New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-09
MONEY OR YOUR LIFE,
THREAT ICE CO. FACED
Nan Said to Have Extorted
$1,000 from KniCkerbocker
on Strength OF 1t.
DICTAPHONE USED IN CASE
Sheridan Told Whitman He
Was "Hounded'' Into Taking
Money-Magistrate Holds
Him in $4,000 Bail.

The charge of having demanded OF the
Knickorbocker Ice Company its money oi
its life. made against Joseph y. Sherlddh'
who lives at No. 2i32 Eighth avenue, was
slbs,antiated before Chief Magistrate NC
Adoo Yesterday afternoon by several wit
nesses and the record Of conversation
taken down by means Of dictaphone OPP
Grated by the William J. Burns National
Detective Agency. The magistrate held the
defendant in $1,000 bail for further exam
lnation next Wednesday afternoon
Specifically, il is alleged. Sheridan eX'
torted 81 900 from the Knlckerbocker Ice
Company on April %, threatening that II
he did not receive the money he would 81
on the warpath, start an agitation IN inc
newspapers against the ice company
lodge information detrimental TO the COM
pany with the District Attorney and the
Attorney General, stir up Indignation ~
p mass meeting AZ Cooper Union ana III
stitute an aldormanic investigation.
If. on the other hand the company
should pay him the money. II was tesu'
fed that he said he would face about
maintain tho price Of ice, protect inc
Knlckcrbockcr Ice Company, cease 70
stigmatize IT as a trust and a monopoly
and let the people worry. If he didn't get
the money. Furthermore. IT was alleged nc
threatened 10 clap the whole bunch oil
Knickerbocker directors in Jail.
"All those witnesses has committed per
Jury. YOUR honorr' shouted Sheridan from
his scat at the end of the hearing. MOI
a one has spoke the truth
william Garyin, assistant manager oil
the Burns agency. testified he was IN DIS
trict Attorney Whitmans office Wheh
Sheridan was brought in by Detective
BERNARD Flood and stated to M. Whit
man that representatives of the ice COM
pany had bounded him until he accepted
the money. which was TO finance a trlp
that he was 10 take to the ice fields act
ing as a press agent for the company.
He said that 500 of the sum was to 20
TO Charles G. Small district manager oil
ths Kpickcrhocker Ice Company, con-
,lnued Mr.. Garvn. "and that he wanted
MIR Whitman to see him meet Small and
give him the rakeoff. I'm surprised al
YOU. Sheridan. thought you were on
the level said Mr. Whitman. l am OH
the level. declared Sheridan, You took
the $1,000 said Mr.. Whitman well
what could [ dog replied Sheridan m a
man with a wife and family. and he Kept
showing the money at me. saying, rake
II. take 1t.
sheridan said at first he would be the
only witness for himself. but he chanseu
his mind later and said he would ask
for two subpnnas. Lloyd p. Stryker and
Frank r. Savdge conducted the case
against him
Mr.. Small. whose office is at 18th street
and the North River, was the chief Wit
ness for the ice company lie testified
Sheridan began operations early IN Jan
nary. counting on the prospects of rise
I'm the price Of ice. and demanded 500 al
first and later $1,000. Finally Mr.. Small
went to the District Attorneys office. ne
said. whore he received instructions from
Messrs. Coleman and Wasservogel, rs
sistant District Attorneys, 10 pay inc
money and obtain evidence of eXtortion.
Frank Keyes. an employe OF the detec-
tive agency. read a stenographic record
that he had taken of a conversation be
tween Sheridan. Small and William i.
Powley. representative Of the hnicker-
booker Ice Company at Flushing. IN
which Sheridan was recorded as having
said:
DE newspapers never git bit OF stun
about de ice company unless they get IL
from mo. / am the Teller who starts
things. Now. don't want 10 Kill the ice
people. I will see that the price stays
I'm II the company comes TO life with
the money. God help the citizens.