The Irish standard., 1902-08-16
SERGEANT SHERIDAN
Secured the Conviction Of Others for
Pr0msti0n.

SH>ss suS SVnVlSsluu vi OlQSIS I0I
Promstion.
The London Daily News of a recent
date tells the following story of Ser
geant Sheridan, who secured the con-
viction Of innocent men of crimes COM
mtted by himself:
The case of SCI geant Sheridan, late
of the Irish Consta bulary to which the
Daily News was the first English
newspaper to cab tttentlon as far back
as last autumn, cannot in the interest
of common justice he allowed to TO-
main any longer lm italy envelopsd in
mystery after Thu sllay's debate in the
House. The case ',ccomes worse with
time. Unless cleared up by a public
inquiry. it is omr that will leave
charges of the gray est character over
the whole of the Irish Constabulary.
AS Sir Robert Reid trld the House of
Commons on Thursday. there is not a
blacker instance in the most despotic
courts of Europa of the frightful dam
ger incurred when policemen are free
from all popular contri. Even the
Chief Secretary fer Ireland while re-
fusing to prosecute Sheridan. admits
that ''his conduct has been dastardlv
ard outrageous" Mr.. #. w. Russell
told the House that this was one of
the most dcplorable and sadilest cases
he remembers in connection with Irish
politics
80 far only Il few OF the facts, ard
those Of the barest. have reached tho
public. Some Of the fuller details can
now he disclosed. The first definite
case against Sheridan rs to his in
venting crimes and then accusing other
nr"nlo of them. occurred Mt Uospitol
in Limerick where he was stationed
rs constable. a man PANIED Rray.
nf THAT place. WAS known to hn on nm
friendly terms with a Mrs. Ouiulan.
who kept small farm half nile off.
This man was discovered hv Sheridan
AHl an"thPr constable living drunl, in
tic lane, one night The young Irish
H1an hal been 10 4 nei..hborinc town
I" settle SOM, business, and had evil
ilcntly collapsed on his way home the
worse for liquor. Sheridan took the
mans; cap and carried it to spot near
Mrs. Oninan's llayrirk, AMI then set
fir" to til" hay. returning in few min
ntes to rouse the drunken BRAY. With
tho aid OF t'lle other constable he led
him to tho barracks, where the stunt
fed man was charged with setting fire
to the hay.
No opportunity was given to the
rriSomar to secure bail. but within six
days he WAS put on trial-not in his
own county. but in Cork-bcfcre a
packed jury He was sentenced to
three years penal servitudc After
serving two years and three months
Bray was discharged. with his health
so shattered that he died three months
later.
Not long after Sheridan secured the
conviction Of another man for a Grim,
he had himself cammittcd This time
he was on patrol duty with colleague
named Anderson. and The arrested a Ia
borcr called Murphy. who was resting
on Il fence outside the village: Murphy
asked what he was charged with, but
could get no answer. either there or
in the barracks. The man was after
wards charged With killing donkey
owned by villager called Cragan. 1t
is now admitted by the government
that they have evidence that Sheridan
was himself the criminal, but others
60 further. and say that lie did not
kill THE animal until after The had seen
Murphy safely locked i'm the cell All
the people in the locality say he ar
rested Murphy first. and did not COM
nit the crime until after nnam,dHS.'g
nit the crime until later the same
night. Murphy was so terrified ut the |
sentence inflicted upon Bray that to
avoid protracted trial. and in the |
hope that Ire would be treated leni-
'Hlit' liC pitu'Cu SullCS Tic lISl lll1lS |
be was brought into court. He was
sentenced to six months imprison-
ment.
All this time Sheridan was rising in
favor in the Constabulary. receiving r.
wards for these convictions and fast |
making for promotion. Hc was re-
moved from Limerick to Letrim.
There he cut off the tails Of several |
cows with a razor. and he and Consta-
bic Reid charged man named Mac |
G"ohan with the offense. The victim
was hauled before packed jury in |
Sligo. where The was tried by Judge |
Andrews. MacGoohan's solicitor adj |
visel him to plead guilty. but he de-
clarcd he would so ner 80 to his grave
than admit he committed so dastardly |
an outrage upon a neighbours cattle.
On the first day of the trial two
Roman Catholics We're allowed on The
Jury. because the panel was exhausted.
the judge declaring that absent jurors
would be fined if they did not turn I'M
In the morning. On the day following,
when the jury was being empanelled.
80 Catholics were ordered to stand
aside. and a packed jury settled the
case. When Mace oollan in the dock