The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-30
CarIinviIIe "Fixers" Think Ringers Played Instead Of Mohardt and Desch-Foot- ball Scandal Being Uncov- cred in Detail
By Assoclatefl frrss


 Cnlcago January 2s.-Indications tonight were that Gus Desch ana John Mehardt, Notre Dame football! stars who were said to have played Wlth Carlinville, H.. in the profes- slonal game last fall against Tay iorville, ILL, which resulted in dis quai9 ffeation of nine University of hilhofs athletes. would be cleared of any connection with the coIlegiase football scandal
 developments today tended to show that Desch and Mohad were innocent Hctims or case of false identity which was tho second instance of Couple-erossins in the bitter rfvalrv between the two towns over the same. CarlinYille people bet approx lmately s50.00G en the game. 1t ,s said, after hiring 10 college nlavers Tor their eleven. only to find that
 aylorVille had learned of the plan ana procured nine Illinois athletes Tor It's team. which won, 1G to c
 Both Desch, member of the AmerI- can Olympic team. and Mohardt. an all-American halfback selection. Ia,t night issued formal denials that they played in the game and today pre- scnted evidence to the Notre Dame s'hetAtt tNitH at foOubn bGIA. iflU.. Una. they were in school the day of the contest When the Carlinville pco- pie, who thought they had hired the two players. learned of this, theyi | frankly declared that undoubtedly they had been imposed on by persons using the names of Desch and Mo hardt and that, besides being beaten at their own game of safe betting," they had been the dupes of the "rint. CTS they hired to make the betting safe.
 At South Bend, Desch and MoharIt presented their evidence at an .n- formal meeting of some members of the college athletic committee and later these members expressed the opinion that the two men were la- noeent and merely victims of circufn- stances A formal meeting of the committee will be held tomorrow, al which all information gathered will ! be gone over
 The reports spread through Car linville previous to the game were that 10 Notre Dame men had been procured to play and that the game had thus been clinched and the bet ting made safe.
 Deseh. Mohardt and Chester Wynne who the townspeople had been tn- formed had been Notre Dame stars. were to appear in the lineup. bat Wynne also has positively denied participation in the game and an- i nouneed that he can prove his asser- tions.
 Knute Rockne, Notre Dame coaca. tonight told the Associated Press that the authorities undoubtedly would take drastic action if the investiga- tion showed that Notre Dame men played in the game
 We do not want to go off half- cooked" said MT. Rockne, but We are bending every effort toward Il thorough investigation of each de- l tail of this affair. I believe that ] Desoh and Mohardt are innocent, but
 can readily see how the Carllnville i people might have been duped into believing that Desch and Mohardt were playing on their team. | If any Notre Dame man is found | guilty of playing professional foot | ball or in any way violating the col I lege rules, either in spirit or letter i we will not be the least bit lenient !, We cannot, for we have to protect our college. and must protect college 1 football from the encroachments pro 1 fessonalism is trying to make on. it. l We feel the highest regard for the l Illinois authorities for their action ! and I know that Notre Dame will be | severe if any of her men are found guilty"