Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-03-21
KING OF NEW YORK.
GEAR CROKER WHO SITS ENrHRoNED AT
TAMMANY.
New York Preaa. |

In the middle OF that strange sector
of Fourteenth Street which lies between
Third and Fourth Avenue II red brick
building of surprising architectural ug
illness. II II surmounted by huge cap
A niche In this cap protects q well ex'
ecutetf and heroically proportioned stat
ne of an Indian. The sculptured brave
looks down on two OF the busiest side
walks In New York.
To the right of the broad stairs that
leads from the sidewalk to the ground
floor Of this building are several big
plate glass windows, and In one OF these
windows almost every day, from lC
o'clock until nearly 8, the head OF the
big business that is carried on within may
he seen. Sometimes he stands and looks
out at the curious human mixture on the
street, but oftener sits at little desk In
the window nearest the entrance. His
broad, full bearded face Is OF type that
marks him as a man OF large ability and
his msnner Of. speaking betokens the
habit of command.
The building is Tammany Hall, the
man IL Richard Croker, and the cOrpo-
ration IL the Society of Tammany.
The Society of Tammany, or Colum-
bla Order, was originally organized Tor
benevolent aud patriotic purposes, but
Turing the l03 years Of Its life 1t has de-
yeloped into the greatest political ma.
chine In the world. Its business II mu.
niclpal politics. No secret ls made OF
the commercial methods Of Its workings.
hut much mystery moves around their
iletails. Croker 10 chairman OF the
inance committee aud by virtue OF that
po.ition is Practically the president OF
he Tsmm,ny corporation.
What methods Croker follows In car
wing out hls most important plans on
~ his most confidential advisers know.
rhe rank and file Of Tammany IL who'll,
ignorant of them. Precisely what j.
lone with the enormous amounts oi
money which pass through the hands oi
the finance committe IL mystery, Tor
so far as can be learned no books ARE
kept to record transactions which In
yoive astounding sums. Results alone
IRE written down.
With his intimstes he Ia q genial, jolly
companion. With the smaller member.
of the organization he IL man OF great
,iignity, cold, uncommunicatlye and awe
inspiring. Almost every afternoon he
holds sort of levee In the committee
rooms of Tammany Hall, and Is CONSULT
ed by hundreds Of his followers. These
conversations are decidedly one sided.
Al questions, statements and requests
alike are met with monOsyllables. The
master has a habit of slowly nOdtling his
head while he rubs his chin redectlvely
with the fingers Of one hand, and with
that aud a few short, calmly spoken
words. the other talker must be content
for answer.
II good Tammany man goes to
Richard Croker to ask a favor he gener-
ally leaves him with mind unpleasant
ly uncertain as to what has occurred.
Whether he has asked for position Tor
himself In some Of the city departments
or has asked for Sir. Croker's influence
in the behalf of some one else, the result
Is the same. Croker sits on such occa-
sions with eyes fixed on space and an
face. He quietly listens
to the applicants story, at rare Intervals
interfering n pertinent question so that
he NAV surely know II all, and rubs his
chin with exasperating reflective calm
ness. When the tale is finished and the
applicant Is waiting anxiously for an
snswer, the head Of Tammany Hall
looks gravely up for a moment and In
nine cases out Of ten says simply:
swell, Mr.. Smith, we'll see."
Then he turns to the next visitor and
the applicant goes away feeling that he
has created no impression, that he has
not received proper attention and that
his chances of getting what he wants are
decidedly small. lie may be mistakan.
Every word that he has said has been
recorded on memory that Is as reten-
tive as craven brass. Richard Croker
never forgets even small things. The
"well, we'll see" Is part OF his prac-
tice of never making promises. IL NC
ror,ling to the Tammsny standard, the
application IL worthy Of consideration
it will be considered. Richard Croker
through Tanmany secret service NJ
effective AS that of the United States.
will learn the mans political record and
whether he Il likely to be faithful tn
rammany In the future with an accuracy
that never deviates. IL everything is
satisfactory the man will be summoned
.ome time when he least expects 1t and
learn that his request has been granted.
Otherwise no more time will be wasted
on him.
A story Il told Of q man now well
known In Tammany aud outside OF 1t a'
a trusted tool for doing secret Jobs who
went to Croker aud asked him for an ap.
pointmeut. lie had done much hard
work for Tammsny, and WAS piqued
when Croker dismissed him with what
he considered scant courtesy. lie said
10 n friend:
"IIe didn't pay any attention to me
mi has probably forgotten by this tlmt
that am on the EARTH"
Weeks stretched Into months and
AL. remark seemed To have been Justifie'
Nv fact. BY the time almost a year had
.iipped by with no news about his appli'
cation he had nearly forgotten II him
.elf. But one day he received n note
telling him that he had been appolnte,
to the position he had applied for. Thi'
note arrived precisely year after he hat
made the application.
This Sphinx like habit OF Mr.. Croker's
doubtless does much to make his follow
ers respect him.
Croker has no "ordinary Vices" III
smokes little and drinks little. Pro
family is excessively distssteful Y
him.
Mr.. Croker receives q salary variousl!
stated at from 5000 to. 900 year
lie is reported to spend e25,OOO year
One of the mysterious facts about tn
Tsmmany society is that every man u
Its confidence acquires, with its othe
secrets, the secret OF getting rich rapid
ly. A salary OF 900 annually paid
Tsmmany sachem has been known y
buy q si6, 900 brownstone house In tw'
years.
Ills personal history isa strange one
lie Il man Of middle age. lie camo Y
this country from Ireland when fe VA
q youth, and his influence MAS slmos
insta utly felt In the circles which b
entered. He Joined one Of the TOUCHES
eangs In New York city, and early show
"a tie ability which has made him "bess
Of Tsmmany by becoming the gang
leader. It's depredations and crime
were many and extensive. Among ther
wss an assault on the late Christophe
Pullen, q leading Republican, who va
% severely injured that be never who'll
recovered. Young Croker also estat
lished reputation 40 hstic hero. II
was credited with having deprived on
ecntleman with whom he had IN argu
ment an ear, and another Of most OF hl
teeth. Once be 10 said 70 have aimoi
entered prize riug with, ~ his oppt
nent, 0wney 0eoghegsn, since than . ~
ltorous dlvsksspsF, now dad. IL ws
sftar Croker began 70 dabble n polIti(