Winslow daily mail., 1926-12-30
so THEY Bet ON !.
A HORSE RACE, !.
NOT BALL GAME

- MdJOF u0ROlOplHCllIt3 - D1oC-
balls latest scandal centered, tenn
porarily at least; in Detroit to-
day as Ty Cobb came back to the
scene of his years of diamond tri-
umphs, to ascertain whether legal
means exist to eXonerate him of
the charge of fixing" a game sew
en- years ago. Accompanied by Joe
Wood, former Cleveland pitcher,
who with iris Speaker and Dutch
Leonard, were accused with the
former Tiger manager, Cobb came
to find virtually all local fandom
with him III his effort,
Coincident. with Cobb's arrival
to confer with a prominent Detroit
attorney, came a lengthy state
ment. from Fred O. West, Navin
field attendant, TO, the effect that
the money he was delegated to bet
on the game between Cleveland
and Detroit, on September 25, 1919,
was wagered not on the game, but
on q. horse race. 1t was West who
Leonard said was given the money
to bet on the game.
Further Talk Barred
Cobb came to Detroit to find
that his attorney, James 0. Mur-
fin, regent of the University of
Michigan and a former circuit
Judge. had placed a ban on any
talking by the former Tiger lead
el. He also found an organized
movement under way to petition
,or public hearing of the charges
against him, Speaker and Wood.
John D. Watts, assistant prosecilt-
ng attorney, gathered CORPSE of
ligh school boys together, intehd7
ng to send them into office build-}
ngs to obtain $4,000 or more sig
latures to petitions for hearing.
The petitions, addressed to the,
presidents Of all American and
EIational League clubs, ask that
I'll evidence OF the alleged cont
Bpiracy be presented at a public.
tearing before a jury Of twaYes
asebal sports writer's, to be Sc
.acted by the club presidents and,
vpecify that no evidence be pre-
ented at the proposed hearing,
niles Cobb, Speaker and Wood
shall have the right to cross1ex-,
mine their accusers, especially
hubert Leonard" =
The petitions add that in the
event Leonard fails to appear at
he hearing, the club presidents
should forthwith publicly exonH
crate Cobb, Speaker and Wood" 3
Didn't Bet, He Says.
West, in his statement, absolv-
d Cobb and Speaker of any wag-
ering-either on the ball game or
IN the horse race. The bet on
he game, West said, was Leon
Srd's idea, but when Wood deliv-
}red the money to him, West con-
Jinced Wood that " q hot tip @ofi
"a horse race should be played.
Wood and West agreed, the latter
said, to make good the bet if the
lorses lost. The urge. to bet on
the horse race, West said, camesout
of the fact that 'better odds" were
obtainable. The horse, named as
'Panaman," won, the Nayin field
attendant said, and he collected
winnings OF $400, all he had been
able to place with two book1nak-
ers. The winnings, he said, We're
handed over to Wood at the MI
chigan Central station here.
Money Is Passed
West said Leonard engineered
the entire transaction, calling him
to the Tiger club house here on
September "a, the day before the
alleged fixed game. Later he
SAID, Leonard ADVISED MIN Wood
would give him the money to bet
the following morning. The mon
ey, West said, was handed over to
hi min an envelope.
e. Attorney Murfin explained that
he had admonished Cobb over the
telephone at Cleveland this morn-
ing mot to talk" He also said he
would have no statement to make
himself until he had gone thor
oughly into the affair"
Murfin said he had no idea how
Cobb's case could be approached
in a legal way. Il believe Cobb
to be honest" he said. Il have
known him twenty years and in
that time l have found no reason
to believe him otherwise. / will
do everything in my power to pre-
serve his integrity in the eyes of
the public" ;