Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
NOTHING TOO GOOD
FOR BABY, BULLDOG
WHO CAUGHT THIEF
Animal Avenges Master,
Struck Down by Robber.
Baby's Value Bounds,
But He's Not for Sale.

Baby, a loyal bulldog which prevented
robbery of his master Charles Harder, o.
15l West Girard avenue, ieweler, is hav
ing the time OF his life today. after spend
ing the most miserable night OF his canine
career in an alley near Second street ant
Girard avenue. The dog skunk into the
dark alley late last night, after he had
prevented the robbery, and lay there
whining all night.
The courageous animal was found BY
Charles Biehl, of 1a West Girard ave.
nue, this morning. Biehl was attracted
by the pitiful cries of the dog, and
Baby was taken home again. He is
getting everything he wants to cat to-
day and the whole nelghborhood is
praising his valor, pattlng him on the
head and telling him what good dog
he is.
NEVER WAS A FIGHTER
Heretofore Baby has not had much
OF reputation as a fighter. His nature IA
peaceful He stayed in the house too
much to get experience. He was doing
IN corner OF his masters jewelry store
the name of Thomas Stercks of 11s7 East
Columbia avenue, entered.
The man asked to see wedding rings
ana displayed SIS bill Then he re-
ouested Mr.. Harder to show him dia-
monds When the jeweler started to put
the wedding rings back Stercks drew a
piece of lead pipe from under his coat
In rHa MT.
jeweler dropped unconscious.
Stercks heard a low savage growl and
then something that seemed to be all
action and teeth struck him in the throat,
Scarcely able to see, he fought desperate
1y to break the grip of the bulldog.
But when Stercks tore the animal loose
by main force, Baby sunk his teeth
somewhere else. and for ten minutes the
Two batled around the store. At last
stercks managed to get grip on the dog
and threw him the length of the room
Then he fled.
THE ROBBER VANoU1SHED.
Baby is fat, but he is a bulldog, and
therefore persistent. He had but one aim
In life. 1t took him two blocks to catch
Stercks, who ran with the speed of fear
but when Baby sunk his teeth again it
was IN tho seat of Stercks' trousers. The
man fell and the dog stood over him.
BY that time persons in the vicinity
Of tine store learned what had happened
10 Harder. The dog willingly stepped
aside. Stercks' head was covered with
blood. His throat and ear are badly
marked. While Stercks and Harder were
being taken TO st. Mary's Hospital, Baby
disappeared.
Harder did not recover consciousness
FOR nearly an hour after he was admitted
10 the hospital. TODAY he Is back in his
1ewelry store with his head swathed in
hardages. Stcrcks is being held In $500
bail for court on the charge OF highway
robbery.
showed the strength Stercks put into
fixture partially stopped the force Of the |
b.nw.
The bulldog. in spite Of the fine treat !
ment being given it. is still somewhat |
undecided tcHay about the Whole affair. |
When an EVENING LEDGER photographer !
went to the jewelry store Baby was !
under the safe. and the dog looked wor |
rled. II will take few hours of caress- |
Ing to overcome the animals evident |
fear that It was too brutal with the in |
truder last night.
Baby's value went up by leaps and !
bounds today. Three men applied to |
and one of them offered $500 for the
animal. But Harder says Baby is not
for sale, and anyhow the dog Is the prop
erty of his wife. Mrs. Harder refuses
even to discuss such a silly thing as
sale. She says she knew all the time
that Baby would prove his worth some
day,