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 hisNmaster, Charles Harder, of
iB 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 bv
Charles Biehl, OF 1874 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 nelghborhood is
pralsing 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 a 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
the name Of Thomas Stercks, of 1887 East
Columbia avenue, entered.
The man asked to see wedding rings
ana displayed a IS bill. Then he re-
duested 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 Herder over the head. The
jeweler dropped unconscious.
stercks heard a 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
fy 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 fled.
: THE RoBBER VANQUIsHED.
Baby is fat. but he Is 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
Harder did not recover consciousness
~, RNz.. 4
10 the hospital. Today he is back in his
ewelry store with his head swathed in
Stercks is being held in $500
bail for court on the charge of highway
'obbery
A smashed gas fixture in the store 4
howed the force Stercks put into the
,low meant for Harder. The gas fixture
'artlally stopped the weight of the blow.
The bulldog, in spite of the fine treat
nent being given it, is still somewhat
Undecided today about the whole affair
When an EVENING LEDGER photographer
vent to the jewelry store Baby was
nder the safe. and the dog looked wor-
led. 1t will take few hours of caress-
1g to overcome the animals evident {
ear that 1t was too brutal with tho in
ruder last night.
Baby's value went up by leaps and p
ounds today. Three men applied to +
Iarder to buy the dog before noon
nd one of them offered $500 for the \
nimal. But Harder says Baby is not I
Or sale, and anyhow the dog Is the prop I
rty of his wife. Mrs Harder refuses
ven TO discuss such a silly thing as a r,
ale' She says she knew all the time Y
nat Baby would prove his worth some
ay. =,