Evening star., 1901-11-12
Tammanyites Think Their Defeat
Was Deliberately Planned.
The BOSS" NAY Lose his JOB
His Long Visits to England Dis
please the Boys.
CARROLL MAY SUCCEED HIM
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

defeat of Edward NJ. Shepard was not I'M
expected. In fact, there was well-defined
suspicion that Croker caused the nomina-
ton of his arch enemy and chief dcnouncer
here in the east on an "off year" in Tam
many politics expressly for the purpose of
removing him from the field of political
activities in the future. OF course, there
was the added incentive of an opportunity
to trade votes for the purpose of saving
the local and county tickets. But the most
devoted adherent of fusion, the widest po-
litical prophet, would never have ventured
to predict the complete doom of the New
York county ticket or the overthrow of
local boss like Representative Muller In
democratic stronghold like Staten Is
land
ing confirmation of their theories IN the
odds that prevailed against Tammany Hall
and Shepard Immediately preceding the
election. At the outset the odds on Shep
ard were something like 10 to in favor of
the triumph of the democratic ticket. After
Deverys break, rightly or wrongly, the
odds shifted and the betting became about
even.
jerome Makes n Counter "Break."
Then followed Jerome's savage denuncia-
ton of United States Senator Platt. i'm
plying that fusion was not perfect and
lNdl lHc dull-l dLlIidlly were uiS-
posed to quarrel among themselves. The
odds temporarily appeared to point to the
election of Shepard, but it was only tenn
porarily The republican politicians and
republican newspapers, instead of de-
nouncing Jerome, either acquieSced in his
statements or accepted his half apology.
The attitude of all of the fusionisss ap
peared to be that of favoring policy of
downing Tammany first and waiting for
the future to develop and take care of
personal or party QuarrelS. Certainly the
attack upon the republican organization by
Jerome seems to have had no other effect
than that of nerving the republicans to do
their utmost to elect the entire fusion
ticket, Jerome and all. In fact, despite the
desperate efforts of Tammany to save Tn
ger, the democratic candidate for district
attorney against Jerome; despite the active
support of the Metropolitan street railroad
for the democratic candidate; despite the
fact that Croker and his assistants were
willing to trade Shepard. and, in fact al
most anybody and everybody, to save Un-
ger. the brilliant young fusion orator. with
a Wh1rlwind campaign TO his credit has
the satisfaction of knowing that he ran
ahead of his ticket. This could never have
happened If the regular republicans had
not been loyal in their support of Jerome.
Strong Sentiment Against Croker.
The feeling against Croker is intensified
by the fact that it is believed that he might
have prevented the landslide for fusion If
he had consented to the nomination of Con-
troller Coier for mayor. Added to this in
jury is the fact that the Tammany Hall
boss who has usually been willing to
tip his intimate friends to stand from
under in the betting in elections like the
Cleveland or the Bryan campaigns in this
particular campaign advised those who
trusted him to bet their bottom dollar ON
Van Wyck. To his friends and intimates
even up to the last he predicted the cleo
ton of Shepard by a plurality of not less
than 2OWO. Croker himself says that it
was not until or s o'clock, when the first
returns commenced to come in on We night
OF election, that he recognized that there
could possibly be any question about the
triumph of the democratic organizations
Consequently, there is weeping and wailfng
and gnashing of teeth at the Democratic
Club and at Tammany Hall today Men
like Senator Sullivan mortgaged their real
estate TO bet at the tempting odds of ten
to seven. Many Of the city officials
wagered their salaries in advance, and as
result they will have neither salaries nor
positions after the 1st of January next. SO
hard did the betting fever take hold of
some of them, so hard were they hit by
the results. that 1t need not surprise any
person to hear of defalca tfons and suicides
within the next three months as a result of
betting upon elections in general and demo-
Gratis in particular.
Demand for Cfoker's Retirement.
All along the line there is a demand for
Tammany leader. Even his friends fear
that his days Of usefulness are over. It
mas even been reported with elaborate de-
tali tnat ne contemplates resigning In ia
yor OF Johnny Carroll and returning to
England for his health This renort hou,-
ever, is the first thing that has eIicita6 q
storm of the old-tme passion from Croker
since the beginning of the landslide He de-
MES that he contemplates resignng. and
says that if he returns TO England II will
be on his annual mid winter trip and this
particular trip will have nothing more to
40 with politics than though the democrats
nau peen successful. His friends say that
II ne goes Carroll will act as his deDutv
put they unite in saying that no change ia
immediate In the leadership of Tammanv
Hall "iS
In large way Croker has certainly been
up against it, during the past few years
AS leader of Tammany Hall he uuarreIed
with Cleveland. and even Cleyelands sec
ond election, though it brought local tri-
omphs for the faithful" did not put any
national patronage In the way of tho
braves. The old-time fight between Croker
and Hill has prevented the Hill men from
giving any of the Tammany braves" any
recognition IN state councils or state
spolls, whenever, during the past ten years
there have been any state spoils TO he ais
trlbuted. Croker. therefore, may be said
TO nave Won just one election during the
past le" years, and that was the Van Wyck
campaign, when mayor Of Greater Now
YORK was the prize captured The Rrvan
defeats brought gloom and disaster to Tam
many, since they failed to secure the Of
hces. and Tammany cares nothing for prjn.
cfples. And one victory In eight years. NO
matter what the obstacles no matter what
the causes, is hardly enough to satisfy the
exacting spirits at the Democratic Club and
at Tammany Hall.
Leadership of Tammany.
1t appears not be settled yet whether
Croker Is to surrender the reins of ruler at
Tammany Hall. but II "The Squire" does
remain in control it will only be after the
fight of his life to retain it. Strong oppo-
sftton Is certain to develop, and though
Croker might possibly triumph over his
enemies. provided he would consent to live
in this country, his absences on the other
side of the water do not have a tendency
To make the average local democratic heart
grow fonder
Among the democrats outside of those at
tached to the Van Wyck regime there is
little cause for regret over the defeat Of
Shepard and the collapse of the entire
county ticket Tammany Hall is today, as
1t has been for the past twenty years, out
OF touch with the democratic party in other
sections of the country. Even in nearby
towns In New Jersey and in local cities on
Long Island and up the Hudson river the
organization is roundly denounced by demo-
Gratis. and no democratic stump sneaker