New-York tribune., 1909-04-13
CROKER TO BURGESSES
SPE4KS 1T CORPS DINNER.
Former Tammany Chief Gro7cs HUI
m0r0usly Militant.

The officers Of tho Albany Burgesses corps as
riaved an acute appreciation Of the htness OF lhes
when they nla6e Richard Croker one OF the pIlh-
eirs1 s-rsts al their ..Eastertide dinner at the
Manhattan club last night Mr. Croker Is beng
hailed on all sides a. a dove Of peace. and what
more symbollicaIly appropriate could the B1reesss
select than white dove al an Eastertlde iuicIoi'
The dinner was for Colonel William d Mann
and. while some Of the compliments went to him
last night most Of them were paid TO Rlcharo
Croker Both are members Of the corps, the eX-
Tsnlnanv chief having been taken in as an honor
srv member about six months ago Even the COLO
ntl whose white whiskers are longer than they
we're on his last public appearance. Joined in the
general hOnors y, Mr Croker, referring TO him as
the king of Sports who owned the American
horse that Won the Derby" The colonel said that
he knew OF no crown that he would rather wear
when the toast1naster introduced Mr. Croker as
q man rnilitar1 who Is always found the fTins
line, the negro string quartet PLAYED anc sang the
once familiar
E!g chief sits in his teiee.
sinsing The songs Of yicte-y
swamp en- swamp en-
,ieT The uanpuTn.
Tsmmany!
Everybody cheered and applauded Mr.. Croker
sat unmoved 50 far as could be observed. by the
enthusiasm His toast was Comrades. Tried and
True In his long political career he has had
many who tried and some who were true
but perhaps tie subject not TO his liking. and
he disregarded Il.
This is uv first privilege De with YOU said
Nj Croker. 'an6 IL Is privilege 20 he associated
with you. ann disappointed that do not wear a
uniform. aud hnd myself embarrassing
position asked an officer OF tho corps If il viii
bo necessary 10 7clt time and ne said 1t all
depends ! ann eTnla ~Tassed. A. 7 intend 10 spend
ST. months in America and six months in Ireland.
ana as sou know .h. Irish always ready TO
fight England. the corps liable To he called at
any time. The only solution is 10 spend six months
fighting there and months fighting here. and do
the best We
Mr Croker didn't SAY in which half year he eX-
pecied 20 do his fighting here He added
Gentlemen. Won always count me. and II
vse ever have TO fight III be right with you.
Whether the Punch a Ia Croker the menu
suggested the militant spirit that he displayed
whether The BurEesses had inkling Of what Nj
Croker would say MAS learned, but the latter
Was the more probable explanation. for the punch
vas hardly of the potent kind that would revive
IN the breast of the eN-boss his onetme warlike
spirit
A. another point IN the course Of the dinner the
Burgesses gave their veil. three times A. B. c.
three --rahs'' and tiger" TO which they added
croker Mr Croker arose again and said
4 propose toast - the Chief Magistrate
Of the nation. ! suppose people will say that
Croker has become a Republican. but want to tell
you ] viii he a Democrat long as ! live
Colonel H. .. : Heistand. L s A, speaking 10
the toast The Regular Army. paid compliment 10
General Leonard Wood. saying that there were few
men in the army who could I'LL his place Colonel
Heistand said that the regular army exists for
peace He said ] just great factor for
peace the police