The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-05-01
RICHARD CROKER
FOR N Err C H|EF
TAMMANy, DEAD
Famous Political Leader o
New York, Passes Away
in Ireland.
(Con tinued From PAGE Cne.1

econ tinued From Page Cne.1
This leadership gave him his frs
/ political recognition and he quickl,
developed into Il ward politician, soor
becoming TammaDy leader of one o.
the assembly districts OF New YorE
| City.
Charged With Murder
| A charge OF murder preferred
| against Croker in his early ventures
into politics almost terminated his
political career Croker went to the
polls in his district and protested
against tne surfing of the ballot
boxes by another political leader
While he WIS arguing james McKen-
ma, one Of the henchmen of the other
leader, was shot and killed. Croker
was indicted and tried, the jury dis
agreed and the case was subsequent
ly thrown out of court Croker de-
MED that he did the shooting and
The man who did it afterwarI con
fessed. 1t was characteristic of
Croker that although he knew the
name OF the man who did the shoot
ing, he would not reveal it.
For nearly 90 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 shoot
ing of McKenna. While running for
- oil bn nj haA mi n
the famous Boss Tweed and won the
election despite the boss, but Tweed
had him legislated out of office.
One of the odd phases of Cookers
career in view of his subsequent
record as Tammany chieftain, was his
assertion that be went into politics
to put stop to the robbery of the
city by Boss Tweed and his band of
plunderers at was a shocking state
of things" Croker declared. II con-
suited honest John Kelly and went
on the warpath against Tweed and
we downed him. We reformers and
independent Democrats took over
Tammany and made the old sink of
corruption the headquarters of re-
form"
Leadership of Tammany
When Honest John Kelly died in
1855 the reins of Tammany Hall were
put into Croker's hands by agree
ment of the district leaders. His
leadership was described as match
less, from a political standpoint. He
ruled Tammany with an iron hand
and brooked no interference. If his
leadership was questioned he called
the leaders together and demanded
to know which of them was dssatis-
fled. None dared to brave his wrath,
Then he ordered them out to win an
other victory for Tammany.
AS Tammany's chief he virtually
controlled about 100000 votes and in
fluenced a much greater number.
He exercised tremendous power.
With other Tammany leaders he dis
tated nominations for every political
office in New York from the Mayor
down to the lowest clerk His or
lers went to city and district CON
ventions and were rarely disobeyed.
When a Judge failed to five obedience
he was disciplined by Croker's re-
fusal to renOminate him.
Under Cookers rule, 1t was esti-
mated that Tammany collected from
city office holders, saloon keepers
and others more than a million dol
lars a year as a campaign fund.
Croker said no accounting of this
fund was ever given. The finance
committee kept no books. Large
business houses seeking city con
tracts found it necessary to consult
Croker.
investigations
/ Within a. lew years after assuming