The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18
MIR. CROKER AT VANTAGE
FORMER CHIEF OF TAMMANY NOW A
LORD OF THE MANOR.
As an English Country Gentleman the
Ex-Boss Is Living in Absolute Sc
cIusiOn-His Fine Estate.
New York World.

New 1ork World.
In a downy bed on the site Of the birth
place OF King Alfred the Great, Richard
Croker, the lord of the manor of Vantage
and Letcombe. reposes nightly, undisturoed
by political considerations. He looks over
his broad estate and plans 10 make 1t
broader. He is already lord of the manor
by purchase. There is nothing TO disturb
him, nothing to worry him; no considera-
tons of votes, no questions of the legality
of tithes titles.
He has bought things UP almost as far as
he can see on either hand, from the square
tower of the old stable, which he has
transformed into the moat house OF Want
age. A lord of the manor without moat
would be a king without dignity. 1t is
sort of rapid transit excavation filled with
water and designed to defeat the forays of
robbers.
Richard Croker. one time king Of Tam
many Hall, wants nothing outside of
Vantage The Vantage tailor makes his
clothes. The Vantage tradesmen supply
his larder. The Vantage 'villeins' are
glad TO have him ride across his fields to
the detriment of the turnip and the potato.
Since his first occupancy of the moat house
Mr.. Croker has bought many large tracts
Of land lying around the moat house. Then
the work of improvement began. This
work was delayed during the term that
Mr.. Cookers nose was against the political
grindstone in his own country.
Away out the breezy downs, mile
and half from the moat house, is his stud
farm, with its acres of green turf, where
his racing horses Craze and are trained
for the big English races. This stud farm
was fitted out and expanded on an enor-
nous scale. An old mill half mile from
the house was torn down and rebuilt as an
electric light station, from which the entire
great estate receives it's power and illumin-
alton. The heating. and cooking are done
by electricity. There are electric pumps
for the water supply electric launches in
winch his friends may go Swimming around
the Dig aruhcial lake which is in process of
construction. In the house itself immense
improvements have been made The dining
room Is in paneled oak. which no camera
has ever been leVeled upon Mr. Croker is
very particular in this respect. The dining
room Is furnished with an electric piano.
The lord of the manor has bought large
tracts OF land from the governors of the
vantage town lands. These possessions
stretch half way TO the old town of Wan
tage. Here a great park is to be built. In
the requirement of this land, however,
mediocre patch of about three acres be-
longing to private person who for'
long time refused to sell to the lord of the
manor
Mr.. Croker had to put down a pretty
price for ii, but he got it and his posses
slons about the Moat House are now thor
oughly concrete, but now complete. There
is no doubt that before Mr.. Croker has
finished his purchases he will have one of
the finest estates in the county. Mr..
Croker had his eye upon the Ham estate
for some time but the owner held out
for higher price. AT last he has secured
it. 1t will be fine thing for Mr.. Croker,
because the stream which runs through it
is the same which flows from his lake, and
when the water was kept back to fill the
lake the trout stream dried up and the
! fish killed.
The requirement of this property will also
carry the estate straight from Letcombe to
! Vantage, a distance of about two miles
For all the alterations upon his baronial
| estate Mr.. Croker has always employed To-
| cal men. This is half the secret of his ex-
! IRENE popularity. He walks about among
| them at their work and has been known
/ TO take off his coat and take hand at the
! labor. And do not imagine that this new
! lord of the manor ever mixes with the
] other gentry about his estate He goes
| his way from day to day, alone with
some Of his personal friends, driving in his
/ private trap over private roads. speaking
TO none of the lords of the adjacent manors,
apparently caring for nothing but peace
full existence.
The younger Crokers are extremely pop
ular and spend their money freely with
| the toWnSpeope. The folks of Vantage do
not know or care about the political career
of the new lord of the manor. Mr.. Croker
has often spent weeks on his estate at Let
combe without even going outside of the
| grounds. Last year he did not even visit
the town of Vantage.
The citizens take the new lord of the
manor just as he is. gruff. but open handed.
| Last year, although he practically owns
| Letcombe. he refused TO suggest the name
| of the district counselor at an approa ching
election. Whether or not he is regarded as
| the true lord of the manor by the humble
| farmers of the estate, there is no manner
of doubt that his land requirements and
| improvements have proved a blessing to
| Letcombe and Vantage. In the first place.
! he bought the Moat House, a neglected.
unimportant building at that time. and the
former residence of horse trainers. He
enlarged and improved it. On one corner
he built a handsome square tower with a
water tank on top, from which the estab-
lishment is supplied. He built new stables,
after the most modern style, and outfitted
them magnificently. In fact. they far ex-
eel those of the Duke of Westminster. He
laid out magnificent kennels for fifty or
sixty dogs, for which he hired a dozen at
tendants. He spent $4,000 for horses
which he placed under the care of Enoch
Wishard. His entire stable costs him $50,
600 a year.
Then he began to buy up the land around
Letcombe-the land which has since given
him by courtesy the title of the lord of the
manor. The main road from Vantage to
Letcombe runs through his property. In il
there were several sharp curves and turns
which he wanted Strengthened. The cost
of it staggered the simple people of Wan
tage With an outlay Of $32.5O0 ne had the
roads Strengthened. and now he save a
minute or more in driving to Vantage.
Mr.. Croker never talks of America TO his
friends. On all political questions he is
dumb. AS lord of the manor all his past
career as lord of Tammany is forgotten
Over all his estate the following signs are
posted "Trespassers will be prosecuted.
Mr.. Croker holds aloof from everybody
but his immediate friends He lives in alb
solute seclusion, and lin the heart of ole
England he stands a very strange figure.