Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1894 — “BOSS" CROKER OUT. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“BOSS" CROKER OUT.

Tammany's Famous Chieftain FormaDy Retires from Leadership. Richard Croker hat resigned •» leader of Tammany Hall. When, save a New York dispatch, he had given

the last hand-shake and walked down Fourteenth street for the first time in ten years without a political weight on his. .shoulder he said: “Never again in my 11 e will 1 direct the pjlicies of Tammany Hall or of any other

hall. Richard Croker was born in Ireland in 1843. When but a few years old he came to America, where he grew up a ward politician. For more than thirty years Richard Croker has taken a more or less active part in Tammany Hall, and since tbe death of John kelly in 1836 he has administered its affairs as its chief with unvarying success. Since he took charge of Tammany the New York Citj’ Democrats have never suffered a reverse. He h,as had the naming of all nominees for citjNpffices and his word has been law lit .the organization. History of Tnmmanv HalL On Saturday last, Tammany Halt celebrated its 105th birthday. But theorganization in it* present form and with its present objects would hardlybe recognized by its founders. Its beginning was as a charitable and patriotic association, without partisan affiliations. As a patron saint, the founders of Tammany chose one of the most noted of Delaware chieftains, whose name thev gave to their organization. Chief Tammany, said tradition, ruled over thirteen tribes. These thirteen tribes, a* well as the original thirteen States, were commemorated by the division of the society into thirteen tribes, each of which had its emblem chosen from the animal king-dom-the buffalo, the eagle, the wolf, the tiger, and so on. The tiger aloneha* survived to modern times a- the symbol of the organization—at least, so far as political cartoons are concerned. The association kept up the Indian analogy throughout. Its meeting place was a “wigwam,” its officers were thirteen “sachems” and a “grand sachem,* a “sagamore” or guardian of its property, a “wiskinskie” or doorkeeper, a “scribe” and a “father of the council,"' to whom were added the modern functionaries, a secretary and treasurer. Partisan politics .'first entered Tammany at the time of the whisky insurrection in 1794. Thus early enlisted in the strife of parties Tammany began to gain power as a political organization. It has had its periods of triumph and defeat until to-day it has the city under more absolute control than ever before. It elects or appoints it* every officer from Mayor to street-sweeper; it in a great degree controls the government of the chief American State by sending to Albany nearly a quarter of the members of its Legi-lature: it has a powerful voice in national affairs with its ten Congressmen, its influence in the Senate, and its representatives high in the departments. With the grip that Tammany now has on the metropolis it is not likely to lose its power very soon.

RICHARD CHOKER.