St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-12-17
Unfamiliar Views of Eminent Contem.
pOraries.
RICHARD CROKER, FANcIER.

No man since Baaam and Henry
Bergh has had his name more intimately
Unidentified with the brute creation than
Richard Croker, who may be called
erich Richard" to distinguish him from
the author of Poor Richards Almanac"
and for other reasons.
A citizen of Great Britain and Greater
New York, Mr.. Croker, like most OF our
democratic leaders, probably comes of
fine old Irish stock His descent, how
ever, is in doubt; some tracing the line
to Brian Boru and others to Richard
Crook the third of the earlier
Royal Richards, colloquially alluded to
(behind his back as Cooker; hence
Croker. On the east side the name was
spelled Crowcur in the Dog days, but this
is believed to have been harmless With
cism.
Be this as it may, many royal attri-
butes mark Richard King today.
1t has Just been shown that the right
of eminent domain is still his'n in Tam
many Hall-not to speak of the Greater
New York. OF his title to treasure trove,
there has been no doubt in the mind of
New Workers since Hon. Hugh ]. Grant,
TlOSSlS, anu OtuSIS OOiN WllhSSS W u
before an investigating committee. His
emouments have been regal, enabling
him to indulge his fancy for dogs, horses,
and the Prince OF Wales.
Dogs have been apassion with Crokers
virile personality since his earliest ap-
pearances in the city of his adoption.
He handled and trained them, and as
sisted at their hostile meetings, cumming
softly the while:
"Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
So other dogs can't lick 'em,
But drat dog that cannot fight,
oh sic 'em Fido, sic 'em"
The love of canine nature thus fostered
enabled Mr.. Croker in after years to en-
rich our folklore with the traditional
prescription of" hair OF the dog" and
those meatv apothegms, Dog eat dog, )"
Love me, love my dog" and when mug
wumpian denunciation OF himself and his
friends as "short-hairs" worked on Mr..
Croker's feelings, he has been known to
permit his bull dog to bark and bite.
The Croker stables are well-known
now on two sides OF the Atlantic, and If
there were any more sides the stables
would be well-known there too. 1t has
been several years since the owner bought
in the Belle Meade farm and other good
things, shortly after the Sheenss came
down from Buffalo.
Mr.. Croker's collection Of terriers, col
louuially styled tarriers, is on permanent
exhibition in East Fourteenth street,
where he also keeps a tame tiger. This
collection is doubtless the chef d'euvre
of his professional career. The animals
had grown greatly during his absence
in Europe, and there was some danger
that they might not recognize Mr..
Croker on his return. 1t would be awful
to think of his meeting the fate OF the
Lions Bride"
The Fourteenth street museum IS now
in charge of Hon. John c. Sheehan, with
a successor to Wiskinkie Donegan in the
box.office. The free list has been en-
tirely suspended, and the mortgage
raised.
SWINBURNE RITTENHoUSE.
THOMAS c. pLArr, MAcHlNIsT AND Mu'
While John Ernest Worrall Kelly de-
yeloped his motor in Philadelphia anu
Hiram Maxim toiled in London over his
aeroplaue. Thomas c. Platt, now resi-.
dent ct the metropolist, worked day ana
night in New York on a machine OF MS
own. His patient industry, inner CO.
efficient than genius, was tnally re-
warded when, in the winter OF 1861
he was selected to appear before tne
limited States senate as a representative
of the aggregate machinists OF the state
ofNew York. He made flatterlng I'M
preston on that eminent body. ne
provisions in the new tariff bill tor the
better protection OF homemade mechan-
isms against the pauper machines OF
Europe are traced by some studeh.s VI
political economy to his personal innu-
ence.
Outwardly devoted to the. practical
side of life, young Platt showed an cary
ATTITUDE for machinery. In the primary
Department of his school-he studied. SO
hard that personal understanding WIN
The nr;ncnaI. or boss, followed naturally
"Watch the primaries, boys, the inture
statesman would say, land the civil scr
vice examinations will take care o' '"e'''
Asa vouth Platt would sit for hours
watching the governor of the steam.
engine: its Rhythmic movement hl.eo mn
with iov and emulation. Considering
the hody nolitic as a mechanical compo,s,
ite." he wrote in an early essay, IL wou,a
rather be governor OF tine engine '""'
governor OF the state"