New-York tribune., 1901-11-04
CROKER BADLY SCARED.
RETURNS OF HIS LEADERS DISCOUR-
AGED HIM AND HE ORDERED
A PADDED ESTIMATE.

The political forecast given out by Richard
Croker at Tammany Hall after the meeting of
the district leaders on Saturday afternoon, in
which Croker claimed plurality for Shepard
of 4i,323 in the boroughs of Manhattan and
The Bronx widely discussed among poll
ticians yesterday. There not politician
either side who did not declare that the "Od
Man "bluffing." Even those Tammany
district leaders who assert that Shepard will be
elected and that Tammany will have a good
plurality in this county admit that the figures
will not be so large. They say Croker gave out
a big estimate in attempt to inspire conf
dence
II is known that the figures furnished Croker
by the leaders are not those given out by the
Tammany chieftain. The significant thing is
that Croker refused to make public his estimate
by districts. He confined himself to an estimate
in the aggregate. Some facts leaked out yester-
day about this forecast.
Martin Engel. leader in the With District,
told Croker confidentially that he did not be-
lieve he would be able to do better than break
in his district. yet when he turned IN his
estimate he put down plurality of 500 for
Shepard When those who knew what Engel
had been saying about his district asked him
why he had made such estimate ne SAID
curtIy: ORDERS
Frank ]. Goodwin in the IXth. has told his
friends that the Citizens Union the Greater
New-york Democracy and the Republicans were
combined and so active in his district that he
did not believe ne could do much more than
carry it. yet he put down 1000 plurality for
Shepard in his estimate. Timothy D. Sullivan
in the With has told those in his confidence
that he did not believe he would be able to give
Shepard more than 1000 votes in his district
ar1 that Jerome would run fully 500 ahead of
Tnger; yet hts estimate went In at 2,Sto Tor
the ticket. Again orders The fact is that
Croker privately learned from each leader just
what to expect in each district These estl-
mates were privately tabulated, and Indicated
loss of the county. Badly scared Croker urged
the leaders to greater efforts and ordered each
one to keep these disquieting figures to himself
and TO make liberal estimate at the meeting
of rho executive committee for public announce
ment.
The old man knows he is licked, said one
prominent leader yesterday, but he Is not going
10 admit IT, Those dope figures he handed
out and he ia trying TO make good Ihe ieauers
know lust what is going on. but they are obey
ing orders in making estimates far beyond what
conditions justified
At the Democratic Club yesterday II was
ou,et day. few leaders appeared and talked
with Croker When Mr. Croker was asked II he
had anything to say about the election. he re-
Piled
">yo-not n word Watt You say for me
that the Acorns are paid vilihers- They make
scurrfIous attacks on honest people Ihey are
wanderers to immortality After this declar't-
ton Mr. Croker walked off. Last night the
Tammany chieftain and many of the Leaders
were present at the Fourteenth street Iheatie
o+ q rrammauy raIly Other leaders We're at
other mass meetings in other theatres
To-day will be comparatively restfui one Ior
Tammauv The leaders will call and get the
usual sum of money allotted to each district for
use on Election Day 1t Is said the fund this
I-our hundred dollars to district is understood
To he the allowance. 1t is unnecessary TO say
how this money Is to be used