The New York herald., 1922-05-01
CROKER CHANGED
REQUESTS IN WILL
Continued from First Page.

terested Mr. Croker when he was here
the last time. He talked much about it
and reached the conclusion that 1t was
bad thing, because ii had to great
dissatisfaction among workmen and
those who could not afford to buy liquor
at prohibition prices.
Tammany men in every clubhouse, in
fact politicians here and throughout
the State, sat down yesterday and talked
of the old days. Croker's death had
brought back memories of the political
ev ents of his fighting career. The old
timers who knew him and who fought
behind him recalled the campaigns and
the victories he won. There were re-
called the days of Cleveland and Tilden.
of the great struggles between David
=. Hill and Tom Platt, in which Croker
always was a factor, and then the later
days Of Bryans thrilling campaigns.
Grady and Cochran Recalled.
Tom Grady and Bourke Cochran were
tie silver tongued orators of those days
ard in his fights in State conventions
with Hill they did the talking for Croker.
Croker had little ambition to control
tie state, but he was ready to fight in
q second when Hill or any other State
leader tried to intrude into his domain.
In ore of his fights with Grover Cleve-
l3nd Croker turned Tom Grady loose
End the result was that Cleveland asked
the Tammany leader to call off Grady
and not let him 60 back to the State
Senate. Croker opposed Bryan. but
when the Nebraskan ran the second time
the Tammany leader came home to take
charge of the campaign and gave n New
York plurality. John Sheehan mad been
n charge of the organization and Croker
returned from Europe to take a hand
because he was being charged with
&C sertion.
One of his political rules was to sup
port the party's candidates no matter
bow much he had opposed the nomina-
ton. After Hill retired as State leader
ard their ambitions no longer clashed
he and Croker became good friends and
often talked over their many fights In
state conventions. Another character
istic of Croker was that he never bore
re sentiment.
Throughout his leadership Croker was
a close friend of many of tho biggest
financiers in the city. Anthony Brady
and Thomas Fortune Ryan were his in
innate friends and through them he OBJ
tanned information that meant real
money in Wall Street.
For years Mr.. Croker's headquarters
was at the Democratic Club, and he
also lived there. He spent most of his
evenings at the club and the leaders
knew they could always find him there.
Newspapermen had no difficulty reach
ing him at any time. In those days the
Sulivans. Tom Foley, John Sexton,
Police Commissioner: Dan Mcmahon
and Peter Maher were factors in Tam
many Hall, and they all had the Demo-
cratic Club habit because the chief did.
Leaders came from their districts then
and were not hand picked. for in the
Croker days there was not the elab-
orate election machinery and the pri-
mary as they now exist, and the district
leader was real factor in the organiza-
ton.
Toward the latter days of his leader
ship Croker began staying abroad
longer in the summer and the leaders
did not take kindly to It. Croker in
sisted for several years that it was the
only way he could get rest. but the old
club crowd never got quite used to 1t
and his frequent absences weakened his
leadership toward the end.
Charles +. Murphy was the leader
of the gas house district during that
period and was gradually getting
stronger Governors and Senators went
to see Croker. He seldom IL ever TOOK
the trouble of going to see them.
Tribute From Conners.
William J. Corners of Buffalo, for
merly chairman of the Democratic State
Committee and for years a personal and
political friend of Mr.. Croker, sent the
following telegram to The New YORK
HERALD
ut was with a great deal of regret
that / learned to-day the news of the
death of Richard Croker. i had known
Mr.. Croker for the last forty years. lie
was my friend and l priced his friend
ship very much. He was a man of high
ideals, "A forceful and fair fighter and
brilliant Scholar lie met with every
success in political life because of these
excellent traits and his wonderful
loyalty. We we're inseparable friends
and spent many happy hours together
each winter during his visits to Palm
Beach, where we were neighbors All
can say is that he was a grand old
gentleman. He will be missed by all
and ! am deeply shocked at the sad
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