The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-11-15

now living at Vantage. England. with hi
leadership in the possession of Charles F
Murphy.
Again the question must be answered
Which was the greater. Kelly or Croker
After the death of John Kelly Tamman.
decared that the day of the boss ha,
passed.
The organization announced its deter
mination to be governed by a committe
of twenty-four. Such a committee wa
formed. and in a short time four leader
had taken precedence above their fellows
They were Richard Croker. Hugh ]
Grant. Rourke Cochran and Thomas u
Gilroy.
Then Mr.. Croker gathered around hin
seventeen of the twenty-four leaders ant
he was as supreme in command as haC
been his preceptor. John Kelly.
Croker appeared to nave better business
ability in the ruling of Tammany than
had his predecessor.
He took Abram s. Hewitt away from
the County Democracy. which had brought
him forward.
He stemmed the tide that set strongly
toward Henry George and elected Mr..
Hewitt Mayor, though many believe to
this day tina Mr.. George was counted
out Of al election that was honestly his.
Then when Mr.. Hewitt showed too
much independence of spirit he threw
him a into the County Democracy
amp and two years later elected Hugh
]. Grant. Still later he elected Thomas
F. Gilroy.
Croker fought his way through ward
politics with his fists.
He was in more than one prize ring as
q principal when he was a young man.
He knew the lower classes of this city
as he knew his alphabet.
He seldom made a blunder, and it is
said for him that when an election was
going against him he invariably knew it
at least ten days before the ballots were
cast.
He made more Of his opportunities than
did Mr.. Kelly. who died worth about $780,
CO. Croker was credited with a fortune
of 5000. 600 after he had been leader of
Tamamny seven years.
TRIED
TO BE LEADER.
Following the defeat of Hugh J.. Grant
by William L.. Strong. Mr.. Croker laid
down the leadership of Tammany Hall to
to Europe to recover his health, John
Sheehan acting as his deputy while he
was away.
Friends made trouble between Mr..
Croker and Mr.. Sheehan, and when Mr..
Croker returned, in 1897. his deputy knew
he would be driven from Tammany
II he did not fight.
In the meantime he had made mary |
and he had named the delegates
% the City Convention which was to |
a candidate for Mayor.
1t was expected that Mr.. Sheehan womb |
1efy Mr.. o n had he done so the |
1rst victory would have been his. He sud |
ne would not surrender.
But when Mr.. Croker met him an6
ooked him In the eyes Mr.. Sheehan acted
IS II nypnotized n gave the reins of
back into the powerful hands that
lad held them. Mr.. Croker named Rob
'rt A. a Wyck for Mayor and elected
lin.
Another defeat in 1901 sent Mr.. Croker
JACK to England. he having named as his
uccessor Lewis Nixon, %shipbuilder. The
alter soon found that he was not in
ympathy with the leaders of Tammany,
most OF whom had graduated with high
!onors from the East Side school OF prac-
cal politics, having a s~education of
Vhich Mr.. Nixon knew Nothing. Dis
listed, he quit with q few trenchare re.
marks about a kitchen cabinet.
Again Tammany was without q leader.
tmothy ID. Sullivan. presumably acting
nder instructions from Richard Croker,
uggested Charles F. Murphy for the va
ant position.
There was opposition, SO a t~riumvirate
az formed, with Mr.. Murphy, Louis r.
[affen and Daniel McMahon az It's mem.
ers.
Mr.. Hanen and Mr.. McMahon were
luckily crowded out, and Mr.. Murphy was
here he now stands, dictator OF New
ork. through the domination Of Tam
amy Hall.
OUGHT HIS
UPWARD. !
Murphy's career has been as striking as :
lat of Kelly or Croker. J.
In Roach's shipyard he fought his way !