pub
licity in it's purging, lifted the curtain
on the grand jury proceedings suf-
fciently to show great hitter, Joe
Jackson, declaring that he deliberate
ly just tapped the ball, a picture of
one of the worlds most famous pitch
ers, Cicotte, in tears, and glimpses OF
alleged bribes of $4,000 or $4,000
discovered under pillows or on beds
by famous athletes about to retire.
McGraw Awaits Call.
Around the court room at one time
or another were some of baseballs
greatest leaders, among them John j.
McGraw, manager of the New York
Giants, awaiting call to testify to-
morrow and John Heydler, president
of the National league, who went be-
fore the grand jurors this afternoon.
The exact nature Of the information
Mr.. Comiskey put before the grand
jury was not disclosed. The men
whom the jury involved as result of
testimony uncovered by their owner
were Eddie Cicotte, star pitcher, who
waived immunity and confessed, &C
cording to court attaches, that he took
$4,000 bribe.
Arnold Gandil, former first base
man.
"Shoeless Joe" Jackson, heavy hit
ting left fielder.
Oscar ssHap" Felsch, center fielder.
Charles "Swede" Riseberg, short
stop.
Claude Williams, pitcher.
George "Buck' Weaver, third base
man.
Fred McMullin, utility player.
While the grand jurors voted their
true bills, the Old Roman, seated IN
the midst of his crumbling empire
out at White Sox park, issued the
telegram suspending those involved,
paid off Weaver, Cicotte and Jackson
on the spot, and announced that
checks for pay due the others would
he sent them at once. With his voice
trembling, Mr.. Comiskey, who has
owned the White Sox since the incep-
tion of the American league, said this
was the first time scandal had ever
touched his "family" and that it dis
tressed him too much to talk about it.
Cicotte Weaps in Court.
The rush of players to bare their
| part in the affair, started today when
Cicotte appeared at criminal court
building and asked permission to tes-
tify. Cicotte wept, court attaches
said, and exclaimed in anguish his
sorrow for his two small children as
he told how he did his utmost to lose
rather than win the 1919 world series
after he had found" $4,000 beneath
his pillow where it had been placed
by professional gamblers.
He said he lobbed the ball to me
plate so slowly "you could read the
trade mark on it, in the first game a1
Cincinnati when he was taken out oD
the box after three and two-third in
nings had been played.
Last years world series RECORDS
show that in the first inning OF the
first game, he started by hitting
Rath, the first Cincinnati batter, IN
the back. Daubert followed with a
single over second base that sent Rath
to third and he scored when Groh
flied to Jackson, Rath beating jack
sons throw to the plate.