The New York herald., 1921-03-13
INDICTED BALL
PLAYERS JOLTED
BY JUDGE LANDIS
All Accused Placed on In
eligible List Pending
Trials.
CASES ARE POSTPONED
States Attorney Not Prepared
to Proceed Till Next
Autumn.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
! CHICAGO. March 12.-Formal an
nouncement to-day by the State that a
six months postponement would be
sought in the trial of Chicago White
Sox players accused of throwing the
1919 world series brought charges
from defence attorneys that an at
tempt was being made to shelve the
case and leave the indicted players
permanently under cloud of sus-
picion. The trial is scheduled to start
Monday next.
! The prosecution, however, declared
the delay would be sougth ito make
certain that the men back Of the
series scandal were driven out of base
ball and into the penitentiary."
Judge x NJ Lands, baseball com
missioner, placed all the indicted
players on the ineligible list when he
heard of the proposed postponement,
and said they woul remain there pend
! ing the trial. This automatically bars
them from playing with any club N
organized baseball
Judge George +. Barrett, American
League attorney in the case. said the
prosecution had found its evidence was
not ready for proper presentation to a
Jury. New evidence now being gathered
would give the State inH& Nable
case he said. and might resilt IN
| further Grand Jury investigation with
indictment of men he declared should
have been indicted in the inquiry con-
Quoted last fall
Need More Time for Case.
To proceed with the case now might
| make a farce OF it and result In guilty
men escaping punishment Judge Bar
rett declared.
Thomas T. Nash, attorney for Buck
1 Weaver Swede Risbcrg. Oscar Felsch
and Fred McMulin, and Benedict Short.
attorney for Claude Williams, Joe Jack
sand and allied with ID. p. Cassidy OF
Detroit in the defence Of Eddie Cicotte.
said they would fight to the finish any
attempt to procure long delay in the
trial Two weeks or thirty days would
J be granted as a matter of courtesy. they
said.
Jackson and Weaver. speaking
through their attorneys. said they OPP
posed even short postponement, rs
they wanted 10 be cleared Immediately
50 they could be back in baseball thif
season"
Judge Charles A. Mcdonald. who
started the Grand Jury quiz. said that II
witnesses repudiated their statements
there might be some difficulty in OBJ
tanning convictions. but that he consid-
cred the testimony given the Grand
Jury strong enough to convict every
guilty person.
Concerning the possibility Of the iu-
dicted players returning 70 baseball.
Harry Gra biner. secretary OF the Chr
cago American League club, said that
Judge lands now was the ruler OF
, baseball and that his rulings would be
, accepted in all matters" President
Charles A. Comiskey was In the West
and President Johnson of the American
League also was away.
Judge Lands to Ball Players.
, judge Landis's fuIl statement follows:
II should regret very deeply the post
ponement Of the trial Of this case.
However. baseball is not powerless to
] protect itself. All OF these players have
bean placed on the ineligible list and
must vindlcate themselves before they
can be readmitted to baseball"
{ Shortly after becoming baseball com
missioner Judge lands said that even
II the players were found innocent they
would have 10 answer TO him before
tneN COulO play DhSeDAlA ANHlu.
Attorney Cassiday. who recently came
4 here from Detroit to confer with States
attorneys over the trial refused 10 COM
Q ment on the postponement announce
Z ment. but Attorney Nash said that
q public opinion was swinging toward the
0 Indicted men and that the state know
. ing Il was fighting a losing case, was
! seeking the easiest way out"
I'VE have petitions signed BY 1000
/ ggk rnfF = "a - nm n
Of Buck Weaver" he said.
This plea OF tho States Is Just bunk
! They are trying 20 leave these men with
! their characters permanently besmirched
and without an opportunity OF clearing
. | themselves.
Judge Barrett said that he and he
States attorneys were in accord on all
matters concerning the trial and the
delay was IN no way the fault OF the
state Attorneys office
we are fighting for baseball and for
the public and We are not going to run
the risk OF trial that might prove 70
be improperly handled.
, "A trial Improperly handled would XIII
, baseball. We are not going TO let that
happen A proper trial is much more
, important than an immediate trial. What
we want 20 do r. 70 purge baseball Of the
unclean element and we don't care how
long IL takes"
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. March a.
Ban Johnson. president OF the Amerl-
4 can League. who s visiting here, said
3 to-day when he heard the repor' from
: Chicago that &c Sta15's Attorney there
: would move NJ the opening of the base
! ball trial next Monday that the case
, be postponed until next fail lie bo-
! lleved II would be impossible 70 start
! the trial Of the nine players Monday.
Judge Barrett was introduced 70 the
e case go recently" said Mr.. Johnson.
e that | do not beieve ample prcpars-
2 tions could be made for the opening
Monday. I am in favor of having the
:, case threshed out Immediately, but II
/, the gathering OF evidence and otner
: court proceedings require more time
+, n am in favor OF putting tho caso cycr
/, until fall"