New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-17
laugh. so scannen has resigned? Well. they'd
better all resign"
CRAFT PROMPTED CROKER.
BISHOP POTTER FRIGHTENED HIM
INTO DECLARING AGAINST VICE
TRICK THINLY YELLED.


organization a result of his sudden decision
to weed out vice on the East Side. Mr.. Croker
stirred up some excitement by his onslaught
upon vice, but he did not succeed in impressing
the public with his sincerity In fact the public re-
CARDS this latest move of Mr.. Cookers a case
of running with the hares and hunting with the
hounds. II is the old game of the fugitive who
cries Stop thief" and joins in the search for
the culprit When Mr.. Croker's crusade became
known great many people were inclined to
ask pertinent questions Many wanted to know
why Croker es the undisputed boss of Tam
many Hall and the dictator of every offieeholder
In the city did not go to the Mayor and order
him to stamp ont vice. If he wished it done.
Every knows that such order from
Croker earnestly given, would have caused a
paralysis OF every den of vice in the city within
a period of twelve hours. If he did not go to
the Mayor, many ask. why did he not go to
Chief Devery and tell him to stamp out vice?
Then the result would have been even more
expeditions for Devery knows that Croker could
drive him from office, just he drove out Nc
Cullagh to make way for Devery. Others ask
il he wanted vice stamped out why Croker did
not send for his district leaders, each ore Of
whom knows every inch OF his district in the
darkest night and each one of whom has abso-
lutte power to give orders to the police of his
district and tell them to stamp out vice. 1heh
the result would have been equally prompt All
Of these things occur 10 people and they con-
trast them with what Croker did He called
meeting of his Executive Committee, made up or
the district leaders and he made a pyrotechnic
speech to them. He said that Tammany never
received a dollar from the dives. He said that
If there was a district leader who getting
money from these places he ought to get out OF
the organization Many who read Mr.. Croker's
ba
straight face and wondered that the leaders did
The whole thing was denounced as political
trick and subterfuge.
CROKER IN A STATE OF TERROR
A little inside history leaked out yesterday
and this explained. to a certain extent. Croker $
sudden reformation. Some time ago Bishop
Potter and his associates undertook the work Of
collecting evidence about vice on the East SIDE.
They set to work in a quiet. systematic way.
They made no speeches, they published no docu-
ments. and they said nothing. Croker became
alarmed. The silent, logged and persistent tao
tics of the clergymen worried him. He knew
how vulnerable his organization was, and ne
tried to get to windward of the coming storm
by getting in with Bishop Potter. He came out
with an interview declaring his willingness 10
cooperate with Bishop Potter or any one else
to stamp out vice Then he sent District Attor-
workers in this crusade and offer his services
When the eccentric District Attorney visited
Bishop Potter and his associates the Bishop and
others smiled grimly, but declined TO allow Mr..
Croker to take a hand. Croker thought II he
could see the Bishop and get in with him he
could fix 1t all up, but Bishop Potter did not care
for his help. Still the silent, systematic work
went on. Croker could not get an linking of
what was being accomplished. This silence and
H.. o1or,,
developed :nto absolute terror. and the terror
took hysterical form at the meeting Of the Elk
ecutive Committee Thursday afternoon. when he
started a vice crusade Of his own to forestall
any revelations that might be made later.
Croker seemed to he jubilant yesterday when he
talked with his friends and said to one: II guess
We have put It up to the Reverend Bishop good
and hard this time Now let hear what he
has to say"
1t became known last night that Bishop Pot
ter's letter Mayor Van Wyck reached the
Mayors office early Thursday morning. The
contents of this letter transmitted TO Mr.
Croker promptly, and he knew what was in it
before noon. 1t scared him. and he cast around
for a way to forestal the Bishop. The result
hurry call for meeting of the Tammany
leaders and the appointment Of a committee to
suppress vice. He thought thus to defeat the
ends aimed at by Bishop Potter and his asso-
GATES and instead convinced the public of his
nsincerity and exposed the plight he is in.
SULLIVAN AND ENGEL SQUIRM.
Croker astir early yesterday morning at
the Democratic Club and came downstairs all
smiles He expected to be patted upon the back
for his political acumen and craftsmanship in
forestalIing Bishop Potter by his leaders, and he
expected the acclaim Of the public for his moral
undertaking. He received neither. The leaders
meant to break up the source of revenue which
has made them rich. or, If he didn't mean that.
what he meant by admitting there was vice in
the city. They eyed him gloomily. and many
bitterly argued the question with him. When
Croker received the black looks and protests of
his leaders he became nettled. When he read
the morning papers and heard what the people
had to say he became violently angry. He
summoned John Whalen. District Attorney Gar
diner, Lewis Nixon and others TO the club for a
talk. Later Timothy D. Sullivan and Martin
EEgel were called before Croker. Sullivan and
Enge are the leaders, respectively, of the two
most immoral districts in the city. What went
on at that conference wasn't revealed, but it is
understood that Croker told Engel and Sullivan
that they would have Ito make good" at least
temporarily in closing up dives in their districts.
After these conferences Croker was in a bad
humor. He talked with number of newspaper
men. who asked him direct questions, which
only incensed him the more.
us your campaign against vice in this city to
be prosecuted with vigor?" Mr.. Croker was
asked. He eyed the questioner sulleny and
answered.
What do you mean by asking such a
question. L am surprised at you. What is the
use Of doing anything saying anything il the
people are going to ask questions like that?''
We'll, said the reporter, the people say this
vice crusade on your part is pure bluff and all
for political effect. They say you want to head
off the reforIners in the next political campaign
Now, what do you think of that?" said Mr
Croker in tones Of utter evaporation. DO you
inl T / nlli.