Waterbury Democrat., 1902-10-20
BUM BILL IS TOUGH,
Chicago Dog Who Is veritable
 Canine Degenerate.
Associates Only with Hacehorse TOuts, Bartenders, Cheap Graf tern, Prize Fighters and Wom-
 en of Questionable ReDute.

E0 O1 NuSS1OAAUAG 1SGV01Ee
 ssBun Bill" is what they call him on the levee, but before he came there to live, says the Chicago Trib- une, he probably answered to a less disreputable name, and it is barely possible he was the pet of some Chi Eago household that still mourns his absence. He was found in the door, way of barber shop at 372 State street one frosty morning three years ago this coming winter by the proprietor, George Norris. If you were to ask the saloon keeper next door who George Norris was he would shake his head and say: Never heard of him." For Norris is known only as Props"
 Bum Bill'' was pup about three months old when he was found all most frozen to death in the barber shop entrance. Props" carried him in and made bed for him under the stove. The colored porter raked the heater and dumped in another scut- tie of coal. After awhile the little black pup began to get thawed out. He timldly crept out from under the stove and took turn around the room, snifing for the pan of food which he undoubtedly was used to before he left his happy home.
 A saucer of milk was set before him, and to show his appreciation he drank every drop of it. Then he played with the barbers until he got tired and again sought the cozy spot under the stove.
 That is how "Bum Bill' came to the levee. The story of his life since that winter morning when Props" found him would make good-sized book. He is known to everybody in State street, from Van Buren to Twelfth. Having lived for nearly three years in the toughest part of Chicago, it is not strange that the dog nas become contaminated from evil associations. He goes from one saloon to another down the line"
 Ike Rodericl, court clerk at the Harrison street station, is one of ssBum Bills" numerous friends. This. is a story that Roderick tells of the dogs sagacity:
 s'Onc night about year ago, Bum Bill' followed me from State street to the. station. There had been a touch day or two before that in a State street saloon and the man who was robbed was at the station when Bum Rill' and I came in. He was telling the scoppers' on the case that the woman who stole his money was at that moment in saloon few doors from where the robbery had taken place. He had been doing a lit tie detective work on his own hook and had seen her enter the saloon with a man. The police had recog nized her from the description and her name was mentioned while Bum Bill' and I were standing by listen ing. e8
 "The officers and the victim hurried over to State street to get the wom- an, but Bum Bill beat them to the saloon. We afterward learned that the dog rushed into the room where the woman and her escort were drinking and he began to tug at her dress skirt. She tried to drive him away, but he kept oh barking and tugging at her garment From the dogs queer actions the woman got 'hunch' that something was doing and out the back door she goes with Bum BilP just as the 'coppers' came in the front way. An hour later she was arrested, but through no fault of Bum Bill's.' He knew the police were next to him for tipping them oH fo 4be woman and he kent away from the station for weeks. Every man in the station knows that to be true'
 s.Burn Bill'' eats three squares a day-as they call it on the levee- Stross' restaurant. He is as regular as clock work in showing up at meal time, and the patrons of the place all know aim as the star boarder.
 There isn't dog in town that ssBum Bill'' won't tackle if he ven lures on ''Whislxy Row." He has been chewed up several times, but. like all real prize fighters, he doesn't know when he's whipped. He's terror to cats, and one of them can't live in the Eaighborhood.
 Like the denizens of the 1evee, ssBum Bill'' is most walSeful at night. He makes his nightly rounds of the saloons and other resorts and sleeps late in the morning.
 If there is such thing as degen- eracy in the canine family "Bum Bill" is a degenerate.
 THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.