Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-21
CROKER'S DAYS OF NEED.
Story of The Time When He Was on His Uppers-John Kelly Was
 His Friend.

Louis Seibold, New York news paper man. who has wide acquaint- ance among the politicians, has written a sketch of Richard Croker which ap- pears in the August number of Nun sey's Magazine. An incident in Croker's career, said to have been unpublished up to this time. is related in the sketch, as follows:
 never see him in these latter days, when wealth and the highest political honors possible for him to attain have rewarded him for his efforts, but re call his disagreeable experiences after being released from prison. He was summed by men of his own class, and found little assistance in his attempt to remove the stigma of the prison from his name. He was in almost abject poverty. Yet within three years he forged his way to the front and became fairly well to do.. John Kelly gave him the opportunity to re- deem himself.
 do not believe the circumstances have ever been narrated in public print. Croker appealed to Kelly to use his influence with mayor Edson to appoint him to place of minor importance. Kelly and the mayor were not on good terms, but Kelly who was friendly to Croker, sent for an intimate friend of Edson's and urged him to assist his protege. That friend has since told me of his first meeting with Croker.
 Kelly called Croker from an adjoin- ing room. Croker in suit of clothes almost threadbare from constant wear, and twirling well worn soft brown slouch hat in his hand, came in and stood looking stolidly at Kelly.
 'Now. Richard" said Kelly, .I want you to tell this gentleman what you are after. He will help you"
 Tn a few jerky words Croker said that he had applied to several officials vacancy in one of the departments.
 But they wont give it to me- he said, land I don't know what to do. I've got my district behind me and go to the City hall every day and hang about to try and see the mayor He won't see me. When 1 speak to him i'll the halls he don't notice me- 1 guess it's because of the case against me-"
 What case?' asked Mayor Edson's friend.
 For killing McKenna," replied Gro ker. 'They think I did it. I didn't, though. I want work. I've just got to have it."
 Croker remained standing during the entire interview. twirling his slouch hat and looking at the floor, until Kelly dismissed him, after saying to the mayors friend:
 ''Now I know that Richard is a worthy boy" (Croker was S2 years old then.) T know he means well and is good party worker. I wish you would help him.'
 Ten minutes later, when the mayors s friend came down from Kelly's office in the building at the corner of Park Place and Broadway, he found Croker leaning ag '~st lamppost. Night was coming on t had begun to snow. Croker wore |, eyercoat He looked disconsolately !. f crowds shifting and separating Il | the City Hall park, his hands in l.. lciets, and his face wearing an eXl,. on of utter dejection. He admitted, when inter rogated, that he did not have the money to pay his fare up to Harlem to deliver to Mayor Edson the letter which had been given him. In this hour of sore need Mayor Edson's friend assisted him. and it is a tribute to Croker's sense of gratitude that he has since re- turned the loan with interest ten thousand fold.
 Croker secured the place and plod- ded away at politics. His sole diver sion, which he followed as consistently as he did politics, was the race track He was not always lucky in betting on the races. It was only a short time after his appearance in Keily's office as supplicant for $3 a day place that he confided to a friend at Sara toga that he had lost his last dollar in the world on race. He didn't know how he was going to get back to New York. He complained at the time that .that crowd in New York won't let me in. can't make any money"