The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12

many has been as compactly organized tho
year around as it has been just previous
to a campaign.
CRONER'S NANE HAS BEEN \
WITH WHICH TO COSJJRE.
Unique among the histories of all munich
palities stands the career of Richard Cro-
ker. a man who. without holding Office, has
been more prominently before the public
eye in the last decade than thousands Of
officials.
The king has ahdicated and another is
to WELD the scepter in his stead. Richard
Croker. whose name has been a name TO
~conjure with in New York City for years,
is getting old. He admits this, and gives 1t
as a reason for etirement-a reason for
what he calls getting away to enjoy a lit
tie recreation.
Since 1856 he says. Il have worked
diligently TO build up the Democratic or
ganization in this city. Now l am through.
and hope to enjoy d well-earned rest"
And so Richard Croker steps down and
out. leaving behind him n career that Is
picturesque. The story of Richard Croker
is Il story of the greatest interest to the
student of the history of New York or to
! the student of political history generally.
1t is n part Of the life and growth Of the
greatest American city.
son OF POOR IMMIGRANTS,
HIS EARLY LIFE STRENUOUS.
In Black Rock. near Quartertown, Coun-
ty Cork, Ireland. on November "a. 1s4a
Richard Croker was borp. His father was
Eyre Coot Croker. He had a large family
and, finally. after much delibera tion, de-
cided to GENE TO America. Accordingly, in
1916. he gathered together his family and
his worldly effects and went aboard the
packet Henry Clay. 1t was in the fall of
that year that he landed with his wife and
seven children on the shores of America.
AT first Eyre Croker endeavored to set up
a hrrci-aSS rs uE-avinlrU crrTUnnn hpt a c ha
did not achieve signal success at this he
moved down to a house in East Twenty
sixth street and from there to Twenty
eighth street.
At that time. his boys. George. Edward
and Dick We're too young TO work. Their
father later got Il place in the Harlem
Car Company. II is said that the elder
Croker had many pronounced Orange opin.
ions and that these frequently led to dis.
puttS with his Roman Catholic ~neighbor2
Richard Cookers school days were brief.
Croker began TO battle with the world
about lS56. when there was but little money
IN me croker eNcheIuer. and the boarders
which Mrs. Croker took in did not bring in
sufficient revenue To keep the whole fam
lily. In fact. it is said that the family were
IN dire circumstances about this time.
Mr.. Croker went 10 work in n Harlem
railway machine shop. which stood about
wner2 TIE Sew nty first II. Ginent Armory
now stands. Young Croker soon became q
lpNtI III lnC district extending along Third
avenue from Twenty-first to Twenty-fourth
streets. and there were few in the district
who did not know him. 1t is sad that in
this district and among his V uthful as
%sociates that Croker first learned that to oe
4 leader of a gang" had valuabla polili-
cal significance.
REPUTATION As FIGHTER
WON HIM LEADERSHIP.
1t is also related of this period in Mr..
CrDEor's life that no uoS m .x,art t.
Il ffstic argument and that he fought n
number of battles that We're famous In the
district. always coming out 4 victor.
Soon Mr.. Cookers fame as a fighter had
brought him into great prominence with the
yong men. who used to gather in the neigh
borhood of the Fourth avenue tunnel.
The old freight depot of the Harlem Rail-
road stood near the entrance of the tunnel,
and about this used to gather railroad
hands. hackmen, mechanics, teamsters and
Others. who were always ready for a fistic
encounter or other amusement of that ma
tlre. They were soon Joined by others of
Il decidedly Objectionable character, and
there finally grew out of these meetings an
organization that was known throughout
the city as the Fourth Avenue Tunnel
Gang.
The leader Of the gang when Croker first
Knew 1t was Il big fellow named ''Icd'
QulSley. VINO, according to history, was n
giant and much more than a match for
EIoker- Croker had many encounters with
him. III which it was said the giant had
the better of it. but one day a
train cut off the giants leg, and Croker's
chief obstacle to the leadership was thus
removed.
Croker was soon acknowledged to be the
leader of the Fourth avenue crowd. Croker
soon advanced in power. and his name be-
gan to appear in the daily papers in yari-
Gus ways.
KNOWLEDGE OF POLITICS
IN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
On December IS, 1861. he joined the volun-
teer Fire department, becoming Il member
OF Engine Company No. Is. which was then
at Fourth avenue and Twenty-sey-
enth street In those days the Fire Depart
'nent was very closely allied to politics.. and
Often regarded as the road to political
preferment. -
In a seat many instances. the engine.
houses became clubhouses. and as the vari-
DuS fire companies were divided intn
rival factions there We're frequent dificI-
ties in which fists played a prominent part
With his natural gift as q leader. Mf.
Croker soon was in the front rank OF thesh
circles.
That IS regarded as the real be c;nnin0roP
1iS political power. 1t was at that Time
hat the foreman of the Americus engine
Known all over the city as Big Six was
Tweed. Tweed had randy "a.
lancsd 20 a position of the creates, ;nt-
)ortance in Il political way and was sur-
'oundcd by a powerful following, Composer
If men who had turned to politics n. 90
way OF making a living.