Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-12-25
New York Herald.


Richard Croker, the leader Of INN
many hall, yesterday gave out a formal
interview to the leading morning news
papers.
1t Is longer than an the other inter-
views which Mr.. Croker ever submitted
TO- and deals very largely with the at
tacks which have been made on Tam
many hall by various political orsauiza-
tons now forming to overthrow that po-
Aucdl power
Mr.. Croker touches upon Dr.. Park
hurst TO whom he gives the credit of
honesty Of conviction, defends the city
| government against charges of corruption
and certain departments against back.
mail. He says that he would welcome
an Investigation by ,ho legislature. but
doubts If the Republicans will fool with
SUCH a boomerang, Us he terms IT,
again. He says probably every Tam
many member Of the legislature viii vote
| TO submit the question Of consolidation
| to the people.
| Much OF the interview Is personal. Mr.
| Croker declares that he has not a dollar
| that was not acquired honestly and eN-
| presses regret thar those who make
| charges do so In such general terms. He
| also declares that he has no intention III
| resignmg the leadership of Tammauy
| hall at time when war is being made
| on it, and says he believes the voters Of
the city are satisfied with the govern
| ment Tammany is giving.
Coming back 10 the meeting sug-
| cested thc reporter, what about the per-
| sonnl attacks upon yOurselfi'
| What do You mean by personal at
tacls"
"Why, the insinuation that you sud
| donly. acquired very great wealth by thc
exercise OF yonr political power
,".99oa mean Illegally or eorrupsy"
"Who said I had5'
Nobody made The direct charge, but
| Of course yOu must know that q good
/ many limitations 90 Thar effect have been
! made laIeiy. not only az the meeting but
| Ia the newspapers u was even suggested
at the meeting that the resources OF your
revenue be investigated"
81 wish you would bring me the name
of man who Us willing 10 make that
charge and be responsible for TO- II Is
easy enough 90 iusibuaio things, but I
notice thnt they are pretty careful to
avoid saying anything TINT they might be
called uuOn TO prOyO. There has been o
good deal Of this irresponsible kind Of
talk during the past year, and / have not
said anything about il. l have just let
them 90 on and talk as much as they
pleased. ] don't propose 10 let ANYBODY
seem TO nut me on the defensive when |
have nothing to defend ! have no apolu-
giles or explanations to make for what
money ! have got Every dollar Of il
was acquired honestly and nprightly
have never asked for or received n dollar
from any person engaged in unlawful
pursuits In return for my Influence or
protection, on whatever yon call IT, and
] have never asked for or received
dollar from any corporation for any such
purpose.
NO MONEY FOR INFLUENCE.
81 know there has been a good deal Of
iniimaion of that kind lately One Of
the papers the other day said that IL the
heads Of the great corporations Of this
city wond tell all they know | would be
be driven out Of my place and Tammany
hall would be driven ont OF power Why
don't the papers ask these heads of cor
| poraiions FOR this inf0rmaiiont They
| don't seem 20 thinli Of that They just
/ go ahead and draw ON their own imlgn-
| atoms. Now. / win do what they don't
! do. / will ask the head Of any corpora
ton or anybody else who knows or thinks
| hr knows that ] ever received n dollar In
| return for my influence or protection "a
| produce his facts, j say that without the
| slightest hesitation or reserve, because ]
| know, whether the papers do or not, that
never did. Ii an investigation commit
tee or any person can produce the slight
| cyst evidence Of my having taken money
in such way I viii get out Of politics at
SNow what DO they base this charge
on Why, they say that few years
ago | was very poor and now ] am very
| rich. They point out what they call
evidences Of great wealth. While was
living on Mount Morris avenue the pit
pers talked about my. palallai hlnSIon
and my eNtravagant hylng ahd lnht Horl
Of thing. Why, one OF them sehl gn ar
list up to my house and ne Rot IN OF
some prextet or other and made an al
legged sketch of my porlor. When II was
printed in The paper it looked IKE u bit
room most deliberately furnished, ana ma
is the way Il was described. NOW ina
parlor was exactly II feet one way ani
{ lG feet the other, and the 'I9lahal man
e SION itself was 20 feet wide and q
, feet deep. IT contained iour nelrooull
I for the accommodation OF i"inly q
D six children. When ! GOT 20 ! coul'
$ afford it / bought a bigIeI ho4Ne' an,
: . .nSW pa mi Sf mansion, i is higga
= thon Me Other I admit. Il is 20 fee
1 vide and 70 feet deep and has SIX ped
: 1e T51 where / got money to buy j. ans
( ,,,ade n great fuss about my living d
Q 500 O6O house. After while The
Z discovered tint 'A,fe Nus l. ~ ,,.o.e mo,
? 4 for $4,000 and then tney were Hii'
: about that .,.,,a.,r. r,p,r
THAT HiN' IN