The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-23

Doc. who had earned his title by doc
toring his uncle's horses, had inherited
little fortune Of $780, and when the
summer had come and gone he wen.
back home in a Pullman car for he had
saved $50 out of his salary of $50 and
board, every month.
Five wears later, in the dawning of
the morning. as 1 was climbing out of
an upper berth at another mountain
town. a man caught hold of my ccat-
tail. and l found that the man under
my bed" was Doc Pippin. He said he
was living in Denver; so was I, and in
few days be came in to see me. He
came often, and told the best stories 1
had ever heard. He was thin and pale.
and / noticed tneh he coughed and
pounded his left lung when he did so.
These stories were not told to me for
publication. but I know he will not
care, for he is careless now.
Doc went 20 Chicago after receiving
his money, and became acquainted with
a we'll known detective. I think he said
it was Billy Pinkerton. Il was like the
Pinkertons to detect in this almost
beerdless boy remarka bly, intelligent
person.
Pippin was offered employment; he
accepted it, and was sent at once to a
small town in Illinois to find out a band
of thieves who were stealing hogs ana
roboing shops.
If Doc had tried he could never have
become a good dresser. Even clothes
that were made for him didn't fit, and
he wore his hat crosswise, like the lead
Ing man at a French funeral. His ap-
pearance on this occasion was in his
favor, and he was net long IL forming
the acquaintance Of the toughest lCt of
loafers in the town. They liked Doc, as
every one did who knew him. but X
was a long time before they would
trust him. Docs money gave out, and
he tried to borrow, and the gang gave
trick-work,' said one of the men.
What can do? Show me and then
watch me-" said Doc.
See that jaw ridin' out O. town? ?"
said The tough, nOdding down the road
where lone horseman was going away
with the sunset on his back.
Yes"
well. he's gcin' out to his place in
the country-goes every Sat'day night
an comes back Monday-hold i'm up"
Doc knew the man, as he knew near
ly every man in the place. by the de-
scription given him at Chicago, and
by the middle of the following week
this wealthy citizen had been notified
from headquarters that he would be
held up on the next Saturday night.
Doc was at his post, and as the lone
horseman came down the road the
highwayman stepped out from the
shadows of a jack oak and covered his
man.
That night the gang drank up the
best part of $3.50 and voted Doc "a
dead game TOUGHER"
The verdancy Of the gang he had to
deal with made Docs work compare
lively easy. He invariably drank gin
and water, and by a simple trick that
a child ought 10 have detected-the
trick of drinking the water and leav-
ing the gin-he was always sober.
When the proceeds of Docs raid had
been expended, together with the 81 re-
oeived for the Jays" watch, the gang
determined TO rob a hardware store.
The job had been. undertaken once, but
had failed. The time, at Docs sugges-
ton, was fixed upon election night. A
great many farmers. he said. would be
in TO vote and trade, and the people,
being either drunk or tired. would
sleep soundly whence once asleep, and
the gang voted that Doc was "a great
thinker.
The time arrived, the store was en-
tered and when they were all in, Doc
ducked down behind the counter and
reached the rear end of the store. Now
a big bulls eye was turned upon the
gang. who arose from their work to
look down the dark barrels of half
dozen shotguns. One of the gang, see
ing Doc with the sheriff's party, made
a play for his pistol. but the sheriff
showed his shotgun yet nearer the
robbers face and said. softly: BE
quiet, and he was calm.
The next day the father of one of the
gang. who was himself a hard man,
made an attempt to kill the detective,
and, having done his work, Doc de-
parted. Friends of the accused hired
a lawyer. who made a beautiful pic
ture of these innocent lads who had
lived all their lives in this quiet coun-
try town, and who had never been
guilty of a wrong until they were en-
wicked young detective.
gang gave up TO the sheriff and by the
finding of stolen goods and the prop
erty of a man who had been murdered,
they were all. save the one who had
weakened, sent to Joliet, where they
are still receiving their mail
Young Pippin's success in this now
celebrated case won for him the full
confidence of the agency, and before
ne had reached Chicago other import
ant work was mapped out for him.
but to the surprise of the agency he
refused to accept another assignment.
Il could not bear he said to me.
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