The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-30
RICHARD CROKER,
TAMMANY'S BOSS,
DIES IN IRELAND
coNrINuED rnoM PAGE ONE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
he get IT," was uuCo the question
OF the hour iu New YORK. but Gro
ker never answered H..
lie spent his wealth lavishly II
maintaining "a magnificently FUR
nished home in New York, a stocH
farm in New York state, and IN pur
chasing a hair iutcrCat In tho Ia
nous Belle Mead stock farm neal
Nashville. Tenn. lie invested hun
drcds of thousands OF dollars ia race
horses and in maintaining a racinf
stable IN England. while seeking
and winning houors on tho British
turf ne first occupied fluo hOm,
ut vantage, England, and attcrwurd
purchased his present homo hl
Gloucuirn. near DuhiinIrolnud. lie
pl.n mniutaiucd an establishment at
Palm Beach. Fla.
Moved From Cork 10 Cincinnati.
Croker was born a. BLACK Rock,
near Cork, Ireland, November -.
lstL His father came 10 America
when Richard was n child. For =
few years the family lived ia Cin-
clunau but soon returned to New
York.
A. youth he was employed ns
a maCuirtst iu locomotive building.
Some Of the physical strength de-
vcIopcd I'm this work, he employed
in o number OF prize fights In which
u was reported that no was princi-
p,lly victor. lie became a member
and soon leader OF a band Of uuem-
u,oyod youths or political heelcrH
knows aa the Fourth Avenue Tun-
mel Gang" This leadership gave him
his first political recognition and he
quickly developed into a ward poll
tician, soon becoming Tammany
leader OF ono ~ the assembly dis
tricts OF New York CITY
A charge OF murder preferred
against croker In his carly ventures
into politics almost terminated his
political career. Croker went to the
polls I'm his district and protested
against the stuffing Of the ballot
boxes by another political leader.
While he was arguing, James Nc
Konua, ono Of the hcurhmcn Of the
other leader was shot and Killed.
Croker was indicted and tried, the
jury disagreed aud the case was
subsequently thrown out Of court.
Croker dcnied that he did the shoot
Ing and that the man who did 1t
aftcrward confessed. II wns Charac-
tcristic OF Croker that although he
knew the namc of the man who did
the shooting, he would not reveal
IL.
on Gothnm's Payroll 90 Years.
For nearly twenty years Croker
was on the payroll of New York City
either ms alderman, coroner, fire
commissioner or city chamberlain.
lie was coroner when accused OF the
shooting OF Mckenna. While run
ming for election ns alderman he
xtrlf 90
and won the election despite the
boss. but Tweed had him lcgislnted
out OF office.
One OF the odd phases OF Croker's
career. in Wow of his subquent rec
ord ms Tammany chieftain. was his
assertion that he went into politics
TO put a stop to the robbery of the
city by Boss Tweed and his band OF
phnderers. 1T was n shocking state
of things" Crocker declared. II
consulted honest John Kelly and
went on tho warpath against Tweed
and we downed him. We rcformers
and Independent democrats took
over Tammany and made the old
sina of corruption the headquarters
of reform"
when Honest John Kelly died ir
1886 the relns of Tammany hal
were put into Croker's hands
by agreement OF the district leaders
His leadership was described n,
matchless. from n political stand
point. He ruled Tammany with m
iron hand and brooked no interfer.
ence. II his leadership was ques-
toned he called the leaders together
and demanded to know which OF
them was dissatisfied. None dared
to brave his wrath. Then he ordered
them out to win another victory fol
Tammany.
Controlled 100. 900 Votes.
AS Tammauy's chief he virtually
controlled about one hundred thou
sand votes and influenced a muci
greater number, lie exercised tire
mendous power. with other Tam
many leaders he dictated nomina
tions for every political orrico In New
York from the mayor down 10 tn
lowest clerk. His orders went to cit!
and district conventions and wer
rarely disoboyed. when judg
failed 10 give him obedience he wa
disciplined by Croxer's refusal 4
renominate him,
Under Croker's rule, II was estl
mated that Tammany collected fror
the city officcholders. saloonkoeper
and others more than n million dol
Croker said no accounting Of thi
fund was ever given. The financ
committee kept no books, Iarg
business houses seeking city con
tracts found 1t necessary to consu
Croker
Within n few years after assumin
the leadership OF Tammany hal
Grocer showed evidence of possess
ing great wealth. His conduct nm
its relation to city affairs was III
subject of occasional investigate
by legislative committees but r,
suited in no charge against him
violation of the law.
AS the result of one of these. n
vestigations Tammany was col
fronted in 1885 with inevitable d,
feat. Despite criticism that he WI
abandoning the organization to d,
feat. Croker resigned. A few yea
later he returned and resumed Il
leadership but soon relinquishcd 1
Meantime he had established