Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-12-30
COBB VISITS DETROIT
LAWYER; SEEKS WAY
TO GET ENUMERATION

DETROIT, Dec 20 R-Major de-
velopments in baseballs latest scandal
centered, temporarily at least in De-
troit today as Ty Cobb c,lme back
to the scene of his years of diamond
triumphs to ascertain whether legal
means exist to exonerate him Of the
charge of fixing a game seven
years ago. Accompanied by Joe
Wood, former Cleveland pitcher, who,
with iris Speaker and Dutch" Leon
ard, were accused with the former
Tiger manager, Cobb came to find
virtually all local fandom with him in
his effort
Coincident with Cobbs' arrival to
confer with a prominent Detroit
attorney, came a lengthy statement
from Fred O. West, Navin field at
tendant to the effect that the money
he was delegated to bet on the game
between Cleveland and Detroit on
September rs, 1919, was wagered not
on the game, but on a horse race.
It was West who Leonard said was
given the money, to bet on the game.
his attorney, James o. Murfin, regent
of the University of Michigan and a
former circuit judge, had placed a
ban on any talking by the former
Tiger leader.
He also found an organized move
ment under way to petition for a
public hearing on the charges against
him. Speaker and Wood. John d.
Watts, assistant prosecuting attor-
ney, gathered corps Of high school
boys together, intending to send
them into office buildings to obtain
$4,000 more signatures to petit
tions for a hearing.
The petitions, addressed to the
presidents of all American and Ma
tional league clubs ask that 81 evil
dence of the alleged conspiracy be
presented at a publit hearing before
a jury of IL baseball sports writer's,
to be selected by the club presidents
and specify that no evidence be
presented at the proposed hearing
unless Cobb Speaker and Wood
"shall have the right to cross-examine
their aceusers, especially Hubert
Leonard"
The petitions add that in the
event Leonard fails to appear at the
hearing, the club presidents should
forthwith publicly exonerate Cobb,
Speaker and Wood"
West, in his statement absolved
Cobb and Speaker of any wagering
either on the ball game or on the
horse race. The bet on the game
West said, was Leonard's idea but
10
him, West convinced Wood that. "a
hot tip" on a horse race should be
played. Wood and West agreed, the
latter said, to make good the bet il
the horses lost. The urge to bet on
the horse race, West said, came out
of the fact that better odds" were
sobtainable. The horse, named as
"Nanama" won, the Navin field at
tendant said, and he collected win
nings of $400, all he had been able
to place with two bookmakers.
The winnings he said, were handed
over to Wood at the Michigan Cen
trail station here.
West said Leonard engineered the
entire transaction, calling him to
the Tiger club house here on Sep
tember "a, the day before the al
legged "fixed game" Later Me said
Leonard advised him Wood would
give him the money to bet the fol-
lowing morning. The money, West
said was handed over to him in
an envelope.
Attorney Murfin explained that he
had admonished Cobb over the tele-
phone at Cleveland this morning
mot to talk" he also said he would
have no statement to make himself
until he had gone thoroughly in to
the affair"
Murfin said he had no idea how
Cobb's case could be approached in
a legal way. II believe Cobb to be
honest" he said. ST have known
him 20 years and in that time have
found no reason to believe him other
wise will do everything in my
power to preserve his integrity in
the eyes of the public"