New-York tribune., 1922-05-02
Children Doubt
Ii Croker Left
Will or Estate
Believe He Transferred
Practically All of His
Large Holdings to Wife
Previous to His Death
Litigation Will Continue
Only Suit Alleging Incompc-
tency Will Be Dropped:
New Ones May Be Filed

MS we'll az his old friends, that Richard
! Croker. the old Tammany leader, who
died at his Dublin home Saturday,
transferred practically all his large
estate to his wife prior to his death
and left little or nothing to be dis
tributed by will. In view of the ex-
tensive litigation brought by the chill
| dren against their father in an attempt
to prove undue influence on the part
of his Indian bride, this is considered
! the logical course he would pursue.
Frederick R. Ryan, counsel for Rich
ard Croker jr.. said yesterday that it
was the knowledge that this was being
| done that prompted the children to
| bring the action in Florida to have the
former Tammany boss adjudged incom-
! petent and have his estate and affairs
placed in the hands of his son. Rich
ard jr. The lower court dismissed this
action at the request Of the fathers at
torneys, and an appeal was taken to
the Florida Supreme Court. which wa,
| still pending at the time of Mr..
! Croker's death.
Children to Continue Litigation
Mr.. Ryan said that other actions,
brought by Mr. Croker's children on
undue influence over him to obtain
possession of his property, would not
be discontinued because of Mr..
Croker's death. Richard Croker jr.
said that as he understood all his
| fathers property was under Mrs.
! Crokers CONTROL he saw no advantage
to be obtained by contesting the will.
His stepmother, he said, had not noti-
fed him or any of the other children
Of his fathers death, the first personal
notice of it any Of them received
having come yesterday in a message
sent by servants in his fathers house
| hold
"The only purpose of the various
litigations which we brought agains,
our father said Richard Croker jr.,
was to yet back into fathers possession
his own property, over which Mrs.
Croker had obtained control. There
was no i'll feeling on our part against
my father and it was not n question
Of money. | regret very much that
there was any estrangement and | had
earnestly hoped that father would live
long enough to patch up all the trouble.
| don't know anything about the will.
think all this property is in Mrs.
Croker's control. I don't see any rea-
son to try to contest any will. I don't
see that there is anything we can do
Doubts If Will Was Made
Mr.. Ryan said he had heard nothing
of a will of Mr. Crccker and would be
surprised to learn that he had made
one, "as he had nothing to leave to
any one" The lawyer said that it was
matter of record that the elder
Croker. had transferred all his prop
erty to his wife some time before his
death He said however, that Mr..
| Croker's death would not affect the
{ -,
dren, with the exception of the one in
Florida to declare the father incom-
petent He intimated that further ac-
tions might be instituted to prove un-
due influence on the part of the dead
leaders wife in an effort to lay claim
to some Of the property for his chill
| dren.
-Four actions had been brought on
behalf of the children" said Mr. Ryan,
"in addition to that which sought to
have him declared incompetent. The
! first was for some shares of Wabash
Railroad stock, involving $500, and
which was won by Mr.. Croker and is
now on appeal. The second was for
the recovery Of 400 shares Of Westng-
house Electric stock, and Mr.. Croker,
before the compilation of the suit,
! handed over the stock The third ac-
tion was to have set aside the revoca-
tion by Mr.. Croker Of the deed of trust
executed by him and his first wife,
mother Of the children, which gave the
| girls, Ethel and Florence, and the son,
Howard, $4,000 a year. Mr.. Croker
also declared himself the possessor of
the principal Of the trust, amounting
| to s125,000. He lost this suit and Il
is now on appeal. The fourth action
was for $155,000 paid out by Richard
Croker jr. for his father, and this had
not been brought to trial.
Croker Expected to Return in Fall
"Only two days ago I was notified by
Mr.. Nathan, Mr.. Croker's attorney, that
his client would come over here in
October to defend the action instead of
compelling US to go to Dublin to take
his deposition"
The Florida property at Palm Beach,
Mr.: Ryan said was held by Mr.. Croker
and his wife in joint tenancy, but the
| husbands half passed automatically to
the widow upon his death. Asked if
other suits or methods might not be
brought to get possession of the Croker
property, other than the usual method
Of contesting a will, the lawyer signi-
fed that of course this could be done.
He did not say, however, what further
action, if any, might be contemplated
| ny Vie CUllOTcN
Harold Nathan, counsel for the late
Tammany leader in the litigation with
his children, expressed the opinion
that, with the death Of his client, all
litigation died and that no further &C.
tion would hold.
Murphy's Tribute to Croker
Charles F. Murphy, leader of Tam
many Hall, issued this statement
through Thomas F. Smith, the organiza-
tion's secretary:
Richard Croker played an honora-
Bile and prominent part for many years
in the activities of this city. He was
a man of compelling force, a loyal citi-
zen and an earnest Democrat. He firm
ly believed in the principles of his
party and labored with zeal and ability
! for its success.
"He was born leader of men. He
had magnetism, force and personality.
That he was capable, tolerant, consid-
crate, straightforward and generous is
evidenced by the large measure Of af-
fection and good will he earned during
! his distinguished career. All who knew
him we'll feel they have lost man of
character and worth and true and
valued friend"
$40. 600 ErnhezyIamant