The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-01
BALL TRIAL
PICTURED AS
BURLES0UE
Defense Says, johnson
villain, Comiskey
Goat in Farce"

Chicago, Aug. 1.-Opening its
snal argument in the baseball |
scandal the defense today pictured
the Investigation and trial as a
thestrical burlesque, in which Ban
Johnson, president of the American
league, was the villain, and Charles
A Comiskey, owner of the Chicago
club, the goat.
The entire case was merely an
other outbreak of the Comiskey-
Johnson feud, said Henry Berger,
first Of the nine defense attorneys
to talk during the day. He defied
the jury to find anything in Illi-
nois' laws making the throwing of
a baseball game crime.
There is no proof that the ball
players intended through throw
ing games in the 1919 World Series
to injure their club or their
league" said Mr. Berger. ITO have
intended TO do so would have
meant that they were trying to de-
stroy themselves, and that is abb
surd.
THE whole affair is a theatrical
playa farce. a burlesque-with Its
villains and its heroes.
Over in his law office sits
Charles V. Barrett, the prima
dtsu. American league attorney
A amped Bill Burns.
Next to him sits the villain, the
walking bank of the American
league, Byron Bancroft Johnson,
whose Vaccinations of years finally
have been successful.
Sweet Revenge.
Johnson has had his revenge on
Charles A. Comiskey and it has
been sweet. This yillain-in the
atrcal terms-has tried for years
t get that gray-haired owner of
the Chicago club and he finally
has got him.
Posing as q hero, who would
clean up baseball, Ban Johnson has
pulled the strings, the puppets
have thrown the mud and an oil
score against Comiskey has been
paid.
And then we have the chorus
the states attorney, Tyrrell, ani
tnese others, who dance and sing as
ordered.
Maharg and Burns are the vii
ia'ns chief assistants-the dupes
o. the master mind.
When you discuss your verdict
remember there is lot a criminal
rcase before you but another ex-
ample OF the insidious work of By
ron Bancroft Johnson, of his at
Ack on Charles A Comiskey."
MI. Berger then analyzed con-
splracy laws in an attempt to prove
'nere was no crime in the case.
FOR the sake of argument" con-
unued Mr.. Berger. Il will admit
Iat these men threw the 1919
SOfld series, and for the same rea-
sSI l VIII admit that every word
:. Dill burns testimony is true. If
.uat is the case, then these men
nave violated their contracts. That
no crime. That is no conspir-
scy to defraud.
The state has failed utterly to
N.e AASChL uS these men TO
e.iaun anyone. You gentlemen
.Snsequently can do nothing but
'Aee1nlly find them not guilty.
Lacks Proof.
Admitting again. also. for the
,aAe OF argument, that they did in,
Sna 10 defraud, the defendants are
,1afged with conspiracy to defraud
rlVugh confidence game. The
AN on confidence game says that
Soahaence must be imposed in the
sLfauder by the victim, and there
10 proof of that in this case"
NJ. Berger concluded his argu-
-ell by reading the law recently
sssed by the Illinois legislature
-4Slng the throwing of an athletic
ua'est a crime. This law goes
ao effect July, 1922.
The passage of this law is con-
auslye evidence" said Mr.. Berger,
nat there previously was no law
S'efing a case of this kind. If
f-efe had been a law. it would not
ave been necessary to have pass
" 'nis law. II there was no law.
sse men can not have violated the
atute."