New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29
lMR. CROKER ON THE TURF.
HE HAS no PLANS TO SPEAK OF.
TIE TAMMANY LEADER SAYS HE HAS BEE"
TALKING TOO MUCH-IIE WILL RACE


been doing? Or what had happened TO MI NroNer !
What was Mr. Croker 10 bc seen for
If turned ont 10 be an ordinary matter. Mr.. Croker
hal become a turfnan and was going to race Few
horses on the Board of Control tracks THIS year TIC
must bc seen about his plans; the public wanted 10
know what he Intended to do. lie would De eiid 10
tell them all his plans. lie was not taking very
much politics these days, but wouiu jump 1T oc
chance to talk horse.
The reporter completely Ovcrpowerd BY this elu'
citation OF the problem. vcntured to undertake the
assignment. Ills first step was TO 20 10 an accideh'
insurance company and insure his life for $4,000
Then he sroed up to Tammany Hall. The door
being open he walked in To the right OF the entrance
was n large room with big table IN the centre. This
was the Council Chamber CT the braves lie walked
In. oneer.looking man sat at the table. porting
over n lot OF papers, In corner sat another man
reading He looked like politician. lie wore good
clothes and had big air about HIM. rs II the "orid
was about to ask further orders about her ro'a-
ton for the morrow.
"Whcrc will find Mr.. Croker7- the reporter asked
Of the man ut the table, and the answer drfted slowly
back: sit down. He'll BE- In after awhile
A chair by the window seemed a good enough
Mace and the reporter campcd there for twenty
minutes. In front Of him n tremendous SAFE
with double doors. two panels In each Above inc
doors were the words. g. ammnny society," On the
upper right hand panel was portrait OF ola ram
many himself. the Indian chief on inc Iele
Of the panel was old Tammany at camp
fire halancuing the bucks Of his tribe lie seemed
TO he n very respectable Indian. Judging by outward
opp.oranccs on the lower right panel was the arm
Of n nan supporting torch. which was Durh'hs
fI,rIouSly II was said 10 be n David H. NH 'o'o"'
and IS tho only Of The lot that Is burning nov"
All the others have gone out. Moreover u Is 'ln
hlcmatca The safe represents the ciE oi Ne"
York. and the torch is showing Tammany now 10
get In. 49,.
On The lower left panel Is curious picture mat
,o thc ordinary Intelligence would prove pnzzlins.
4 man, hand Is holding up rcd ana DUO cap
sha ped Ike n bishops nitro. on the bann are ""
huc stars Nothing else Is visible at first g'anc''
bgi on raising the edge Of the cap n PIE III s'"'"
s,uG /, socn on one side Is the word "oihces nn"
on the other "spdls." Tho picture indicates '''''
Tammany has "c,nch' OIL Do'h' 49,.
Beside the safe was ticker. giving out me latest
.,ocI, ouoto,ians Tammany selling away above
mar Tammanv ha, been selling and buyins ior
many vcars Over the door. on the east WALL WIS
magnificent steel engraving Of tiger head. ana above
the head was the word "Tammany' lie was n go"'
looking beast with generous cast Of conh"''''cc'
Ills paw VIZ, reaching ont for spoils his DIE rounu'
fat soft paw, with the claws ont OF eisH'' VIZ
those claws! How they have ripped up this poor
city,.
on marble pedestal near the door was dust
., robn Kollv nc-ce and relentless In lis phySlosn'h
cal devclopcmcnt II the square beard mad Deeh
trimmed 10 4 point It would have looked not nhhNe
Mr. Croker himself. The most conspicuous picture w
tho v..t hall was one Of Grover Cleveland Inc
head was Of double life eIzc. How TammahY "'i''
Iovc Mr. Cleveland! Hi and Shcclnn. on the oppoNue
side OF the room glarcd at the lreNu'n'c ''' anu
Flower looked on him. too. with sort Of piying eye
fine portr,lt Of Hugh !. Grant was skied. %
usc nm art gallery phrase. lie seemed TO be ABOVE
Tho re-. OF the Tammany Mayors whose faces decoraeu
the walls lie was Just about rs high n the spiehdiu
eagle that with Outsprcad wings, perch'd ABOVE 'le
safe. The eagle j. the emblem or lh'hhahS VI"
hilton. 1t IS ead By the ornitholoSiSts to he bliu
Of prey.
sliding doors were pushed apart in the north wall
q, tho loom, revealing al inner chamber. a massive
.ho naeIier hung low over long table, at when
.ot , man. II was early In the afternoon. but the
room would have been In total darkness II the lamps
Ind not been lighted. The walls were almost covcrcu
with ,scturs and there must have been nearly
score Of chairs on III, floor The light rom the
chandelier shone bright In the face OF the man nj
tho ,obol He WIS leaning on his elbow looking
4 ryn at the square o! blot,ing paper before hiW'
Int hls mind was elsewhere. He wore SILK nat
Tho newest and glossicst and most stylish and BIZ
lang Prince Albert coat snugHy buttoncd up
~ n Prince Albert should always be- Ills Doo''
were patent leather. Take MIN all IN ALL he WIS "
w"ll-drc>sed man.
IFS face was dark. The thick beard that covered
u extended almost the eyes SELDOM has stronger
heard been seen. II trimmed 10 point, as
IN. custom IS these days, and was partly gray,
heavy solemn. iron gray. The short hair was not
los. ,hcl, than the beard. and 1t also was tins"i
with gray lie seemed 10 have good
rosc and firm jaw, and his eyes werr
very keen and sharp. They were quick us Hs"'
ming. and tneir intent gazc burned a man. Ihey
reminded one OF the eyes Of the great eagle perchei
above the safe though they were much darker
Non came and went before this man as they so and
come before IA king. They bowed down 10 num- WIN
lou, obcI,ance. and seem willing TO kiss his feet.
They addressed him In undertoneS' anu sp'he aio"s
themselves In whispers.
Al q time when neither minon nor henchman was
ncar th. throne the reporter advanced upon Mr.
croker and ntroiuccd himself. The only recognized
monarch in America failed to be greatly impressed
bu nodded rather ndifcrently. flashing his eye In
the reporters face II 1t were searcllsht looking
for "A torpedo.
81 wouldn't think OF mentioning politics. the re-
porter sad to the Tammany chieftain. Il just want to
talk horse
"rm afraid to talk to newspaper men, Mr.. Croker
said.
"Oi course OF course: you right to be afraid OF
the political reporters. but you can have nothing TO
fear from the turf department." the horse reporter
FASTENED to assure Mr.. Croker.
|
with n grim SMILE land | don't intend TO say an
other word to n newspaper man on any subject
But surely you will talk horse. Mr.. Croker! Tho
entire racing population OF the cOGltry Is anxious
to know what yCnr racing plans are
4" | have plans
"You must have Mr.. Croker. II yon are going
into racing you must have made some SORT OF plihs.
4" have no plans OF any kind
IL seems very strange that you should hesitate to
saw a few words IN the subject Of racing We should
be much pleased If you would talk
But there Is nothing 10 talk about. have no
plans"
1t i understood that you are the owner OF the
beautiful Iogkvic Belle and the angular, but swift
Fairy. II woald b" Interesting u all turlmeh 10
know what your plans concerning them'
have no plans 49, ,,
Now I'm the repetition OF these words. Mr.. Crikcrs
voice had slightly changed from piani,s to piano
There WAS every indication that II would soon become
forte. lie began to speak as II he meant what he