The age-herald., 1900-12-09
cRoKER's LIFE ABROAD.
Has an Electric Piano, Which He op-
 crates While Lying in Bed.

From London Black and White.
 Richard Croker's home life in "the old Moat House at Letcombe, near Vantage, Berks," is interesting.
 A man of medium stature, with iron-gray hair, beard and mustache and a strong American accent. he Hs often to be seen during the summer months riding driv- ing in the neighborhood of Vantage, and anyone who has had the g. jd fortune to drive with MT. Croker is not likely to for get it, for he goes down some of the steep Berkshire hills at a furious pace in his buggy, slashing vigorously with his whip all the time He always drives a good horse, and that means very fast trotter, and if a horse he has bought does.not pleas5 him, no matter what the cost of it is, it is just sold for what 1t will fetch.
 Life in the Moat House Is very different to life in New York, for MT. Croker has only comparatively few servants at Let combe in the house indeed, his establish ment is much the same as any wealthy middle-class gentleman's, but not that of a millionaire He reserves all. outward show for his New York life
 The house itself, as It's name betokens is surrounded by a moat; the dining-room Is paneled with oak, and in the drawing room Is an electric piano, which is switched onto MT. Croker's bedroom, so that when awake at night he can, if he wishes, enjoy music
 There is a fine billiard-room, and the great player Roberts occasionally visits the great politician. On one occasion MT. Croker invited one of the head lads at one of the adjacent training stables who very much fancied his game, to come in and break a lance with the champion. Roberts offered him 75 in 100, and the lad played first and made a small break, when Rob- erts followed and made magnificent break of over 100, much to MT. Croker amusement and the lads discontinue.
 Croker always employs local tradesmen for any work that is to be done on the Vantage property. He never trusts his own taste, but invariably leaves everything to those he employs. Imposition he punishe5 by Ignoring the offender in the future.
 The Tammany boss has a great love for animals. There are three English bulldogs, two French bulldogs, one of them with a litter of puppies, several prize cats and five St. Bernard dogs at Moat House. Two of the bulldogs-Rodney Stone champion of the world, for which he paid f1000 ($5OO0), and Bromley Crib-he sent to this country, taking first-class passage for both on the steamer.
 Upon the down above Moat House is the Crolxer stud farm in charge of an eXpe- rienced stud groom. There are valuable dot of foals on the farm. One of them was brought up entirely by hand. MT. Croker is very fond of this foal
 There Is nothing doing politically Tor Croker at Letcombe. He never interferes in any way with local or general politics here, and no one has ever heard him eX- press an opinion upon them
 To the local charities he is a liberal sub scriber, but all of these matters are attend ed to by MT. Usher, who acts as his sec retary. On Sunday morning he usually drives over to Hendred Ca village some six miles distanD to the Roman Catholic church, and in the afternoon he generally goes to see over his stables and stud farm.
 Croker is a man of mighty muscle On one occasion, when some men were trying to lift a 7-foot fywheel on to dynamo, but seemed to have difficulty in doing so, MT Croker got up and put his shoulder under one of the spokes and lifted It him. self onto the crank shaft.
 The tigers head, when open mouth and teeth show which is the badge or coat-of- arms of Tammany, is to be seen here and there in the Moat House. In the drawing room 1t appears on various menu cards which were used at the great Tammany banquets. There are also in the drawing room two large baskets which were placed in MT. Crokers cabin when he last came over to England, and were filled with eXo- tics, along with countless other offerings of similar character, from his New York admirers.
 MT. Crolker Is usually accompanied to England by his sons, but Mrs. Croker has not been over the last few years.