The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-30
DESCH, WYNNE
And M0HARDT
DENY CHARGES
Notre Dame Stars Assert Someone
Else Assumed Their Names
in Game.

Chicago, Ill, Jan. 30.-Indications
last night were that Gus Desch and
John Mohardt, Notre Dame football
stars, who were said to have played
with Carlinville, ILL.,, in the profess
sional game last fall against Tayor-
Vile, ILL.,, which resulted in disqual-
ification of nine University OF III
nois athletes, would be cleared or
any connection with the collegiate
football scandal.
Developments tended to show
that Desch and Mohardt were limo
cent victims of case of false iden-
tity which was the second instance
OF double crossing in the bitter rlV-
airy between the two towns over
the game on which Carlinville peo-
pie bet approximately $4,000, 1t is
said, after hiring ten college play
ers for their eleven, only to find
that TayIorville had learned of the
plan and procured nine Illinois attn
letes for It's team, which won, 16 to
a.
Both Desch, member of the
American Olympic team, and Mo-
hardt, an aIl-American half back
section. have issued formal denials
that they played in the game and
have presented evidence to the
Notra Dame authorities at South
Bend, Ind, that they were in school
the day OF the contest.
When the CarlinvilIe people who
thought they had hired the two
players learned of this they frank
~ declared that undoubtedly they
had been imposed on by some per
sons using the names DeSch and
Mohardt, and that besides being
beaten at their own game of ''saTe
betting" they had been the dupes
OF the ringers" they hired to make
the betting safe.
AT SouJn bend, Desch and Mo-
hardt presented their evidence at
an informal meeting of some mem
berS or the college athletic COM
mItJee ana afterwards these men,
bers expressed the opinion that the
two men were innocent anu mere
ly vlcUlms OF circumstances. \
formal meeting OF the committee
VIII be he'd Jouay, at when all OF
the information gathered will be
gone over.
Invite previous to the game were
that ten Notre Dame men mad been
procured TO play and that the game
mad thus been clinched ana the
/ betting made safe. "Desch. Moharut
and Chester Wynne," wnom the
townspeople had been informed
were Notre Dame stars, were TO APP
pear in the lineup, put Wynne also
mas positively denied participation
in the game and announced that he
can prove his assertions.
hOckne Believes Ills PLAYERS,
knute Rockne, Notre Dame
, coach, last night told the Associat-
ed Press that the authorities I'M
doubleday would take drastic &C
ton Il the investigation showed
! that Notre Dame men played in the
game.
We do not want to go off half
1 cooked, sad MIR. Rockne, but we
are bending every effort toward :.
thorough investigation of each de
TAIL OF this affair. l believe that
: DeSch and Mohardt are innocent.
but can readily see how CarlinyiIle
people might have been deceived
. INTO believing that Desch and Mo
hardt were playing on their team.
/ II any Notre Dame man is found
guilty OF playing professional foot
bali or in any way violating the
. college rules either IN spirit or let
ter. We will not be the least hit
lement- We cannot, for We must
/ protect our college and we mus
protect college football from fine
encroachments professionalism is
trying to make on it.
we feel the highest regard for
. the illinois authorities tor their
actlon and L know that Not>a Dame
viii De severe if any of its men are
found guilty"
Rockne has long been known as
d staunch enemy of professional
football