The New York herald., 1922-12-02
BIRD EATS GATE;
squire IS PEEVED
Ebbets Can't Get $2.75 Back
So He Moves Camp to
Clearwater, Fla.
IVORY MARKET ACTIVE
Yankees Acquire Two Short
stops and Giants Dispense
With Rockies.
~ w. o. McGEEHAN.

The announcement was made yes-
terday by Charles III. Ebbets, the good
old Squire of Flatbush. that the
Brooklyn Dodgers would do their
spring training for 1929 at Clear
water, Fla. instead of Jacksonville.
This shift can be traced directly to q
misunderstanding between the good
old Squire and an ostrich domiciled
in the Jacksonville ostrich farm. The
feud between the magnate and the
bird started last spring.
The Squire was visiting the ostrich
farm after the Dodgers had played an
exhibition game with the Yankees at
Jacksonville. He was carrying the
Brooklyn share of the gate receipts
rather carelessly In a side pocket.
Suddenly one of the ostriches known
as Mike reached his bill over AND
plunged 1t into the good old Squire'a
pocket.
Mr.. Ebbets Immediately gave the
alarm and the bird with a very guilty
look fed to another part OF tho farm
When the Squire counted his change he
found that It was $2.75 short. The
missing sum was in quarter dollars to
tho best of his recollection. The Squire
complained of the felonious fowl to the
management of the ostrich farm and
demanded restitution Of the money and
che summary punishment of the bolster.
Gus bird.
Burden OF Proof on Squire.
The management demurred when the
Squire demanded restitution of tho coins
and declared that there vas no proof
that the sum was $2.75 as Mr.. Ebbets
claimed. Moreover, there was no prac-
tical way Of extracting the silver from
the omniverous ostrich. Even II money
was found in the possession Of the bale
full bird the management contended that
1T might be the property OF the ostrich
Tourists from places other than Flat
bush had been known to present the
ostriches with coins.
The despute became bitter and Squire
Ebbets took it to court, demanding that
tho felonious fowl be beheaded and
searched for the missing money. The
court held that even If the crime could
be proved 1t would be at the most petit
larceny, the maximum penalty for which
In the State of Florida could not ex-
ceed Incarceration for a period longer
than six months. Mr.. Ebbets could get
no redress from the law.
In the meantime every time he passed
the ostrich farm the ostrich would strut
about derisively and jingle the Ill gotten
coins which were, concealed somewhere
below the crafty creatures epiglotus
The burglarious bird seemed to take a
keen delight in thus Haunting its dis
honesty In the presence of Mr.. Ebbets.
The situation presented to the sage
old Squire battling problem In finance.
The court at Jacksonville ruled that in
the event of the demise of the feathered
felon tho management of the ostrich
farm would have to remit the sum of
s275, provided the money was found In
the possession of the defunct ostrich.
There's Question of interest.
But this naturally did not satisfy the
thrifty Squire. who brought up the ques-
ton of interest. AS the State had set
no legal rate of interest for money de-
posted In an ostrich voluntarily or In
voluntarily 1t was ruled that the money
would not draw any interest whatsoever
Moreover It was decided that IL the
ostrich should come to its death from
poisoning traceable in any way to the
devouring of the money the Squire
might be held responsible for the trag-
edy. This was the last straw. The
Squire decided that town which would
hafbor q felonious fowl and protect II
when 1t transgressed against the laws
OF hospitality as well as the criminal
code he never would bring back the
Rroolxlvn Baseball Club TO the place.
From last accounts the ostrich is still
stalking about the farm jingling the
gate receipts of Charles IL Ebbets as II
walks. But the Squire has planned his
revenge. Knowing the felonious fowls
appetite for money he plans to return
with a pocket filled with telephone slugs.
The omnivorous ostrich will gobble UP
the counterfeit coins and Squire Ebbets
will look on coldly as the bafiied bird
perishes from acute indigestion.
The citizens of Clearwater not only
expressed their sympathy for the be-
reavement of Squire Ebbets in the mat
ter of the S2.75 but they built s25.000
park for the Dodgers to train in. Os-
triches will be barred absolutely from
the place. There will be four other big
league teams training in the vicinity.
The Braves will locate at st. Petersburg
the Cleveland Indians at Lakeland, the
Washington Senators at Tampa and the
little group OF serious athletes the Co
coanut League.
Ivory Market Is Active.
There was a slight movement in ivory
yesterday. The Yankees bought few
bushleaguers on the hoof on the ris-
ing market while the Giants sold "a