revolt and the war between the National League and the
American Association, though during a portion of the time I was paid
something in excess of my salary, presumably on the supposition that the
laborer was worthy of his hire.

In 1891, greatly to my astonishment, Mr. Spalding retired from the
presidency and James A. Hart was elected to the vacant position. At that
time I received a long letter from Mr. Spalding, in which he took
particular pains to assure me Mr. Hart was a mere figurehead, who would
always be subject to his advice and control, and just so long as he, Mr.
Spalding, was connected with the club I should be retained by that
organization. In the face of such an assurance as that, and in view of
the fact that I had been associated so many years with Mr. Spalding in
business, having first come to Chicago at his solicitation, I could see
no reason for doubting his word, though subsequent events have shown me
differently.

While in Philadelphia, after the recent League meeting held in New York,
I called on John I. Rogers in reference to securing a contract to
manufacture the league ball, and in the course of our conversation the
subject of my treatment by the Chicago management came up. He then
informed me that while presiding at a banquet given by the Philadelphia
Club some two years ago, and at which both Mr. Hart and myself were
guests, he had informed Hart that he was going to call on me for a
speech. To this Hart had replied that he and I were not on the best of
terms and then went on to tell him that when he, Hart, had joined the
Chicago Club Spalding had agreed to release me at the end of my contract
and place him, Hart, at the head of the Chicago Club.

If Mr. Hart told the truth when he made that statement, then Mr.
Spalding certainly deceived me, but that is a matter of veracity for
them to settle between themselves.

In 1893 the Chicago Ball Club was reorganized under the name of the
Chicago League Ball Club, and by the terms of an agreement made with Mr.
Spalding I was allowed to take a certain number of shares of the stock,
in addition to those which I held in the old organization, to be paid
for out of my contingent fee, which, by the terms of our agreement, it
was guaranteed should be large enough to pay for the same, and which
came to me under those conditions. At the same time, having six years
more to serve under the terms of the old contract, I was given a new
one, which I signed witho