The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-16
Remarkable Movement Inaugurated
by the "Boss- on Eve of His
Departure for Europe.
ROW AT CLOSE OF MEETING
WHEN CORONER FITZPATRICK DE-
CLARED HIS DISTRICT WAS PURE.
Cookers Wrath Aroused to Such Ex-
tent that He Replied Excited1y-
other Reform Movements.

NEW YORK, Nov. 15.-The executive
committee of Tammany Hall held meet
ing tonight. at which Richard Croker babe
all the leaders goodbye and took a hand
in starting movement TO rid the city of
vice. In little speech the Tammany lead
er said he was going to Europe for his
health, not pleasure, and introduced Isidor
Straus, president of the Educational AL
lance. as a man who was acquainted with
the condition of things on the East Side.
adding: 81 hope you will give attentive
hearing TO his statement of the condition
Of vice that exists there, and that after
you have heard what he has to say you
will use your every effort 10 correct those
evils as far lies in your power"
Mr.. Straus said he had met Mr. Croker
at dinner accidentally. and had talked with
him for two hours over the conditions on
the East Side. and Mr.. Croker had asked
him to talk to the executive committee of
Tammany Hall, and then. addressing the
committee, Mr. Straus told of what was
needed on the East Side 10 suppress crime.
He said that he, as Democrat, had fire.
quently had cast up TO him the statement
that Tammany Hall receives the greater
evil conditions of life, and that no good
can be accomplished unless the power of
Tammany Hall is destroyed. Mr.. Strauss
had repeated this to Mr.. Croker, and the
latter asked him 10 come before the COM
mittee with the statement and had prom
Used his aid.
Lewis Nixon then. by resolution, had a
committee of five appointed to Investigate
the moral conditions of the city and to re-
ceive and suggest remedies for the ccrrec-
tions of abuses Mr.. Nixon was made
chairman. and the other members are
George c. Clausen. president of the Park
Board; Col Michael c. Murphy. president
of the Health Board; John j. Scanneil, fire
commissioner and John w. Keller, chari-
ties commissioner
Mr.. Croker then arose and said: 81 have
nothing to add to what has been said to
you by Mr.. Straus, because he is familiar
with the matters on which he has spoken
To you. 1 hope this entire committee will
give its full strength towards helping him
and his work. We should heartily indorse
his remarks and aid him and The work of
crushing out this awful crime. And right
here 1 want to reiterate what 1 said three
weeks ago to you, and that is that not one
dollar comes into my possession from land
lords of poolrooms and houses of i'll fame,
and If any one of you gentlemen are coll
lecting from any Of these people you had
better get out of the organization. 1t has
no use for you. You are disgrace to ii
The organization can't and won't stand
for any such thing"
The meeting broke up in confusion be-
cause of the attitude of Coroner Fitzpat-
rick, the Tammany leader in the Four
teenth Assembly district who denied that
there were any disreputable houses in his
district He said that if there was vice
there 1T was in tenement houses and could
not be controlled. To this Mr. Croker ex-
citedly replied that the coroner did not
know what could be done until some effort
was made.