New-York tribune., 1911-04-18
CROKER'S CAREER AS CHIEF
Had TO Fight to Retain His Office
MANY Times.

Had TO Fight to Retain His Office
Many Times.
/ The career OF Edward F. Croker as fre
chief of the City Of New York has been by
no means a path of primroses. At its very
/ outset ne found himself compelled To- fight
/ for his right 10 the office. and more than
once since then he has seemed on the verge
OF being forced out once. In fact, he was
removed from his command for more than
/ a year. when Thomas Sturgis was Fire
/ Commissioner under Mayor Low. But az
( that time. as at every other. he managed
/ In some way TO rise above the difficulties
which beset him and 10 retain his hold on
the department until the time came FOR
/ him 10 resign OF his own free will.
| Not only in the Office of chief OF the uni
formed force. but also In the lesser grades
which led up 10 II. was Croker the object
OF more or less nvidious criticism and
envy II was said that he owed his ap-
/ pointment 10 the department on June p.
/ 1884. 10 the fact that he was the nephew OF
/ Richard Croker When, forty-seven days
! after he put on the blue shirt, he received
commission as assistant foreman. this sup
| position was held TO be confirmed. HIS
appointment foreman hardly more than
year and a half later left little doubt in
most minds that Tammany Hall was be
hind his rapid rise
The men over whose heads he jumped IN
this short space were not the only ones
| dissatisfied with the situation. During his
] first few months In command Of a com
pany il was said that he gained the hearty
| hatred Of all those who were his subor-
/ dinates. He was rough with hts men Al
/ most 10 the point Of brutality. But grad
ually they learned that ne would not ask
Of them anything which ne would not do
/ himself, and they discovered that his
roughness was an inspiration when the
/ flames roared iercely
| He was foreman for about six years be-
! fore the rank Of battalion chief was con-
/ ferred upon him IN 1899 the retirement
OF Chief Bonner opened up the opportunity
| for Commissioner Scannell 10 make him
acting chief. A few months later the ap-
! pointment was made permanent. IN spite
/ ot the opposition Of the Civil Service Com
mission. which succeeded in forcing the
new chief 20 submit TO an examination. To
/ It's surprise he passed II with a rating Of
| more than g. per cent.
Finally settled In ~. seat Q, power ~
I the head OF the uniformed force Croker be
/ gan 10 make his personality felt IN the de-
/ partment and out He issued rigid orders
/ radically affecting the discipline Of the
/ force, which added not al all 20 hts popi-
larity among the men. Further than that
! he showed the crafty politicians who had
3 Just been waiting until this seeming ward
/ ot Tamnany had come into his own that
/ ne knew how 70 run his Office without
their assistance. But. strangely enough. the
city's fires seemed 70 c.t fought Just about
as we'll as when Hugh Bonner used 10 lead
I the line against them.
/ Charges OF inefciency OF falsifvins re.
/ ports, of discriminating against his n1er.
we're one by one laid up AGAINST Chief
/ Croker. nevertheless until COMMISSIONS
/ Sturgis finally felt & his duty 10 suspend
/ him from Office. When this was declared
: by the Supreme Court 20 be beyond the
/ power OF the Commissioners, detailed counts
were made out against the chief and he
was found guilty after trial With John
j. Delany as his counsel, ne fought dismis-
sal. and in February. 1904. obtained YER
dict from the Appellate Division reinstat-
ing him.
20 oust Croker from his position, causing
-urnors that HIS days as chief We're num-
bered. Through the two terms Of Nicholas
! j. Hayes as Commissioner through the
+ terms Of John H. O Bren and Of Francis J.
i Lantry, the relations between the chies and
his superior were strained. Several times
/ the name OF his successor was on the lips
/ OF many. but each time be declared that he
would never quit while any one was tryins
! to get rid OF him
! In the spring OF 1910 he returned mex
/ pectedly from a trip % Chicago. when it
was learned that Deputy chief Lay. head
! Of the Brooklyn and queens branch OF the
department had assumed his otfice IN his
absence Then. and again In the summer
Of the same year, after an effort vas made
70 TX the blame for the death OF two fire
men IN ire IN Washington street on
, Croker's shoulders, the rumor ran that hs
would be forced out But he stayed.
From, hating him IT is said that tie men
In the department have come 10 admire,
II not 20 love him More than once le
/ has received testimonials OF their regard
I on one or another Of MS anniversaries.
, Even his worst enemies acknowl edge his
bravery and wonder a. his narrow escapes.
one Of the most remarkable ~ the latter
was IN 1880. when ne fell through lin
roof on 20 a pile OF burning debris, and
escaped with only 2 few minor cuts and
I burns.
IN 1905 Chief Croker repudiated his wife 8
debts. and later she brought elii' for sep
aration L was determined IN February
that he should pay her $3oo q month pend
ing the outcome OF her suit. but the amount
vas cut IN two the other day.