Middletown transcript., 1894-03-24

TAMMANY HALL AND N. Y. CITY.
The atlantic for February contains a
capital article on "Tammany Hail." by
Henry Childs Merwin, Not the least
entertaining chapter in this recital per.
tains to the personal history Of Mr..
Richard Croker, the unofficial but very
real "boss" Of two millions of people.
''Mr. Croker emigrated to New York
from Ireland about forty years ago, be-
ing then a small boy. He remained in
New York, growing up on the East
Side Of the city, and while still in his
teens he acquired some reputation as a
tough He became identified with
what was known as the Fourth Ave-
nue. Tunnel Gang;' and subsequently
be advanced to having a gang of his
own, The tough recognizes but one
virtue, that of cour age, and this young
Irishman possessed that virtue in a far
higher degree than is the case with
most 'toughs In 1866 he defeated
one Richard Lynch in fight at jones'
Woods, on a Sunday morning. After
ward, he was matched to fight we'll
known professional, Mr. Owney Geo.
ghegan; but this arrangement fell
through. At one time Mr.. Croker kept
liquor saloon. Later, he served for 3
short period as stoker to fire engine.
Then he went into politics, holding a
small clerkship under Tweed and
'Prince Harry Genet.
''Mr. Croker is man Of medium
height, heavily built. bat not portly.
He has a massive jaw, a well-shaped
head, and tough he wears a full beard
it is possible to see that he has a mouth
which denotes a,will of iron. His face
is of the bulldog type, but it lacks the
good nature which those who are
familiar with the really gentle charac-
ter of the bulldog are able to detect in
that animals countenance. Mr.. Croker
is reputed to be a man Of very few
words; that he is extremely sagaciou 8
need not be said; that he has an innate
tendency to become respectable is evil
dent from his career. AT present he
holds no public office whatever, but he
governs New York more absolutely,
than most kings have governed their
Kingdoms. Though without visible
means of fsupport be is man of great
wealth. He has built, or is building,
one palace in Heidelberg, another in
New York, and he has invested large
sums both in running and in tro,ting
stables. How are these facts accounted
for? Why is Mr.. Croker an autocrat
and millionaire? The answer can be
made i'll a word,-he succeeded John
Kelly as Boss Of Tanmany Hall. 7"
HOW TAMMANY GOVERNS NEW YORK.
Aside from the great general COM
mittee of five thousand members,
elected annually from the third assem-
bly, districts into which New York city
is divided, which meets every month
and prepares the campaign, and besides
the committees for tie conduct of elec-
tions and for finance, the local and de-
tailed work is managed as follows:
Each assembly district is divided by
law in numerous election districts,
or, as they are called in some cities,
voting precincts each election district
containing about four hundred voters.
The election districts are looked after
as follows: Every assembly district has
a district committee, composed of the
members of the General Committee
elected from that district, and of GER
tain additional members chosen for the
purpose. The district committee ap-
points in each Of the election distric s
included in that particular assembly
district captain. This man is the
local boss. He has from ten TO twenty
five aids, and he is responsible for the
vote of his election district. There are
about eleven hundred election districts
in New York, and consequently there
are about eleven hundred captains, or
local bosses, each one being responsible
to the ASSEMBLY district committee
by which be was appointed. Every