The age-herald., 1901-11-17

entered in the case, the chief witness for the state asserting that he had been mis- taken in his testimony. Through his trial and in the years that have followed Richard Croker has never made any statement of the case beyond his formal plea of not guilty. although 1t is com monly known in New Y TorlI that he could have cleared himself in the first instance by telling who really fired the fatal shot. In other words. he bore the trial rather than accuse another man who was his political ally.
 Croker Obtains HewItt's Favor.
 While Croker was lodged in the Tombs under the charge of murder he made the acquaintance of another man in duress there under accusation of the same crime. This Ned Stokes. and an intimacy began between Croker and Stokes at that time which was then supposed to be due entirely to that misery which ioves com pany, but which was really dNe to con genialltY of disposition as well and which had very important results aSterward upon the politics of the city. After the shadow of his accusation and trial had passed away Croker again plunged into politics, and performed an office for May or Hewitt to which is very largely due Crokers rise in Tammany Hall. In a desperate political canvass for election to Congress Mir. Croker turned to and helped MT Hewitt to win the victory. He
 was impeiied to do this partly because | of the friendly aid which hewitt had | given to him when he was prisoner un- der accusation of murder.
 | MT. Hewitt never forgot tho favor, and | afterward aided MT. Croker to secure the
 nomination for the office of coroner, to l which he was elected, an office tnan paid l by fees and which was worth ylHOO0 a 1 year. It may be said in this connection
 that the only political offices MT. Croa1er
 has ever held have been those of alder
 man. coroner, fire commissioner, and
 city chamberlain. The latter office, the salary of which was $25000 a year, he l was appointed to by Mayor Grant in t8eS
 but had to resign year later because l of III health. since which time he has 1 never held public office.
 l The Croker of today is a man of in. flexible purpose in anything he under | takes. II has been the moet prominent 1 trait of his life. Once having made up his mind to pursue a certain course, noth- ing deters him.
 l Croker became a member of Tammany 'l Hail in the latter part oI the cos and 4 soon attracted the notice and wained the I friendship of John Kelly. who for many Il years was it's boss. When Kelly died l rammany was without leader. Among I the district leaders none was deemed i worthy to wear Kelly's mantle. although 1 several coveted it, and openly aspired l to it. and serious splits in the party ssenn- I ed imminent. Croker at this time was I g. member of the executive committee.
 and it was his advice that averted that result. Let us manage our affairs in i;full council, he said. giving preference | to none" Accordingly, for a considera- | ble time. the executive committee was l without an acknowledged head, and as | & matter of fact never knew that 1t had
 a leader until by imperceptible growth 1t
 came to be recognized that there was one | of the thirty-odd members whose advice was always followed and in a short time
 the organization acknowledged it's mas
 ter. Those who opposed him were driven
 Into obscurity and shorn of their power l and patronage. while men on whom Cro- ker could rely were put in their places,
 and helped to cement his power.
 Tammany Hall, under the management | of MT: Croker. became the most compact,
 most powerful, and best organized politi-
 cal organization in the world. It had
 New York so firmly in it's grasp that
 nothing short of a great political earth
 quake such as occurred last week could
 shake off that grip.