The New York herald., 1921-03-18
CASES DISMISSED
AGAINST WHITE SOX
Seven Indicted Players Are
Released as Worlds Series
Prosecution Collapses.
GROVE BLAMES OTHERS
But Says He Will Demand Re-
indictments of Alleged
Throwers Of Games.
GROVE BLAMES OTHERS

players and others indicted in connec-
tion with the alleged throwing OF the
1919 worlds series collapsed to-day.
when the State. charging corruption OF
Its chief witnesses, dropped the cases
against seven of the pla.e and Judge
William e. Dever took the others off
the court call. Tonight. however. the
State plunged into the task of preparing
a new case, with the announcement that
the matter would be placed in the hands
of a Grand Jury again tomorrow and
rcindictment of the players whose cases
were dropped sought.
Robert Il. Grove, States Attorney,
took charge OF the case to-day and an
nounced that he would handle it from
now on. He ordered the cases dismissed
after his plea for six months in which
to gather new evidence had been denied
by Judge Dever and May set as date
for trial.
Tonight III a formal statement Mr..
Grove placed the blame for the collapse
OF the case on his professors in office,
charging they had handled II improperly,
and on an alleged conspiracy which, he
said, had defeated justice and corrupted
Joe jackson, Eddie Cicotte and Claude
Williams. the men who confessed to the
Grand Jury. He announced plans to go
personally before the Grand Jury to-
morrow to seek new indictments. He
pledged him to use every means to
bring the guilty persons In this case to
Justice" declaring that many guilty
persons had not been indicted by the
Grand Jury and that important wit
nesses We're excused from answering
questions which would have brought the
real conspirators to justice.
PLAYERS Who Are RelpaSRd
Mr. Groves action to-day released Joe
Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Claude Will
Jams, Buck Weaver Oscar F'elsch,
Swede Risberg and Fred McAIullm from
custody of the law, their cases being
dismissed
The cases against Chick Gandil, Hal
Chase, Joseph ]. Sullivan. Rachel
Brown, Abe Attell and William Burns.
the latter five charged with engineering
the alleged worlds series deal, We're
taken off the call, but may be brought
UP again.
The cases dismissed were those OF
men who had surrendered and given
bail. There Is little prospect of the
men returning to baseball, however, all
being both Internationally released and
Oh the ineligible list.
Mr. Grove In his argument to-day
told Judge Dever that Grand Jury tes-
timony had been stolen and that con-
spiracy had hampered the state at
every point. He demanded six months
to gather new evidence.
When Judge Dcver replied that sixty
days was the limit. Mr.. Grove shouted,
We'll, the game is called then. III
ask nollc prosequl."
The men indicted were still under
ban OF silence tonight, their attorneys
forbidding them to talk for publication
until the statute OF limitations expired.
Mr.. Groves statement, explaining why
he dropped the cases, follows In part:
THE Investigations before the Grand
Jury which returned these indictments
was conducted by my predecessors in Of
fce.
New Prosecutor Amazed.
shortly after February / l directed
my second assistant, George L. German,
10 have the baseball cases set for trial
at the earliest possible date, and the trial
was set for March IA. Mr.. German began
10 prepare for the trial. and we were
amazed TO find that the investigation Of
this crime conducted by my predecessor
before the October Grand Jury was not
a complete investigation and that the
witnesses were permitted to withhold
material evidence and were excused by
tie states Attorney from answering
questinos which would uncover the entire
conspiracy. We were further amazed TO
learn that all Of the testimony taken be-
fore the Grand Jury was being publicly
offered for sale by a New York news
paper syndicate.
eve then learned that Cicotte, who
had testified before the Grand Jury that
he was a party to this conspiracy and
had received $4,000 as his share Of the
spois and that Claude Williams and Joe
rll bot n
ceivcd $4,000 apiece In payment as their
share. had been corruptly or otherwise
brought under the domination OF other
defendants who had not testified and
were refusing to testify upon the trial
of this case as witnesses for the state.
1--WE further learned that many other
persons who were parties TO this GRIM
inai conspiracy had not been indicted.
when this situation was called to
my attention 1 directed Mr.. German to
ask that the cases be passed from the
court call in order to give my office suf-
ficient time 20 obtain evidence which
would prove the existence of this con-
spiracy and end in conviction OF every
guilty person.
VIII Present Evidence Again.
To-day told the court that It was
absolutely impossible for me to obtain
Oy MAY eNlueHcc WHICH am SdliSllsu
is In existence and which would lead
10 the conviction OF the defendants and
other persons not named, and that " the
case was set for trial on May / would
be forced TO enter a nolo pros uui as
10 those defendants who appeared and
gave bail. l stated TO the court that
the statute OF ilmIta tions as TO certain OF
these defendants had still less than two
weeks to run, that Il was absolutely
necessary in the interest Of public JUS
ticc that I be given free hand to
make n thorough investigation OF this
case 10 the end that this conspiracy
might be exposed.
II further advised the court that these
defendants were not entitled to a trial
under the law until July 30, 1921, but
the court persisted In setting the case
for trial on May 2. and knowing the
impossibility OF a successful trial at
that time,and refusing to waste the
money Of the people OF Cook county
IN fruitless effort which would re-
suit IN nothing but a miscarriage OF
justice, ! was forced to and did enter
tho nole pros qui
Il now publicly state that propose
TO appear before the Grand Jury OF
Cook county TO again present the evil
dcnce OF the commission OF this crime
and TO ask the return OF other indict-
1aents against tho defendants named in
rhc present Indictments and against
others not named therein. 1t Is my pur-
pose TO do everything within my power