New Britain herald., 1923-01-30
HEYDLER DECLINES
 ID REOPEN DISPUTE
Declares Hsrzos Was Cleared
 Officially Aller Controversy

New York, Jan, s0,-PFesideRl
 Heydler of the National league said
 yesterday that his organization sees
 no reason for re0pehiRg the dispute
 between Charley HeFz0g and hlbf
 Benton, as demanded by HeFzag m a
 Philadelphia interview the other day,
 Herzog told newspaper men that ne
 will insist that his name he cleared, but President Heydler answered 'hls ,sierday by saying that the former Giant infielder has already been clear cd officially.
 "when the Renton' llerzog eontFo- ysrsy was finally ended, Herzog asked me to write him two letters or ap- prnYal. so that he might have them as evidence that he was ali right" said Heydler "I wrote those two let' ters and sent them to Herzog, He got everything that he asked for, and since then he has made this fact pub- lie to show that his name was clear. ed. The public has never believed otherwise and the National league has never made any statment rejecting directly or indirectly on Herzos, nor has 1t ever attempted 10 go behind the two letters which wrote.
 Tn other words the case Is the same as it ever was. We have no quarrel with Herzog and so far as we are concerned the case Is closed. For that matter 1t closed with the end Of the investigation conducted into the Benton Herzog dispute and with the letters I then wrote to Herzog."
 Heydler Denies Statement.
 It was learned yesterday that Her zog and his attorney, Charles H. Knapp of Baltimore, visited the Ma tional league offices several weeks ago but found President Heydler out for the day. Then MT. Knapp called him by phone at his home and told him that Herzog was indignant over state ments made concerning him and was determined to protect his name. Heydler's reply to this, according to reliable information, was that he had made none of the statements and was not interested in what legal action Herzog contemplated. He advised Herzogs attorney to confine his at tention to persons who had actually made statements reflecting on his eli ent.
 What the lawyer said or did in re- ply is not known, but it would not be surprising to many baseball men if Herzog has already threatened suit against the league to compel it to make public the evidence in the hear ing held by Heydler here in 1920. Herzog's contention is that if Benton is allowed to play in the league that would be by inference blow at him. He maintains that the only way in which he can disprove the statements which he alleges were circulated is to force the National league to make public the affidavits, depositions and other papers relating to the hearing in 1920.
 Despite denials some time ago from Cincinnati, Benton and Ban Johnson, who barred the pitcher from the American league, did meet in Garry Herrmanns office and dis cussed the case face to face. What ever Johnson had to say evidently did not sway Hermann, for the Reds ! owner is as determined as ever to in- sist that the National league sanction
  way of Cincinnati, which bought him from the St. Paul club of the American association. He will carry his fight to the National league meet ing here on Feb. 13, and the whole | matter, from A to Z, will be settled | then.
 Landis Investigates Conlon Case.
 Judge Landis had a hearing in his Commodore suite yesterday over the case of "Jocko" Conlon, former Har- yard shortstop, who was signed re- gently by the Boston Braves. The Rochester club of the International 1 league has pu. in a claim for the players services, alleging that he ac- cepted its terms before he signed with the Braves.
 President John Conway Toole of the International league and Walter Hapgood. half owner at Rochester, presented arguments on behalf of that club. They told Landis that they both had been in touch with Conlon a week or more before the Braves annexed him. Conlon, they say, sent Rochester telegram ask ing them to call a certain phone number in Boston if,they had decided to accept his terms. The club al- leges that it called this number, talked with Conlon and agreed on terms. The next day he was an- nounced as the latest member of the Braves.
 In rebuttal, George Washington Grant, Boston owner told Landis yesterday that the Rochester claim is invalid because they have nothing in writing to substantiate it. Base- ball law insists that a club must pro- l duce letter, telegram or contract l to uphold such a claim. and on that i ground, Grant asked that the matter { be thrown out of court. Rochester, ,n the other hand. maintained that his was an unusual case and asked hat the verbal evidence be admitted |