religion nationality party known_for residence article_title name occupation
protestantism american know nothings member the fireboy . of the bowery boys and lieutenant to mose manhattan , new york , united states syksey
 syksey criminal
syksey

syksey -lrb- fl .
1840-1849 -rrb- was the pseudonym of an american criminal and member of the bowery boys .
he was supposedly the lieutenant and longtime companion to mose the fireboy during the 1840s , often the storyteller of his feats , and is credited for coining the phrase '' `` hold ` de but '' '' , a common expression used during the mid-to late 19th century meaning to borrow a dead cigar or to '' `` bum a smoke '' '' .
he was later portrayed in benjamin baker 's play `` mose , the bowery b'hoy '' which performed at the old olympic theater in 1849 and later toured throughout the united states during the late 1840s and 50s .
his pseudonym may have been derived from bill sikes , the sidekick of gang leader fagin from oliver twist .
