New-York tribune., 1901-02-03
CROKER IN ENGLAND.
HON THE TAMMANY BOSS LIVES AT
HIS VANTAGE HOME
Wantage. Bcrkshire. Janu;


taee. Berks. stands the Moat House, the English
residence of Richard Croker. As enters the
village a turn To the right reveals the iron gates
which mark the entrance and through which.
at the end of ii short drive. the house appears,
while at the back one gets distant view of the
stables. surmounted by a large wcathercock
formed Of a jockey "A horse and the paddocks.
The house itself stands on a site which is sup
posed have been occupied 10y n royal hunt
inl lodge 81 far back the reign of King
John. but all traces of antiquity have vanished.
and the house it now stands is only
deemed from the commonplace by the moat
which surrounds it. and which carries the mind
back at once To tales of the knights Of old and
their deeds of vaor
When Mr.. Croker took the house. some five
or six years ago. its dimensions were c"nsid-
crahly less than they now. for nearly all
the back part of the house. which is built Of
r,d brick. is new. only the front presenting the
same appearance architecturally that il did in
former years. although even this part has been
redccoratrd. The two towers have also Toe, n
restored. and there is pretty yeranda IN front
and Il large conservatory on the left hand side.
The grounds are neither extensive nor pict-
urrsuue and DO not give the idea that they
are in any way under the personal supervision
IF the owner The interior Of the house Is deco
rated in excellent taste. hut ii in no way gives
an impression of great wealth or misniiieence
The dining room is Ianellcd with oak while in
the drawing room is an electric piano, which
can at any time h- switched from Mr..
Cr"ker's bedroom. that If sleep refuses to
b. wuocd by him hc can soothc his feelings hy
the strains Of music. There is also hne i'll
lard room. and table. which the champion
h.nls II has tried his hand. hut since the days
when Sihary and Morton. the latter Of y nom at
on. time trained for Mr.. Croker. lived With the
Boss" at the Noat House the billiard tahl. has
not been much IA requisition, as Mr. croker is So
much alone there
Ia England. At any rate Mr.. Croker IS pre-
.'uinently a SPORTSMAN and so it is only nat
l.rd that the stables should form a very i'm
portant feature at thc Moat Houso Their $
room in them for forty horses. IN" one r"v of
stalls h,ing cage boxes while The "ther
side ar, the separate stalls rl being lighted
hy electric light Herr and there one - NJ
.l,rs celebrated bulldogs is To- - seen van
i.ring about whilc pigeons perch thu roof
and thu ewing 81 the rocks in IN, blk .re.s
which surround thu houe. is To- hr heard froIn
time g. time Nj Stani.y. "ho hrrLks IN all
Mr rrrker'e colts. is sul'rt u'" here. and many
ate the good racers "a" sends IN {" Newmarkrt
90 receive th,ir final training en- In, downs
above Lctcouhe is thu stud farm and her az
the present time ar, some splendid COLTS which
no doubt destined 70 tip great things Al some
future time, Cornwall. ~" stud groom. is ID
voted t. his colts. and thinks no. trouIl. o."
great t. render them lit and VOL ~h.u their
l.lne comes 10 loay.. him. ON, 81 th,s, COLTS
was brought ur entirely hy hand. auI v;,. 4.
source If great interest 70 th, Boss lurt. th,
early months ~ last year
When Mr Croker soon after his ar'j..u A,rc.
found that ms horses diI not q" w.n a~ Ia.
expected under the ENGLISH trainer u.. +,,t
over I" thu States for WishaId. an Atl.rI..tr
trainer All Wautar. remembers hoN N;-laiI
and Buke CNho have sine" dis~ult,l partner
ship together with little Johnny I,.in and a
number "f .ol"r.d men Who Vrr, To- look after
the horses arrived at tn" Bear. th- littl. old
fashioned hot" ia tho town. preparatory To- set
tling down in Tn. district. Then. all at once"
arrangements Wcrr altered ana II was dcci.i.d
that all Mr. Cro1er's horses should hc sent
Newmarket Humor says that this was owing
L" thc jealousy of th" English trainers. and
is not always wrong. Their Was some
idea lately Of bringing the horses again near
I.etconhc To place called Seven iiarrows hut
WishaTd did not approve of this step. Mr.
croker's fortunes the English turf have not
far been brilliant. but this has not deferred
him. for he has now commissioned Lester iscif-
him, regardless of price. and the celebrated
Harold is one of his recent purchases for IL lN
ne deserves better luck in the century.