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, loyal bulldog which prevented
robbery of his master, Charles Harder, OF
1a West Girard avenue, a jeweler, 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 and
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 1Si 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 eat to-
day and the whole neighborhood is
praislng his valor, patting him on the
head and telling him what a good dog
he is.
NEVER WAS A FIGHTER.
Heretofore Baby has not had much
of a reputation as fighter His nature Is
peaceful. He stayed in the house too
much to get experience. He was doing
in a corner of his masters jewelry store
last night. when a man, who later gave
the name of Thomas stercks, of 1887 East
Columbia avenue, entered.
The man asked to see wedding rings
ana displayed IS bill. Then he re-
quested 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
and struck Harder over the head. The
,eweler dropped unconscious.
stercks heard low, savage growI and
then something that seemed to be all
action and teeth struck him in the throat.
Scarcely able to see, he fought desperate
]y 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 battled around the store. At last
Stercks managed to get grip on the. dog
and threw him the length of the room.
Then he fed.
THE ROBBER VANQUISHED.
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 the seat of Stercks' trousers The
man fell and the dog stood over him.
BY that time persons in the vicinity
of the store learned what had happened
TO 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
to the hospital. Today he Is back in his
tewelry store with his head swathed in
bandages. Stercks Is being held In $500
bail for court on the charge of highway
robbery.
A smashed gas fixture in the store
showed the strength Stercks put into
the blow meant for Harder. The gas
fixture partially stopped the force Of the
blow.
The bulldog. In spite of the fine treat
ment being given 1t, Is still somewhat
undecided today about the whole affair.
When an EVENING LEDGER photographer
went to the jewelry store Baby was
under the safe. and the dog looked wor-
ried. 1t will take a few hours of caress-
ing to overcome the animals evident
fear that 1t was too brutal with the in
truder last night.
Baby's value went uP by leaps and
bounds today. Three men applied to |
Harder TO buy the dog before noon
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 a |
sale. She says she knew all the time |
that Baby would prove his worth some |
day.