The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1920-10-02
CROOKED BALL PLAYERS
Ccotte Confesses Part in Throwing Games Worlds
Series of 1919-Comiskey Suspends Seven Men Under
Cloud and Dashes Pennant Hopes

Chicago, Sept. 2S. - Indictments
were voted against eight baseball
stars to-day and confessions obtained
from two of them. when the Old Ro-
man, Charles A. Comiskey. owner of
the ofttime champion Chicago White
Sox, smashed his pennant chasing
machine to clean up baseball. The
confessions told how the Sox threw
last years worlds championship to
Cincinatti for money paid by gam
blers.
Seven sox regulars and one former
player had true bills voted against
them by the Cook county grand jury
and the seven were Immediately sus-
pended by Mr.. Comiskey. With his
team only half a game behind the
league leading Cleveland Indians, the
White Sox owner served notice on
his seven stars that IL they were
found guilty he would drive them out
of organized baseball for the rest of
their lives.
CURTAIN LIFTED
officials of Chief Justice Charles
McDonald's court, desirous of giving
the National game the benefit Of pub
licity in its purging, lifted the curtain
on the grand jury proceedings suffici-
emily to show a great hitter. Joe Jack
son, declaring that he deliberately
just tapped the ball, picture of one
Of the worlds most famous pitchers,
Cicotte, in tears, and glimpses of al
legged bribes of $4,000 or $4,000 dis
covered under pillows, or on beds by
famous athletes about to retire.
Around the courtroom at one time
or another we're some of baseball's
greatest leaders, among them John
J. McGraw, manager of the New York
Giants, awaiting call to testify to-
morrow; and John Heydler, presi-
dent of the National league, who
went before the grand jury this after
noon.
The exact nature of the informa-
ton Mr.. Comiskey put before the
grand jury was not disclosed. The
men whom the jury invovled as a re-
suit of testimony uncovered by their
owners were:
PLAYERS INDICTED
Eddie Cicotte, star pitcher, who
waived immunity and confessed. ac-
cording to court attaches, that he
took a $4,000 bribe.
Arnold Chick" Gandil, former
first baseman.
'Shoeless Joe" Jackson, heavy hit
ting left fielder.
Oscar Happy" Felsch, center field
Charles "Swede" Risberg, short
stop.
Claude Williams. pitcher.
George Buck" Weaver. third base
man.
Fred MoMullin, 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 tele-
gram suspending those involved, paid
off Weaver, Cicotte and Jackson on
the spot, and announced that checks
for pay due the others would be sent
them at once. With his voice tremb-
ling, Mr.. Comiskey, who has owned
the White Sox since the inception 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
1t.
CICOTTE STARTS RUSH
The rush of players to bare their
part in the affair started to-day when
Cieotte appeared at criminal court
building and asked permission to
testify. 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" $10,-
600 beneath his bedroom pillow,
where 1t had been placed by profess
sional gamblers.
He said he "lobbed" the ball to the
plate so slowly. you could read the
trade mark on it," in the first game
at Cincinnati, when he was taken
out of the box after three and three
thirds innings had been played.
Cicotte told the grand jury. 1t was
announced. that he received $4,000
for his part in losing in the series.
He never saw the men who paid
the money he said. He was told he
would find the $4,000 under his pill
low In his hotel room on the night
before the first game at Cincinnati.
and when he returned to his room the
money was there.
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