New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
CROKER A COUNTRY SQUIRE
~ur rAMMANY CHIEF FOUND AT WAN
rAGE. WHERE HE LIVES QUIETLY.
.,r CALLS HIS LEADERS THE MOST TEN
rrRArE LOT OF MEN HE EVER NET

,, ,oon,be Regis England. July 2S.-Unlos, he
.,onges his plans Richard Croker will be on the
80, IN New-York by the time that this reaches
~. Tribune His present intention is to sail on
,ns ST. Paul on August ..
ur Croker's place here is an ideal out of the
..o,,d spot You take the Great Western Rail-
-ood from London TO Vantage Road. distance
:, sixty miles, then travel to Vantage Village
ala steam tramway. and from Vantage there
4, two mile drive to Moat House. where the
,.eder of Tammany Hall spends his vacations.
vhen met him to-day he looked the picture
~ health and cOntentment. He was wearing a
thin light suit and piratical soft hat The
,sadgear wouldn't bring 10 cents at an auction
.aIe. except, maybe as a souvenir.
Moat House takes its name from a small body
n, water encompassing the grounds. 1t is a
modest place with nothing imposing or preten-
,,ous about It, but everything around shows
.v,dence Of good care and fine taste. There are
eowers everywhere and Mr.. Croker spends
large part Of his time watering and looking af-
Ter them.
mo you can't induce me TO talk about poll
f,cs" he said, in response 10 a direct question
tAll the other newspapers have tried to get
interviews from me and after refusing them l
couldn't consistently violate the rule that laid
down then. l said then, and 1t still holds good
that I'm too far away from the scene of action
N speak ntelligently. Besides came here TO
get away from all that. I'm not bothering
about politics now. and won't do any more than
! can help even after I get back
"How about the fight against Sheehan?'
"Oh, YOU can't draw me into a discussion"
Mr. Croker retorted He paused a moment and
then added: These district contests and rival
rios are going on all the time. We can't help
,hen, ano don't know that want 10. They
stir ND int crest, bring out new blood and are
beneficial to the organization. OF course. you
understand that cannot interfere in these local
nghts The leaders Of Tammany Hall believe IN
Home Rule and they live up to that beHet oy
refusing to have anything 10 do with district
contests The people Of each district must
choose their own leader, and when their choice
is made we recognize him. That Is the only
fair safe and just policy
'You have been accused of instigating the
fight against Sheehan?"
Mr. Croker smiled as II he had heard for the
hundredth time some yarn that he was tired
exploding.
Life is too short" he said, ito deny all the
accusations they make against me- don't nina
saying TO you however. that the first knew
about the contest in the district you refer TO
was from the newspapers"
made remark about Mr. Croker's absti-
nence from intoxicating liquors, and that
started him talking more freely than he had
done all day.
at NAV surprise YOU" he said, "but It Is a
fact nevertheless. that the leaders OF Tammany
Hall are the most temperate body Of men ever
met They indulge very little. and some not at
all know that the popular idea Of politician
te Of n against
day long If people only stopped 10 think OF the
qualifications necessary to acquire and main
tain leadership they would how ridiculous
that notion Is The district leaders OF Tammany
Hall cannot get or hold their places without
the goodwill of a majority OF the Democratic
voters of their districts. Do you suppose that the
voters are going to stand by undeserving men?
man must be bright. energetic, temperate
and above all. absolutely square, II ne Wishes
70 gain and hold district leadership IN ram
many Hall Occasionally the voters may be de-
ceived into honOring an unworthy mana reno"
who doesn't keep his promises or Is otherwise
dishonorable-but II doesn't take them long TO
find him out and they send him TO the rear IN
short order Right and truth and justice al
ways prevail in the end. Tricks and deception
may do for a time. but the man who gets to the
front and stays there is the man VINO is aDso-
lutely truthful and hOnOrdOle
Then we wandered into the grounds and
looked around. I expressed surprise at the
smallness Of the place. and recalled some gor-
geous descriptions Of 1t that had read In
certain New-York newspaper. Mr. Croker
laughed heartily. l asked him about his pow
dered footmen. porters, gamekeepers and large
retnue Of servants
1--WE have two servants he said, and. saying
&C, he chuckled.
How about your big string Of racehorses?"
"six IN all. they are at Newmarket. And I
have six yearlings here"
We'll at any rate, you have magnihcent
kenne. Of dogs. with fancy valuesY
Come and for yourself
He led me to corner Of the rear yard. and
there pointed out small incosure In the centre
Of which was a solitary doghouse, and playing
around It were three ST. Bernard puppies
That is my kennel" Mr.. Croker said.
When ATTEMPTS were made TO draw Mr.. Croker
out on National politics he closed up al once
He seemed amused when told about the way
that Hogg Of Texas. buncoed the Iamnahy
brethren on Independence Day. but said noth-
ing Comments on Bryan, Hill and others ana
their efforts to shape the policy or the next
Democratic National Convention, failed 10 IN
cite him into saying anything, good bad or IN
different
The weather is too pleasant to talk pohtics'
he said good hum )redly. They call this not
here, but 1t just suits me. We have had th's
delightful. mild weather for some time ana
I've enjoyed II. BY the time i get BACK 10
New-York / suppose it will still be not ana
that will give me another excuse for deciiiiihs
10 discuss things political"
WOES OF TAMMANY'S BOSS.
FORCED TO SEEK PEACE IN ENGLAND
DENIED HIM HERE.
Iaa