The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-11
RICHARD CROKER, Leader.

thor writes Of his subject is shown by
the concluding paragraph in his pre-
face:
Richard Croker is a politician and
peerless of his kind. Which is why this
book is written. Hate may deny and en-
Wy frame a sneer and defeat appeal the
Gods in contradiction; yet Richard Croker
the most potential figure in the greatest
city of the greatest State of the greatest
country Of the world, can be no little
subject for any page or pen."
While Mr.. Lewis has set down naught
in malice, he has extenuated extensively.
But the skill of the writer and the mod
ern interest of the modern instances he
describes Offset the faults of favoritism
to very great extent. 1t is the pen
pictures Of the man himself however; his
talks showing his inner nature, and his
ideas of leadership that give distinct value
to Mr.. Lewis book.
Richard Croker traces his pedigree
back to Cromwellian days, according to
Mr. Lewis The Eng
CROKER liSh Croker settling
AND HIS in Ireland started a
ANCESTRY. line of soldiers,
sportsmen, duelists
and good livers. One of these was respon-
sble for the birth of Richard near Cork,
in 1S43. Three years later the family
came to this country and the elder Crok-
er was veterinary surgeon, private SOL
dier and other Improbable things until his
son had finished his school days, earning
a reputation as an athlete and fighter
greater than as a scholar.
Croker's whole career is sketched with
judicious lapses. His entrance into poll
ties after working from the age of six
teen as locomotive machinist; his i'm
prisonment, charged with a murder dur
ing an election row, after he was coroner
and his acquittal; his alliance with
Honest John" Kelly and his dominance
over the countrys metropolis.
The author thus describes the man and
his personal habits:
Richard Croker is broad and thick and
strong in person; short and dark as a
December day. He is
DRESSES WELL fortunate in an abun-
AND dance of brains, as
NEVER DRINKS. his 7ss hat might tes-
tify. His hair has
been brave: it is all at it's post, guarding
against badness. Gray, almost to white
ness, it tells plainly Of those ffty-eight
wears he has witnessed There is naught
of ferOcity nor grimness to Croker. His
gray eyes are kindly and sympathetic,
while the lower face is framed and soft
ened by full beard and mustache, clip
ped like a garden hedge, and which, once
dark, wears, like his hair, the frosts OF
time and care. Croker dresses himself
we'll and in the mode. He is as' apt to
lapse into evening dress with the
disappearance of the sun as any exquisite.
All in all, be it day or evening, he pre-
sents pleasant, handsome figure, and
one marked as distinguished even to the
strange eye. His imposing virtue is cour-
age. His lower jaw, broad, firm, strong
as a bear trap, bears plain, true testi-
mony of this to the face reader.
Croker never drinks strong waters, and
has dread of drunken man. This fact
has led to curious, not to say sober, re-
suits. The men Of Tammany not alone
obey, they initiate their great war chief.
And thus it falls that there is scant
drinking among the whelps of the Tiger
The club. to which Croker is as the soul,
with membership of $500, doesn't, man
for man, consume one-tenth as much
strong drink as does any of the four large
SOcldI ciuDS Ol tie lOWu. DTlukluS Is uS-
ciedly without vogue in Tammany upper
circles, and all through the sober exam
pie Of Richard Croker"
The secret Of Croker leadership, accord
ing to Mr.. Lewis, is his honesty with his
followers. .The first
HIS IDEA element of leader
OF ship" he is described
LEADERSHIP. as saying, "is hon.
ont,y Tho bonoct a ~
will prevail, because other men can trust
him. rascal can trust an honest man,
and a rascal can't trust a rascal
Perhaps the first impression one gets
of Richard Croker is that of guileless-
ness. He looks as though one might with
ordinary effort deceive aad destroy MIN.
This notion is error, grievous and COM
plete; he is very wise. and fox is as
a fool to him. STILL his plan primarily is
to trust every man. He explains II IN
this way: i make 1t point to truts
all men once-.rust them with my eyes
shut And the scheme has its success.
Nine men out of every ten gre honest.
and will lovally respond to their obli-
cations. The tenth man may be false
and cheat. But at that. am right nine
times to he In error at enc IF a man