The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-03
BILL NHERID IN TO
lid VAR ON, CROOKS
IN SIN FIR NCISCO
New York Police Lieutenant Who Never Forgets Criminals
Face Has Been Nicknamed 1.-THE Monniker Man,"
Because of His Wonderful Memory.

| Police Lieutenant "BilI' Sheridan of
New York passed through Salt Lake
yesterday on his way to San Francisco
to assist in the work there of checking
the operations of the criminals who
viii flock to the California city to prey
upon sailors and sight-seers when the
American feet of warships passes
through Golden Gate Sheridan is
known among criminals as the man
who never forgets. He has been nick
named the "monniker" man, because
of his long memory.
For fourteen years he has been a
terrof to crooks in the metropolis. De-
spite disguises or the ravages of time,
Sheridan is able to remember a man
he has once seen. He not only remem-
bers the mans face, but his name and
his deeds. This remarkable faculty has
made him one of the most valuable
men upon the New York police force,
and that is why he has been selected
to go to San Francisco. Few eastern
crooks who have gone to San Fran
cisco in the expectation of a harvest
can hope TO realize their expectations
if they show themselves upon the
streets within sight of the ''monniker
man."
Sheridan's Feats of Memory.
Some time ago two old crooks stood
in. the line at headquarters in New
York. They had worked together for
years and had been arrested together.
One of them was well known to the
detectives, but the other, who had been
arrested ten years before and had not
been seen by police officials since, had
changed greatly in appearance.
do.
the man who was well known warned
his pal"
No danger of his knowing me-" re-
piled the pal"
All the detectives looked over the
pair. Most of them knew the first
man, but no one recognized the strange
crook until Sheridan glanced at him
and then studied him for a moment.
Sure l know him. said Bill" at
last, and he went to the rogues' gal
lery of ten years back and brought out
the picture of man who looked twen-
ty years younger. and who was clean
shaven instead of bearded. But not
until the Bertillon measurements
showed that the two were of the same
physical build would the other detec-
tives admit that this was the same
man.
Yes" finally said the crook who
realized that he was known, you've
got my monniker all right"
Stuck to His Theory.
Some years ago a bank sneak went
into the Sprague National bank in
Brooklyn, and reaching through
window grabbed s475 in cash. When
arrested he said he was William Muir
ply. Sheridan took a look at him and
announced that the man was Bob Suf-
frage. an old offender and a notorious
criminal, who had been arrested ten
years before by Detective Mulvey No
one believed Sheridan. The photo
graphs of Suffrage didn't look much
like Murphy and the Bertillon record
was incomplete.
Sheridan was so positive about il
though that he had the whole police
department worked up. Then MuIvey
himself went over to Brooklyn and
said he could see no resemblance be-
tween Suffrage and Murphy. With all
the detectives against his theory, Sher--
idan still persisted in declaring that he
was right.