The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-28
BOGUS OFFICER
BEATS AND ROBS
Doc Gibson Alleged to Have
lmperS0nated Sheriff's Dep
uty in Carrying on Work.
PERSISTENT IN PURSUIT
VICTIM FOLLOWED FOR DAYS BY
CROOK.

disappearing as a deputy sheriff a
man calling himself Doc Gibson fol-
lowed Chris Larson. a laborer at the salt
works. into a room in the Darlington lodg-
ing house. at 81 East Second South street.
early this morning and went through his
pockets under the eyes or the wife of
the proprietor of the place
GibsoH was arrested at o'clock this
morning. He Insisted that he is con-
nected with the sheriff's office and called
up the county Jail to have the\ deputy
there ask the police to release him. This
Deing refused, he was locked in a cell at
the city prison.
Larson arrived iR Salt Lake several DAYS
ago with considerable money He at once
commenced drinking, and wandered
among the saloons in Commercial street
IhurSdaX night. when he returned to his
room at the Darlington, Gibson followed
MN up the stairs. but as several other
perSpns We're standing about, quickly
turned and went away.
In Close Pursuit.
This morning. when Larson again stag
gered up the steps, very much under the
influence of drink, Gibson was it is al
legged, at his heels. The proprietor's wife
asked him what he wanted. She says
that he replied he was a deputy sheriff
and was there on business. limiting that
he was searching for Joe Sullivan and Joe
Garcia
2 In her presence, she claims. he seized
Larson. The drunken man resisted and
was struck cruel blow upAn the head
The woman declares that>the man calling
himself Gibson was armed with a pair
of brass knuckles. The blow opened a
the left eye.
Trick Is Bold One.
Gibson is alleged to have then dragged
Larson into room 9. where he went
through the mans pockets. The woman
who stood and watched this was badly
frightened. but dared not interfere as she
believed Gibson's story that he was an
officer. She says that so far she could
see Gibson did not find any money in
Larsons pockets.
When Gibson went away, she told her
husband of what had occurred and he
notified the police. Search was at once
made for Gibson.
May Be Ex-Convict.
According to the police. Gibson is an
eX-cOnvict and notorious forger. 1t is
alleged that he is the man who swindled
Warren Foster, the insurance man. last
summer
- He was in the state penitentiary at the
time Joe Sullivan, the fugitive murderer
of Policeman Ford. was confined there.
it is alleged that he met Sullivan on the
night of the Albany saloon hOldup and
the murder of Ford and learned from the
convict that d robbery had been planned
AS Gibson had prOfessed d desire to lead
an honest life. and had. it is alleged Sc
cured some connection with the sheriff's
office, he notified Sheriff Emery that mis-
chief was afOot and two deputy sheriffs
were detailed to watch Sullivan and his
pal, John owen. the man who was yes
terday sentenced to twenty years in the
penitentiary In some way the pair eluded
the watchers. The holdup and the MUIR
der followed within a few hours.
Larson Also Known.
Larson is also known to the police. He
has. it Is said. been arrested for petty
offenses
When Policeman Doty found Gibson in
a Commercial street saloon the man de-
clared that he was a deputy sheriff and
had been detailed by Sheriff Emery to
investigate a robbery case. He asserted
that ne followed Larson and searched the
man in obedience to orders from the
sheriff
When taken to police headquarters. he
asked permission TO call up the county
Jail. This was granted and he got into
communication with the deputy in charge.
Assuming a familiar tone, he said:
Say. I've been pinched by cop for
doing what Frank told me to do"
The deputy at the other end did not
warm up to the eX-conYict and after some
further futile efforts to enlist aid from
that quarter the man gave up the attempt
to escape spending the night in Jail.
s-<e>-@---