New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-10
MEANING OF JOHN REILLY'S QUESTION
AT THE CROKER DINNER.
THE Ex-Boss POsrPONEs HIS TRIP TO EUROPE
HE SAYS THE TROUBLE WILL NOT AMOUNT
TO MUCH; Put OTHERS DECLARE
THAT HE WILL. DE UNABLE TO


Sheehan was elevated to the place OF chairman
Of the Finance Committee. Croker's old place,
there has been a murmur Of discOrd 1t has
b"en evident that all was not running smoothly.
but there was no open break Some OF the
braves tried 20 belittle the feeling Of discon-
tent. pointed to the fact that Tammany was
now out OF power. and declared that naturally
there was more or less grumbling because there
not the same patronage to distribute
There was n blowing Of trumpets when 1T was
announced some time ago that dinner was
10 be given for the ex- boss. Richard Croker.
The dinner was arranged for on n magnificent
scae. Forty dollars Il plate was charged, ana
every thing lovely 1t looked like the OLD
prosperous Tammary days-prosperous for
Tammany- around the Savoy early in the even
ing All the leaders were there; leaders once
but now shorn Of power. They had gathered
TO pay homage to ex-chieftain. Every one
was smiles and there was the usual talk OF
better days to come; but many Of the shrewder
politicians knew that some Of the Tam
many men present had keenly whetted knives
up Their sleeves which they would be only TOO
glad to get chance to use. How the knife was
flashed out IN public 's now known.
WHEN REILLY SPOKE OUT.
Mr.. Croker was compmentlng Tammany Hall
having
when ex-Rosister John Reilly spoke out In meet
ing Mr. Reilly's words came Ike a thunderclap.
hu, they found an echo In the heart OF many
there This was shown By the cries Let us
hear what John has got 10 say and What we
want - know IL. who selected him. II was
turbulent crowd for a time. and the old tiger
spirit broke out Il was with difficulty that
order was restored. end then there was silen"e
over all that was ominous. Every man in that
dlnng-hau who heard IN, wor!s spoken by
reilly knew that they would inclte moro. and
that the war hai only begun. As Croker with
the cold calm courage thet h. has always shown.
stood facing the excited men. he saw that all
he could say would not restore cordial relations.
and doubtless he was glad that he indeed
"out ~ H." Or coull appear TO b. anyhow.
Politicians IN talking yesterday sad that
the outburst ngainst Sheehan not to be
construed as an attack upon Croker. John Reilly
IS one OF the most aggressive men eyer in Tam
many Hall lie once member Of the Ex-
e-utive Committee OF the Wlgwam. but he got
ou,. The ambition OF Mr.. Rellly's Ne. the
politicians say. was to he a member % the
,ouc. hoard Ifo was n candidate for the place
-, the time that John c. Sheehan was ap-
tainted Mr. shcehan was appointed because
- was thought best for political reasons. a'd
,. VAS strongly urged 10y Croker. Anthony
Brady. ~ Albany. Senator Murphy and william
+. Shs,lau This made Mr. Reilly angry, ana
he said so. lie withdrew from the Executive
Committee ~ Tammany Hall, and his place
o.as taken hy John oakley. When John {.
.,,.,,o, was rlaced at the head OF the Finance
,..ror,i,t.. a. Tammany Hall. Mr.. Reilly Is
sued his proclamation. lie said that as lore
os J,hn G eheehau remained ther" n" "'HN
have nothing 10 do with Tammany; that ne
would not contribute a dollar toward cam
raI,us and would not take an activ" part MN
e.lr and so far as is known he mas kept ms
,.., I, yvas expected 10y some that he would
turn loos. at the Croker dinner " ne ia" I"
chorco but IT was hoped the affair would be
emoothed over
WHY HE "BROKE OVER THE TRANf'S'
L. tho upht If these incidents IL can be- un-
,.r.,,ood vhv Mr.. Reilly broke over the traces
o,1 s,,oh. his mind lie asked "Who placed
/ him there" referring to Mr. Steehan ana many
| others ir, asking the sam" question 'o-""S' -
10 a v-ll-known fact thai Hugh }. Grant Henry
+ Purrov Thomas T. Gllroy. James j. MAruh'
Iohn g. sheehar and other Tammany lea"er'
~ ,o,o all have petty jealouses and fights upon
,h.,r banda None has the almost idolatrous
! r,io,,,r,, that Croker has among his people.
! sheehan they say. would not nave Deeh 'o','
ated a moment were il not a fact tha' III III"
/ ,, r-,,,,,,. men recognized a ngurehead for
! Croker He was Crokcrs man. ana ,h'' n''u'"
| h ,n. d.c,sion \ question that Mr.. Croker
has been asked many times IL why ne s'i'.
shechan This Is answered by the politicians
/ in Their own way. .
r,hn = ehe.hen came here about eight years
oco Ue meyer built up any following In TAM
| many Hall He was pushed to tho front by the
CAM. mon vino made him Police Commissioner
When Croker went out and the question oA
choosing II new man up, Sheehah "'S ''''O
cd II is said tha; he was chosen i"' 'e N'''
reason that he had no following. lie WAS man
/ who could act for the Tammany crown an" -.
one who at Il moments notice, cou'u Dc "'PV'
out and there would be ~ coh'e'''u P'''''
from any faction within Tamhahy h"iH =
,ourmur of protest went up at his appointments
and all other leaders who had "A strong l"''o"
Ing felt slighied-but Sheehan stayed i"e'e
has always been suilen, restless oppos'"0" !"
him. however. and now 1t threatens 10 peco"ne u
strong force AS the politicians say 'hcie ~
likely to be wa or dssension Wlthlh the rams
rhors ,s no Doubt EXPRESSED that Croker and his
men Will try to hold Sheehan IN the p'"0e' ana
there is an equally strong opinion that as Reilly
Fitzgerald and others have 10" p'"0e' ''''"
selves Oh record they Will 60 ahead'
4, TALK WITH CROKER.
Richard Croker did not seem to be much "ol-
r1ed over the outlook when he was seen at MS
home. No. East Seventy -fourth-st, yesterday.
When Mr. Croker was asked II he 'housht the
remark Of Mr. Reilly meant spit III l"'lihan'
Hall. he replied quietly:
Il think not.
What caused MIR. Reilly to make the re-
mark" was the next question lie answered
in an abstracted way:
Johns good fellow and he was goou
,ead.r H.. has a habit OF doing things like
that don't think that 1t amounts TO any
thing"
do you think there is any concerted opposi-
ton 70 Mr. Sheehan In Tammany Hall? Mr..