The New York herald., 1922-04-30
RICHARDCROKERD dies
IN NHOMENEAR dublin
! AFTER BRIGHTNESS
End Described as Sudden,
Although He Was Taken
Down Last December.
MANY MOURN 'DESPOT'
His Passing at 81 Recalls
Mastery of Tammany
From 1886 to 1901.
VISITED HERE LAST YEAR
Had to Fight Children's Suits
i'm Old Age-Friends Tell
"A Of His Conquests.
VISITED HERE LAST YEAR
Special Cable to THE NEW York HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by THE NEW York HERALD.

Special Cable to THE NEW York HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin, April 30.
Richard Croker, former Tammany
Hall leader, died at his residence in
Glencairn at $3.50 o'clock this after
noon. His wife and her brother-in-
law, Robert G. Garrett, were at the
bedside The immediate cause was
a heart attack. The end same sud-
denly. When friends visited him this
morning the former Tanmany boss
talked brightly and cheerfully and
gave no indication of another re-
lapse.
Croker had an attack of jaundice
last November. His death at that
time was expected hourly, but under
the care Of his wife, who has been
most patient nurse, he recovered, and
toward the middle Of February
showed considerable improvement
and was able to sit in a wheelchair.
He greatly enjoyed the few recent
fine days and insisted on being
wheeled to his stable, where he took
the greatest delight and pride in
watching his fine thoroughbreds,
talked with the trainers and planned
on seeing his horses triumph in the
coming English racing classics.
Horses were the chief interest of
Croker's life in recent years, with
the single exception Of Irish politics.
He had the greatest faith in Michael
Collins and Arthur Griffith and only
a few days ago told THE New YORK
HERALD correspondent:
These treaty signers have the
right idea. They are bound to suc-
coed. They will deliver Ireland from
chaos and lead the country into the
flower of nationhood, after unhappy
centuries of subjugation. These men
look forward. They are going
ahead"
Croker was particularly interested in
Collins, who, he declared, was able to
hll any office in the United States
capably. When the fight in the Dali
was at its height Croker though on
sick bed, insisted that his wife read
TO him all the latest developments, and
all through the fight he predicted that
Griffith would win.
Croker never really recovered from
4. x~;,~ 80 Whf1a raf
ing he caught chill, which developed
into jaundice, and he never regained
his old virility. When he began to
sink to-day he realized that the end
was near and took the last sacrament
After that he remained cheerful,
conversing with his wife in the hap
piest mood. His wife, who. as Croker
told THE New York HERALD corre-
spondent a few weeks ago, had been
his guardian angel, plans to remain in
Ireland for the present. The funeral
probably will be held Wednesday.
Message to Tammany Secretary.
News of Mr.. Crokers death reached
New York late in the afternoon in the
following cable message, received by
Thomas F. Smith, Public Admins
traitor of New York county and secre-
tary of Tammany Hall:
DUBLIN, Ireland, April 20, ABS P. M.
"Mr. Croker passed away suddenly.
MRS. CROKER"
Richard Croker was a tired man
when he left the United States for the
last time on October 29, 1921. He
showed signs of exhaustion as he said
good-by to the ship news reporters
aboard the Cedric. and the high spirits
which had been remarked on previous
occasions were absent. He said, how
ever, that after spending the winter
at his home, Glencairn, near Sandforf,
ten miles from Dublin. he expected to
return to New York this spring.
He was seriously i'll in the winter OF
1918 and again after Ills return to Ire
land this last winter, but each time
displayed such power Of recuperation
that his old friends thought that the
iron constitution which lad served
him through so many battles in the
old days would carry him through
again.
Became III in December.
While on his way to Ireland he
caught cold, and as soon as he arrived
~ clencairn went TO bed. Mrs. Croker
cabled relatives In this country early
in December that her husband was very
i'll. Presently he was able to cit up In
bed and read newspapers. and became
greatly interested in the fght in the