Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-04-30
DEATH CLAIMS
DICK CROKER IN
IRELAND HOME
Former Tammany Hall
Head and Boss of N. Y.
Passes Away at 80.
Since Retirement Had
Lived Mostly in Ma
tive Land, a Horseman

New York, April 29.-Richard
Croker, formerly Tammany chieftain il
New York, died at his home in Ireland
Saturday, according to a cablegram re-
ceived by Thomas +. Smith, secretary
of Tammany Hall from Mrs. Croker
He died at $3.50 O'Clock in the after
noon at his Dublin residence after a
brief illness.
Under the leadership of Richard
Welstead Croker, Tammany Hall be
came one of the most efficient and sue
cessful political machines that ever
existed in the United States. 1t was
under his leadership also that public
condemnation was visited upon the or
ganization in unstinted measure for
the alleged unscrupulOus manner in
whicE it was conducted. For nine
years Croker's mastery hand absolute
ly dominated New York city's demo
cratic organization and during that
time Tammany was invariably victori-
Gus at the polls.
Started as Poor Irish Boy
From poor Irish immigrant boy
none too well educated he forced him
self by courage and self aggression and
by political tactics that subjected him
to extreme public criticism into the
leadership first of one of New York
city's gangs, then into numerous city
offices and eventually into the leader
ship of Tammany Hall, where he came
in contact and had dealings with many
of the leading financers and business
men of the city.
He was rewarded by the accumla-
ton of great wealth. the source of
which was never exactly known by the
public. Where did he get it," was
once the question of the hour in New
York; but Croker never answered it.
Spent Peif LavishIy
He spent his wealth lavishly in main
tanning a magnificently furnished home
IN New York. a stock farm in New
York state. and in purchasing half in
terest in the famous Belle Mead stock
farm near Nashville, Tenn He invest
ed hundreds of thousands of dollars in
race horses and in maintaining a rae
ing stable in England. While seeking
and winning honOrs on the British turf
he first occupied fine home at Want
age England, and afterward purchased
his present home at Glencairn, near
Dublin, Ireland. He also maintained
an establishment at Palm Beach, Fla
IA.
Cork. Ireland, November "A. 1871. His
father came to America when Richard
was child. For few years the fam
lily lived in Cincinnati, but soon re-
turned to New York.
Began as Engine Builder
As a youth he was employed as a
machinist in locomotive building. Some
Of the physical strength developed in
unrly hn
prize fights in which it was reported
that he was principally victor. He be-
came member and soon leader of
band of unemployed youths or po-
.itical heelers known as the Fourth
Avenue Tunnel Gang. This leadership
gave him his first political recognition
and he quickly developed into ward
politician. soon becoming Tammany
leader of one of the assembly districts
of New York city
A charge of murder preferred
against Croker in his early ventures
into politics almost terminated his po-
litical career. Croker went to the
polls in his district and protested
against the stuffing of the ballot boxes
by another political leader. While he
was arguing, James McKenna, one of
the henchmen of the other leader. was
ohot anu hllltu. tfbRPf WAS lnuItIpH
and tried, the jury disagreed and the
case was subsequently thrown out of
court Croker denied that he did the
shooting and the man who did it after |
ward confessed 1t was characteristic /,
Of Croker that. although he knew the |
name of the man who did the shooting, |
ne would not reveal it.
Always on City Payroll
For nearly 20 years Croker was on |
the payroll of New York City, either |
as alderman, coroner. fire commits |
Sioner or city chamberlain. He was |
coroner when accused of the shooting !
If Mckenna. While running for cleo
ion as alderman he clashed with the |
amous Boss Tweed and won the elec
ion despite the boss, but Tweed had
lin legislated out of office.
One of the odd phases of Croker's
'areer, in view of his subsequent rec
'rd as Tammany chiftain. was his as
ertion that he went into politics to
nut a stop to the robbery of the city
" Boss Tweed and his band of plumb
rers. 1T was shocking stage of
hings," Croker declared. Il con-
ulted Honest John Kelly and went on
he warpath against Tweed and we
owned him. We reformers aud inde
PENDENT democrats took over Tam
many and make the old sink Of corrup-
ion the headquarters of reform"