New-York tribune., 1920-09-30
Brooklyn Team
will Undergo
Bribe Inquiry
Kings County Prosecutor
Calls Dodgers i'm Investi-
CATION of the Report That
1920 Series Has Been Sold
Ebbets Invites a Probe
Wheat Denies Amy Player
Has Been Approached and
Gives His Men Clean Bill

District Attorney Harry E. Lewis of
Kings County started an investigation
yesterday Of the reported attempt to
fix players on the Brooklyn team in
the forthcoming world series games
between the National and American
League champions.
After sending telegram to Maclay
Hoyne, the Chicago prosecutor, asking
for all information in his possession
having any bearing on the report the
District Attorney announced he would
begin the examination of the BROOKLYN
players to-day. The questioning of the
players, said Mr.. Lewis, would show
whether any of them had been ap-
preached by gamblers to throw the COM
ing games to the Cleveland Indians. as
various stories brought to his atten-
ton inferred.
Reason for Suspicion
Mr.. Lewis said that while tho infor-
nation in his possession made no spe-
cifc mention of any gamblers or plav-
ers that might be involved, there were
suhlclent grounds to warrant an in
vestigaton.
You can rest assured" he said, "that
! would not go ahead with this inquiry
II dldnt feel there were some basis
Tor 1t. If the players are clean thew
ought to be shown to be so before the
public. If not, the public ought to
know it, to-"
The telegram to Prosecutor Hoyne
reads:
"The New York Evening Sun of Sep
tember %, 1920. says: Information
which has been gathered by officials
tended to indicate thatsthe same cloue
OF gamblers which is alleged TO have
'hxed' the 1919 series has made plans
to attempt to have Brooklyn throw the
coming series to the Cleveland Indians
l intend to initiate an investigation at
once. Will you let me know if you
have any information in connection
with this?'
While Mr.. Lewis had not received a
reply to his message up to a late hour
last night, dispatches from Chicago
say that when Hoyne was shown the
telegram he remarked: IL have l.o such
information. All our attention was
centered on the investigation of the
White Sox in Chicago"
w hen told Of this, District Attorney
Lewis commented: "Well, that will GER
talnly help to absolve the Brooklyn play
ers."
Ebbets to Aid Inquiry
Mr. Lewis got in touch with Charles
II. Ebbets. president and chief owner
OF the brooklyn team, during the af-
ternoon. President Ebbets promised to
do every thing possible to speed the in
quiry.
President Ebbets later said: "I have
notified District Attorney Lewis that /
Viii be unable to reach all the PLAYERS
until tomorrow afternoon. when thev
play at the Polo Grounds. I will see
each one personally then and tell him
to report to the District Attorneys
office in Brooklyn at 1880 O'clock
Friday morning.
we have absolute confidence in our
players and are certain that any
charges that are being made will be
shown to be absolutely false. Never
theless. shall suspend quick as a wink
any player found to have been involved
in the alleged plot"
AS soon as he has completed his
findings, probably by Friday, Mr.. Lewis
said he would make public the results
OF his investigation. He is particularly
anxious to clear the atmosphere before
the beginning of the world series in
Brooklyn next Tuesday.
Zach Wheat, captain of the Brook
lyn team, was surprised to learn that
a fixing" scandal was lowering over his
organization.
"Of cougsc.' he said, "there is abso-
lutely no truth to the thing. No one
ever approached me and it would not
be good for them if they had / am
sure none of the other players have
been tampercd with
"lf anybody has any doubts about
the game we will play they had better
come out and see us perform. Perhaps
we will be beaten in the series, but
we will play the best game that we can.
Even the hint that there is anything
wrong is bound 20 affect the fielding
of the men. We have always played
clean ball and we're in thero fSntiny
up to the finish"