There is a feeling of intense disgust at base ball headquarters in [Cleveland] over the fact that Chris Von der Ahe, after being yanked to Pittsburg much as a murderer or bank robber might be taken, should have been allowed to go to ail for the want of a few hundred dollars.  Such a thing would not have occurred in Cleveland if the base ball writers here themselves had been obliged to raise the money to keep the brave old Teuton from going behind the bars.

Even this would have been unnecessary, for, as Captain Tebeau put it to-day, "the players now in Cleveland know enough of what Von der Ahe has done for the game and for the men who played it in the past to not stand idly by and see him chucked into the prison cell if he had been in trouble here instead of in Pittsburg."

-Sporting Life, February 19, 1898

The action of the League in expelling the Sportsman’s Park and Club from the association and recognizing the new organization formed by Robison and Becker has aroused the greatest enthusiasm (in St. Louis) and the fans already see the pennant flying from the flagstaff at the ball grounds. The deal means the transfer to this city of the Cleveland Club in its entirety.

The new Browns will have Tebeau on first base, Childs at second, Cross at third and Wallace at short. The outfielders will be Burkett, Griffin, and Stenzel. O’Connor, Criger, Schrecongost and Clements will be the catchers and the pitching staff will consist of Young, Cuppy, Powell, Wilson, Bates, Jones and Hughey. Ed McKean will remain with the Cleveland team. So will Zimmer and Blake. The other St. Louis players, including Hill, Carsey, Sudhoff, Stivetts, Sugden, Tucker, Quinn, Harley, and Dowd will be transferred to the Forest City to fill the other places. Stanley Robison will be the president of the Cleveland Club.

It was leaked out that the new St. Louis Club was organized about a week ago when the following officers were elected: President Frank de Haas Robison, of Cleveland; vice president Edward C. Becker; Stanley Robison; secretary William Schofield. Mr. Becker will have no interest in the Cleveland Club. He is satisfied with his holdings in the local club, which are exactly equal with Robison. The statement already made that Mr. Robison holds a slight excess of stock, just enough to give him control, is not correct. Mr. Becker and Mr. Robison hold share and share alike in the new corporation…

Chris Von der Ahe does not propose to give up the fight for the possession of the Browns franchise. The publication on Sunday of the Rogers-Muckenfuss letter has convinced the boss that he is the victim of a conspiracy and he proposes to have the sale of the Sportsman’s Park and Club set aside, if possible. To-day he filed his notice of an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court from the decision of Judge Spencer ordering the property sold to satisfy the creditors. Under this decree the property was sold, then later transferred to E.C. Becker, who in turn took into partnership Frank Robison, thus, it is said, confirming all that was admitted in the Rogers letter…

-Sporting Life, April 1, 1899

Patsy Tebeau was a smart man.

In 1890 Baldwin led the strongest of the three big leagues that season in most major pitching departments...When the PL folded he was required to return to Columbus AA and telegraphed a club official in February, "Depend on me; will not go back on my contract."  Little more than two weeks later, however, Baldwin was in St. Louis after signing with Pittsburgh, attempting to bribe local players to break their AA contracts for 1891 and play in the NL.  When Browns owner Chris Von der Ahe learned of Baldwin's perfidy, he had him jailed on a phony vagrancy charge, which was then changed to conspiracy, a criminal offense with possible prison time.  (Baldwin countered by suing Von der Ahe for false arrest and winning, but he was unable to collect until 1898 when he finally had the St. Louis owner kidnapped and jailed.  Von der Ahe ultimately had to buy his freedom for $2,625, the amount he still owed in damages.)  Baldwin got out of the slammer in time to go to spring training with Pittsburgh...

There is a feeling of intense disgust at base ball headquarters in [Cleveland] over the fact that Chris Von der Ahe, after being yanked to Pittsburg much as a murderer or bank robber might be taken, should have been allowed to go to ail for the want of a few hundred dollars.  Such a thing would not have occurred in Cleveland if the base ball writers here themselves had been obliged to raise the money to keep the brave old Teuton from going behind the bars.

Even this would have been unnecessary, for, as Captain Tebeau put it to-day, "the players now in Cleveland know enough of what Von der Ahe has done for the game and for the men who play it in the past not stand idly by and see him chucked into the prison cell if he had been in trouble here instead of in Pittsburg."

-Sporting Life, February 19, 1898