Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1920 — WORLD SERIES FIXED, CHARGE [ARTICLE]

WORLD SERIES FIXED, CHARGE

Prosecutor Says Games Between Sox and Reds Were “Not on the Square.” sayTpuyers took money Giant Pitcher Alleged to Have Made $3,800 on Contest—Seven Members of Comiskey's Team Said to Be Involved. Chicago, Sept. 24.—Jacob “Rube” Benton, New York Giants’ pitcher, who has been made a principal figure in the alleged baseball gambling scandal at the outset of the Cook county grand jury’s investigation, was called before the jurors along with a dozen other players, managers, officials and newspaper writers. Whatever Benton may have to say about the accretion that he profited largely by a “tip” that the 1919 world’s series had been “fixed” is expected to add considerable warmth to the inquiry, which already, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Replogle, has shown that the championship match “was not on the square.” Benton Accuses Herzog. Rube Benton, pitcher on the New York National league team, turned on “Buck” Herzog of the Chicago team and accused him of participating in baseball gambling frauds and added to the flood of testimony which the grand jury is now hearing about crooked ball games and dishonesty in the national sport. Benton arrived in Chicago before the grand jury to testify to a certain meeting which he says took place in a Chicago case between Hal Chase, Herzog and himself. Giants' Owner Called. Besides Benton the following wellknown personages In major baseball have been subpoenaed to appear today: Charles A. Stoneham, president, and John J. “Muggsy" McGraw, vice president and manager of the New York Giants; John O. Seys, secretary of the Chicago National club; Ray Schalk, White Sox catcher; Barry McCormick, umpire in the Cub-Phillies game of Aug. 31; Players Paullette and Rawlings of the Phillies; Hugh Fullerton, Joseph Vila and William Busch, baseball writers; William Birch, former sports writer, and Samuel W. Pass, a White Sox fan who is said to have lost heavily backing the team in the world’s series. Schalk, who is one of the principal props of the Sox in their pennant fight, has been excused, however, until after the decisive contests with the Cleveland team, starting today. The first day’s inquiry went off at two angles, one the secret questioning of a number of witnesses by the grand jury and the other a statement by Charles “Buck” Herzog, Cub infielder and former manager of the Cincinnati Reds, concerning Benton’s alleged relations with gamblers. Seven Sox implicated. At the close of the jury session Mr. Replogle announced that evidence had implicated seven White Sox players in a betting scandal at the world’s series with the Cincinnati Nationals last falL Ban Johpson, president of the American league; Charles A Comiskey, owner of the White Sox; President William L. Veeck of the Cubs and several baseball writers were heard. World Series "Not on Square." “Some very good stuff” was brought out, said Mr. Replogle. Players were said to have accepted money from a gambling syndicate and had thrown the games according to the gamblers’ instructions. “The last world’s series between, the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds was not on the square,” the prosecutor said. “From five to seven players on the White Sox team are involved.” Ballplayers Blackmailed? Ban B. Johnson, president of the. American League, said in a statement 1 that he had heard that gamblers were; seeking through blackmail of White. Sox players to force that team to' “throw” its chance of winning the league pennant this year. He said he had received persistent; rumors that the gambling syndicate had evidence involving White Sox] players In the. baseball scandal of last; year, which is now under investlga-, tlon by the Cook county grand jury. He also said that the syndicate is I threatening them with an expose of; that evidence unless they accede to 1 demands of the 'gamblers to throw the pennant this year to Cleveland.