New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-07
penitentiary. am astonished that any
respectable lawyers would attempt to
make out such q case"

make out such q case"
Counsel Advises Him
Better leave the lawyers out of it,"
suggested him counsel.
mo, will leave nobody out of it:
their remarks to myself" continued
Mr.. Croker. II would have paid no at
tention to them, but think tina bring
ing my wife inc his maer in the way
have done, and without any basis what
ever in fact for their charges is the
most outrageous thing ever knew Of.
They have done everything by insinu-
alton. Mrs. Croker will 90 on the wit
hess stand, and she will show a proper
accounting for every cent Of mine she
ever had anything to do with and 60
will you take the stand?" he was
asked.
certainly I will take the stand, il
they want me to-" he replied.
W w1 foS r' tSe nssod Natha mue
Of the matter he had seen published
it was made to appear that Mr.. Croker
had given his children little if any,
thing Of his fortune. He said they had
had approximately $4,000 from MI.
Croker in three accounts, and Mr.. Cro-
ker said that in addition to these &C.
counts he always had been giving OH
occasions when they asked for it. Mr..
Nathan said that Mr. Croker had set his
son Richard up in business three times
and that this account had run I'D to
not less than 100000. Continuing he
said:
THAT was in addition to their
mothers estate. which the children
received and all of which came from
their father. Richard says that his
share of his mothers estate was $780,
900, and as they inherited it equally
this accounts for $4,000. The mother
also left them her home, which sold
for $4,000 and was divided among the
children, and in addition to this Mr..
Croker had created trust fund Of
100000, which he finally turned over
to his children outright. believe that
Mr.. Croker also gave his son Howard
considerable sums of money"
Yes, said Mr.. Croker. II gave How
ard lots of money. The boys were al
ways asking for it. l did my best to
make something out Of them in bust
ness, but it was no use.
II have seen w. F. McCombs quoted
as saying that my fortune has been
estimated at $l0,00O000 or thereabouts.
Here's an offer will make Anybody
can have it all tomorrow, all my stocks,
e0nds real a fnr o ssty
That's a pretty good offer. isn't it?
I am supposed to be woth $4,000, 900
and will sell out for one-quarter that
amount. This will be no surprise to
Richard. He knows l am worth no such
sum of money as is being claimed.
"This is all being put out to make it
appear that have not taken care Of
my family the way I should have.
| always have taken care of them AMI
done everything for thine could. In
addition to what l have given them, /
have gone to lots of trouble to throw
business in the way of the boys, and
out of this they should have made a
good deal of money. l know that
Richard has.
"Since Richard has been fighting me,
/ have even looked after him in this
way through my friends, without my
self appearing in the matter. Further
more all of my children are married to
people of independent means. AL
though they may mant some more. still
they have had plenty
"The trouble with my boyes is that
they wont get out and fight for living.
They wouldn't even 60 to war. I wrote
Richard from Ireland when the war was
on that l thought it had gone far
enough without him and Howard get
ting into it. l said if l were ten years
younger I would be IN it myself; would
go then if they could find anything
could do, and that l wanted to see my
sens in it. The letter got back from
Richard made me sick"
Friends Offer to Aid Couple.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Croker arc re-
ceiving letters from all over the country
Offering support. Mrs. Croker has had
many messages from friends of her
youth. A letter to-day from Arthur
Brisbane says he had just been talking
the matter over with Nathan Strauss, in
! Augusta. Mr.. Brisbane says:
81 remember we'll being at Nathan
Strauss house at a luncheon follow
, ing your wedding, and if you wish it
| would be glad to testify as to your
mental condition at that time. think
could convince jury that you were
then, as you are to-day, thoroughly
in possession of all your faculties
James w. Gerard, in an affidavit filed
to-day, says he has known Mr.. Croker
since 1893; that about a week ago
before suit was brought alleging him
to be mentally incompetent, he had q
and a quarter, and continues:
"H l have noticed any change in
| him up to date it is that he is more
/ alert, and more cheerful and more
agreeable than he used to be-"
Praised by Woman Neighbor
Mrs. Frederick Edey, of Belleport
L. L., in an affidavit says she has known
Mr.. Croker for more than FIVE years
during which time she has had a win
ter home in Palm Beach; that she re-
Gently called on him to discuss
woman suffrage, and that she never
saw him in better condition, physically
or mentally.
One of the affidavits filed to-day was
that of Norman E. Mack, formerly
chairman of the National Democratic
Committee. He says he has known
Mr. Croker intimately for twenty
years, and adds: II see no difference
in his mental condition now from that
of twenty years ago. l have seen moth
ing to suggest to me that his mind is
less sound or alert than it was at the
height Of his career"
Describing visit with Mr.. Croker
at the Hotel Breakers recently, Mr.
Mack continues:
1--WE talked on general subjects. ano
he showed the same shrewdness oil
mind and soundness of Judgment as
formerly. AS to Mrs. Croker, I know
her to be woman of far more thar
average intelligence, we'll read, vel
equipped mentally, and in every wa,