The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-23


of San Joaquin County, is about
to retire TO private life after
faithfully serving the people for
over a quarter Of a century.
Cunninghanl's official career has been
q remarka BILE one. He left the harness
shop for the Sheriff's Office a quarter
Of century ago and has. succeeded
himself at every election held since.
When he laid down his aWl and took
up shooting irons the Sheriffs spent
more time in the saddle than in COM
Portable offices. In those days it was
essential that the Sheriff be an active,
fearless man. not only to be a terror
TO the evil doors, of which there were
so many, but to head off and discour-
age the eff, It's Of Judge Lynch in the
community.
When the retiring veteran began his
public service California had men like
Harry Morse for Sheriffs, and the
young officer speedily took his place
beside them and participated in many
Of the daring episodes in which in
trepid officers and nervy desperadoes
figured He has lived to see all Of his
associates of those early days pass
away.
Notwithstanding all the daring ar
rests to his credit he never received a
scratch and never shed blood. He is
the first man the discharged convict
approaches for aid after completing
the sentence Cunningham was instru-
mental in giving him.
Sheriff Tom Cunningham has studied
the criminal from the time he tracked
him to his lair till he bid him good-by
at the gallows or prison gates The
veterans work has not been all out
4 IL I,.-
the first the most systematic record Of
crime and criminals coming under both
his personal observation and that of all
the most successful peace officers in
the country. Volume after volume is
stored in his private office, filed with
newspaper clippings telling Of crime.
The fame Of Cunningham "rogues'
gallery" is known all over the Pacific
Coast. There is nothing to compare
with 1t on this side of the Rocky Noun
tains, either The number Of pictures
has reached the astounding figure of
between 1900 and Il, 900. These pic
lures show the faces Of criminals past
and present from all over the world.
Some are dead, others immured behind
prison walls. Cunningham has had an
elaborate system Of exchange in pic
lures. This picture gallery has cost
him fully $4,000. The albums have been
carefully guarded. 1t has not been
every officer who could see them. There
are faces there Of men now living hon
est and respected lives, whose past Is
unknown to those by whom they are
loved and respected. For every picture
there is a brief biography, telling Of
the criminal, his crime his character
1stlcs and appearance. TIL forger,
burglar and in fact the principal spe-
cies Of criminals are so arranged that
a person having the key to the albums
knows right where 10 look for his men.
Into whose hands this rare collec-
ton will pass when Mr.. Cunningham
ceases to be Sheriff is not now known,
but 1t is hardly probable that San Joa-
quin County will allow it to go else
where if money can retain it here
Almost every visitor to Stockton has
looked through the museum the Sheriff
mas gathered during the last quar-
Ter OF century. 1t is a remark
able collection of grim articles with
bloody histories. The museum occu-
pies large room in the spacious apart
ments Of the Sheriff's office in the
courthouse II is open to all who ask
the privilege Of entering Over one
thousand grim articles-kniVes guns.
plstols, sIungshots and many weapons
lnconceiVable in construction to any
mind but that Of the cunning criminal
are on exhibition.
In one case is one of the old time
deer rifles, powder, cap and ball the
Klnd Ihat Boone used on deer and red
skins. This is the gun which finished
the career Of the bandit, JOAQUIN Mn
rietta, over In Fresno County many
years ago. 1t was used by 7 w
Childs, who was member Of Centain
Loves party in the final round-up of
the cutthroat.
The pirate on the Spanish main