Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-27
BLACK SOX PAY
$4,000 A GAME
Billy Maharg Testifies Attell
Said Rothstein Had Put
Up 100000
CICOTTE PRIME MOVER


Philadelphia. pal Of Bill Burns and Abe
Attell during the formation and COM
pletion Of the alleged conspiracy for
the throwing of the 1910 worlds series
today told his story of the reported
500, 900 sell l-out of the eight Chicago
White Sox players.
Maharg was the final witness for
the State in the baseball trial. He was
said. by Burns. to have been present at
several meetings of the gamblers and
players. where plans for the alleged
game throwing were made.
Maharg began his testimony by tell
ing of the meeting he witnessed between
Burns and Eddie Cicottc at the An
sonia Hotel in New York, in September,
1919.
Chick Gandil also was there. said
Maharg. II heard Cicottc say that II
the Sox won the pennant the world $
series could be thrown for Sloo,ooo'
Gandil said the players would throw
the games in any order desired
After Cicotte and Gandil left. Burns
repeated the conversation to me as had
not heard all of it. He said Cicottc
and Gandil had agreed to see that the
series was thrown for S1OO.WO. lie
asked mo il | could get some one to put
up the 800 900.
when | got back to Philadelphia.
I went to see n man named Rossle and
then | went to New York with Burns
and saw Arnold Rothstcin.
BURNS told Rothstcin the SnN had
agreed to throw the series for Slw.INo
and asked Rothstein TO put it up, but
Rothstcin refused.
IL went back to Philadelphia. Then
| got n telegram from Burns to meet
him on a train for Cincinnati. | went
to Cincinnati. getting there the morn /.
ing of the first game. ] met Burns NJ
the Sinton Hotel that evening. He told
me Abe .Attcl got Rothstein to put vi,
the 500. 600 and that S2O.OO would
hc given the players after each game.
That night Attcil told me the same
thing. explaining that Rothstrin had
nut up the money because Attcll saved
his life once Later Attcll showed me
Il telegram. which read:
Have wired you twenty grand,
waving identification. 1t was signed
a. r..
Attell Gave Burns $4,000
The night of the second game
talked with Bennett, Attcll and
| Burns.
Mnharg then identified David Zelcer,
| of Des Moines, Ia.. n defendant, as
the man he knew as Bennett. Burns
made the same identification when he
testified.
This meeting was in Attell's room
and Bennett didn't want to let the
PLAYERS have any money then" con
| tinucd Maharg ''Attcll gave Burns
$4,000 from a great pile of bills under
| the mattress.
NInharg repeated the testimony OF
! Burns that Burns at Attells request
asked the players to win the third game
! to help the betting odds, but that Chick
! Gandil said 1t would 90 the same way
MS the others
Maharg said that in Chicago the day
of the third game he heard Burns tele
phone Attell the message from Gandil
I He told of an alleged suggestion by
I Bennett that the PAYERS throw the
fourth game for $4,000, which would
be put up as bet.
The witness confirmed Burns stor,
Of a meeting in Chicago of himself At
! tell. Burns and St. Louis man who
was willing to put up $4,000 to have
games thrown,
Maharg denied that he wa
} Peaches" Graham, former major
league catcher. as the defense bad
claimed.
because my name spells Graham
= backward lots Of persons think that Is
4 my real name" he said. My name Il
! Billy Maharg. | was raised on a farm
and was prize fighter from 1897 to
1907"
Ban Sent Him to Texas
Maharg related how Ban Johnson.
president of the American League, sent
! him to Texas to persuade Burns 10 ties .
! tify.
Cross examining Maharg, Benedict
| Short, an attorney for the defense,
asked if he sent the following telegram
TO Charles \. Comiskey. owner of tho
White Sox, in the fall of 1920:
"I accept your offer to tell the story
Of the crooked 1919 series and will &c
! to Chicago to testify
Maharg denied sending the telegram
and also denied that he had warned
! COmtskey that he would talk only if Il
certified check for $40 900 were put up.
You knew Comiskey as owner Of thu
White Sox had offered SO 900 rewarI
. for proof the series was thrown" asked
/ Mr.. Short.
Il had read Of II. said Mahnrg II
received no reward from any One-Only
! expenses and salary on trips for Ban
Johnson in connection with Burns"
Later Maharg said that he understood
/ Jimmy lsaminger. a Philadelphia sport
.t. 81