Reprinted from the "Fowler News" - January 20, 1949.

Paul Brice tells of his early experiences working for a sister of the Dalton Gang
Eva Dalton Whipple

In talking to our friend Paul Brice this week the reporter learned a great deal of his early life that had never been reveled to this newspaper before

Shortly after Mr. and Mrs. Brice were married, Paul secured a job at the Urie Hotel in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Paul emphatically stated that it was a job and not a position. Like any young married couple, a job was necessary and sometimes work was not as plentiful as it is at the present time.

He heard that they needed a man at this hotel and he applied for the job and within a few days he found himself working hard at his job. In the interview Paul stated that is was a fulltime job working many days 25 hours out of the 24.

In a short time after he was on the job he found that the owner and manager of the hotel was Mrs. Whipple, a sister of the notorious Dalton gang. His job was quite varied serving as chambermaid, porter, and cab driver, along with many other jobs that would take up his spare time, providing he had time to spare.

In those days, all hotels had their own cabs to meet the trains and solicit patrons for the hotel. He would use the bus to haul the passengers to the hotel and then he would crank up the old model T Ford pick-up and return to the depot for baggage.

His salary seemed to be a secondary matter as far as his boss was concerned and her disposition was very unpleasant at times. He really had four hours each day for his own which was from 1 a.m. to 5a.m. and of course, if he was not busy and out of her sight he could obtain a few more hours of sleep, providing the other help did not divulge that news to their boss. His first months salary was $50.00 and the owner promised him a raise to $60.00 after the first month providing he made good and when he received his second check, the amount was again $50.00, Paul was not long deciding that an interview was necessary with Mrs. Whipple and he threatened to resign if he did not get the raise

He was allowed two meals a day while on the job but he stated that he was compelled to eat what they had left over. Paul was not long in learning the routine of the hotel and within a short time he got on the good side of the cooks and his food then was as good as the best.

Paul worked another month and he decided that he had enough experience working in a hotel and he definitely decided that he would much rather farm than be a bellhop and work for the sister of the notorious Dalton gang.

Paul has no desire of returning to his job of 28 years ago.