but
there was one little incident connected with that event that has not
been told, and that accounts for Mr. Hart's desire to get rid of me as
easily and as quietly as possible, even if he had to use underhanded
measures in order to do so. When we started off on our trip in 1888 it
was found necessary to get someone to check the receipts of the various
exhibitions, see that we obtained our share, pay hotel bills, etc.,
etc., and generally look after the small financial details, and for some
reason which I have never been able to understand A. G. Spalding made
arrangements with James A. Hart to accompany us as far as San Francisco
for that purpose, though the latter had no special qualifications for
the work in hand. In fact, up to that time Mr. Hart, who had been
connected as manager with Louisville, Boston and Milwaukee Clubs, had
been an accredited failure, just as he has been since in Chicago, where
the club under his management has steadily gone from bad to worse, such
a thing as a dividend never having been heard of since he took the
reins.

For his services on the trip he was paid a salary and his expenses, but
this was seemingly not enough, for prior to our departure for Australia
Mr. Spalding came to me with a subscription paper, stating that he was
securing subscriptions from the members of our party for the purpose of
presenting Mr. Hart with a pair of valuable diamond cuff-buttons. Just
why Mr. Hart should be made the recipient of a valuable gift under such
circumstances was more than I could fathom, and I not unnaturally
entered protests.

My protest went unheeded, however, and from this little acorn grew the
oak of disagreement between James A. Hart and myself, an oak that has
now grown to mammoth proportions.

It was while on the same trip around the world that my long term
contract made with Mr. Hurlbut expired, and that I signed a new one
under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Returning home and while in
mid-ocean I was requested by Mr. Spalding, who was President of the
Chicago Ball Club, to sign a contract, which was made for ten years at
my request, with the club, as manager and captain, and by the terms of
this contract it was stipulated that I should receive a certain salary
and a contingent fee, amounting to 10 per cent. of the net profits of
the club, as shown by the books of that organization, which, in 1890,
amounted to little or nothing, owing to the troubles engendered by the
Brotherhood