Evening journal., 1921-07-20
CICOTTEPLEDGED
TO THROW GAME
Pitcher Turns State Wit
ness in White Sox
Trial
$4,000 A GAME,
PRICE ALLEGED

CHICAGO, July 2O.-The State
yesterday turned its full strength
into the prosecution OF the Chicago
White Sox baseball players and 9TH
ers charged with the alleged conspir-
acy which resulted in the 1919
Worlds Series scandal, sending
Bill" Burns. who declared he was
an sccomplice of the defendants and
who turned States evidence in re-
turn for immunity, to the witness
stand TO tell the inside of the report
ed sell-out OF some OF the games
greatest players to gamblers who
wanted the series thrown to Gin
cinnati.
Burns. who was only about one
third through his story when court
adjourned for the day. and will con-
tinue II today. was on the stand long
enough TO name Arnold Rothsein. OF
New York; Abe Attell. formerly
featherweight pugilistic champion;
David Zelser. Of Des Moines, one of
the defendants; Billy Maharg, of
Philadelphia. and himself as among
the organizers OF the alleged con-
spiracy.
He drew a vivid verbal picture OF
many meetings between the players
and the alleged ixers. in Cincinnati
hotels on the days Of the first two
games of the 1919 series. saying that
the players agreed 10 make the series
"made-to-order one" throwing
games just as desired.
Burns testified that Eddie Cicotte,
one of the American Leagues great
est pitchers. said he would throw
the first game II he had 20 throw
the ball over the fence"
Burns identified David Zelser as a
man he had known as Bennett dur
ing the forming Of the alleged con-
spiracy and declared Bennett, or
zelser, was present at most Of the
meetings when the reported sell-out
was arranged.
Burns said Abe Atten had term
ed Rothstein a walking bank" who
would pay all he promised, but that
after the first game Attell refused 10
give him any money, saying he
couldn't pay the players until he col
lected the bets made. The players
were to get 1000 after each game
lost. Burns said.
Rothstein testified before tn e
Grand Jury last fail that he was ap-
preached on the deal, but refused to
go into it and that his name was
used by Abe Attell without his per-
/ mission.
4 Conversation With Cicotte Excluded
Burns testimony was broken by
/ repeated arguments by the various
. attorneys. who succeeded in having
some of his testimony stricken out.
j particularly that dealing with a con-
+ versation with Cicotte in New York
| prior 70 the series.
4 The former big league pitchers
entrance into the courtroom came in
a dramatic manner. After Harry
i Grabiner and kid" Gleason, secre-
4 tary and manager, respectively, OF
4 the White Sox Club. testified that the
N players were under contract 70 the
. club during the World Series, Taylor
i spink official scorer of the 1913
. series. testified as to the scores Of
the various games. For fifteen min
utes those in court fidgeted, with the
defense repeatedly asking the cause
Of the delay.
I'VE are waiting for a witness
your honor" said George German,
. Of the prosecution. I'VE don't wish
to divulge his name as we don't want
81 him intercepted on the way here"
Finally two private detectives en-
tered. Behind them came Burns
followed by two more plain-clothes
men.
The States chief witness walked
through the section occupied by the
defendants without looking at them
a On the stand he spoke in a low. even
Z tone which scarcely carried past the
+. jury and repeatedly wiped his fore
= head with his handkerchief. Finally
s he took off his coat
"A Burns hdgeted a bit during the
# legal arguments over his testimony
= but while he hesitated at times over
W questions. most of his answers came
quickly.
Every seat and every inch OF
VI standing room in the courtroom was
5# occupied by spectators and when il
81 became known that Burns was OF
"a the stand a line formed from the
81 door down the stairs two floors be-
low.
Burns first gave a brief story of his
< early life, saying he left school when
s. nineteen years old. entering profes-
s. sional baseball in 1906 with the Los
= Angeles team. He then played with
* the Washington Americans. Cincin-
&: natl. Philadelphia, Detroit and the
s. Chicago White Sox. going back &c
he minors with Minneapolis. Later
he worked for a mining company in
@ Texas as powder foreman, he said
g and then went into the oil business
During the last year, he said. he had
lot worked.