Publication Title
REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION UPON THE “BROOKLYN SEVEN SCANDAL.” AUGUST 19, 1904
Category
Proceedings of Congress and General Congressional Publications
Collection
Additional Government Publications
Congressional Record (Bound Edition)
Publication Name
Congressional Record (Bound Edition)
SuDoc Class Number
X 1.1:
Date Issued
August 19th, 1904
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Washington, D.C., August 19, 1904
MY DEAR SIR: I have received the report of the United States Commission on the Investigation of the Brooklyn Seven Scandal and the report of the Department of Justice of October 17th, recapitulating what has been done by the Department of Justice in connection with criminal proceedings taken against various individuals because of their connection with the exploitative and illegal gambling and bribery ring associative with the Legacy Baseball League, a nationally subsidized sports organization of the game base-ball.
Punitive action can of course only take two forms: One, that of legal proceedings against those individuals proven guilty under federal law, and two, punitive measures levied against the various organizations, both franchise and league, who either participated in or permitted, either through negligence or complicity. Furthermore the Department of Justice has secured indictments against several former base-ball players and members of various Chicago and New York-based criminal organizations, for a variety of federal charges that include extortion, bribery of a federal official, and conspiracy to murder.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The summarized narrative of these crimes is that on or around May 1st, 1902, various parties that included criminal syndicates in New York and Chicago, Mr. Landon Kerr of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Francis (Frank) Letwin, a Scouting Director for the Richmond Rifles base-ball franchise, various umpires (officiating overseers of base-ball matches employed by the Legacy Baseball League) and several base-ball players primarily of the Brooklyn Whales franchise met and conspired to execute a conspiracy that included the throwing of games by key players to satisfy bets, the falsification of scouting reports by employees to inflate the contracts of their clients in exchange for money, and most notably, the fixing of the 1903 Legacy Cup Championship, in order to extend the series to nine games and maximize profits both in attendance and gambling. It is furthermore noted that an ongoing investigation regarding the murder of Francis Letwin is ongoing under supervision of the United States Marshall Service.
The Department of Justice finds that while the majority of illegal activities conducted in relation to the Brooklyn Seven Scandal are in violation of sate laws, various indictments regarding conspiracy to murder and bribery of a federal official will move forward to prosecution.
Furthermore, the administration of the Legacy Baseball League, an organization that enjoys large profit under federal subsidy, is found wantonly lacking in diligence and vigilance, both in the conduct of its franchises and the vigilance of its officers.
A detailed report is attached for your personal review.
Respectfully submitted.
LAWRENCE O. MURRAY
Chairman
HERBERT KNOX SMITH
Deputy Commissioner of Corporations
THOMAS J. WHEELER
Supervising Inspector-General, United States Marshall Service
TO the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES.