The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-11-01
The Daring Woman Sheriff of Utah

Even in days when woman Is invad-
ing almost every field which man has
so long appropriated, it comes as
shock and a surprise to learn that there
Is at least one woman, young, beautiful |
and refined, whose duty II IS to execute
q criminal at moments notice, to ar
rest the most reckless desperate and to |
spend much Of her time in conveying
lunatics, single-hande1, to asylums.
The story Of this girls life reads more
like chapter of daring romance than
a page Of sober fact sud experience.
Miss Claire Helena Ferguson who
may rightly claim to be the most dar-
ing woman in the world, was brought
up in a home OF refinement. Her
mother is a practicing physician Of
repute, and it was while assisting her
mother in the operating room that
Miss Ferguson acquired the nerve
which now stands her in such good
stead. Two years ago, when she was
barely 2l, Miss Ferguson, who seems
to have been born with a craving for
risk and adventure, applied for and
obtained the post of assistant to the
Sheriff Of Salt Lake City.
When Sheriff Lewis handed her her
commission be told her that II might
be her duty at any time TO execute a
criminal, and that she had better start
revolver practice at once.
1t Is the custom in Utah to allow a
condemned man TO choose whether he
will die by the hangman's rope or by
bullet; and If be elects to be shot he is
led out to a lonely place among the
hills and piece Of white paper is pin
ned over his heart as a target for the
bullet. Miss Ferguson, nothing daunt-
ed by such a terrible prospect, imme-
diately began to practice with her re-
vOlver, and soon became so proficient
that she could rely on hitting a small
piece of paper, nine times out Of ten, at
a distance of ten yards. Happily, how
ever, she has not yet been called upon
to exercise this part Of her art.
One of her earliest adventures was
such as would have tested the nerve
and courage Of the brayest man. She
was left for time in charge of one of
the most daring burglars in Utah, a
handsome, unprincipled seoundrel,
who had already served five terms of
Imprisonment and who goes by the
name Of Handsome Gray" The man
was handcuffed, but eontrived to pick
the lock Of his handouts with the help
of piece of wire. Miss Ferguson only
detected what he was doing as the
handouts fell on the floor and the
burglar was in the act Of springing
on her.
With the rapidity Of lightning she
seized her revolver and, covering him
with il, said, ''If you take another step
I'll shoot" The man quailed before
the pointed revolver and the determin-
ed look Of his pretty gaoler, and thus
the strangely-matehed pair stood, fac
ing each other for same moments,
until, providentially, his eaptor, man
Of great strength and courage, entered
the room and secured him from be-
hind.
Miss Ferguson, during her two years
Of office, has conveyed no fewer than
log lunatics, many OF them hOmieidal,
to the asylum. As the asylum Is fifty
miles from Salt Lake City, two hours
ride, aud as Miss Ferguson always ac-
companies them alone, the terrible
strain on her nerves may be imagined.
On more than one occasion she has
been violently attacked by her wards,
many Of them much bigger and strong
er than herself, and she has had many
narrow escapes from losing her life.
With one dangerous lunatic she had a
life-and-death struggle for an hour, and
when, finally, the bravs girl succeeded
in mastering the lunstie, she had to
hold her hands, bleeding and fainting
though she was, for the remainder Of
the journey.
1t Is snme tribute to the remarkable
courage Of this young girl that she was
invited by the most desperate gang Of
cattle-thieves aud highw yamen in
Utah to visit them in their fastness,
known as the Robbers ROOst," and
as souvenir they promised her the
"inest horse on the range" Miss
Ferguson did not accept this strange, il
complimentary, invitation, but there is
little doubt that she would have beer
most Hospitality and gallantly treated
Miss Ferguson has none Of the ply
steal equipment one would associate
with life Of such risk and hardship
She is very slight and girlish, with nc
suggestion Of either strength or en-
duranee, and her face is as refined as i
is beautiful. 1t is not surprising tC
learn that during the last two year
she has had no fewer than fifteen offer
Of marriage, her lovers ranging from
Dakota cowboy to Chicago lawyer.