The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1910-01-01
It's Victim Gave SI,5OO,OOO to
Columbia University
FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH FUND
Request of George Croker. Youngest
Son of Charles Croker, California
Millionaire, One of Many Gifts In His
Lifetime For Education-tiow He
Helped Students With Loans.

George Croker. youngest son of
Charles Croker Of California, who
died from cancer the other day in his
home In New York, made large be-
quest to Columbia university to inves-
tigate the disease and to try to find a
real cure for it. For that purpose he
created the George Crocker Special
Research fund"
Mr.. Crockers will did not specify
any sum OF money for this purpose.
but directed that his house at Fifth
avenue and Sixty-fourth street. with
its contents, as well as his country
place at Darlington. N. j.. should be
sold and the proceeds turned over to
the trustees Of Columbia university for
Investment as permanent fund This
will net about $l,5OO,OOO.
Mr.. Crocker some time ago gave $50
600 to Columbia to start this work
Mrs. Croker also died from cancer
which had much to do with the plans
which Mr.. Croker had been making
for long time to give fund for spe
cial research.
Made Many Charitable Gifts.
Mr.. Croker inherited from his father
$6,000,0OO as his share Of the $3OOOO,-
600 estate which the former railroad
king left. He had reputation before
his fathers death Of being reckless
young man, but In accordance with a
clause in his fathers will, which stip-
ulated that his son should abstain
from drink for five years, he turned
over new leaf and at the end OF that
period came into his Inheritance.
Captain John Hays Hammond Of II
Broadway. New York. one of the ex-
ecutors OF MIR. Crocker's will, said that
Mr. Croker had made many charita-
BILE gifts in his lifetime, but had al
ways kept them secret as be was un.
willing to become known as public
benefactor.
At one time Mr.. Croker gave $4,000
to start school for postgraduate
work In mining among the colleges.
This school was known privately as
the Mining Field school. and graduates
from Harvard, Yale, Columbia. the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and the Golden School of Mines In
Colorado attended 1t for one year. Mr.
| Croker leased q mine near Bowlder
Colo, as an aid to his experiment
about four years ago, and about hun
dred graduates from the different uni
versities went there under the instruc
ton Of Professor Munroe of Columbia
and some from other institutions
They occupied houses near the mine
which Mr.. Croker put up for then
and lived the life Of miners for 0
| year, going down into the mine ant
learning drilling, blasting and all thu
other operations.
How He Helped Peary.
Mr.. Croker ut another time also CAV,
several thousands to start studen
loan fund for men In the different col
leges in the east who found themseive
unable after year or SO at college t
continue their course through lack 0
finances. Mr.. Croker lent these mel
money and they were put upon thei
honor that. as soon as they began t
make money after graduation, the
should turn over the borrowed amour
to the fund so that it might be re
loaned to those in like predicament.
At the time that Commander Pear
was about to set out on his last an
successful dash for the north pole Mi
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