▁him ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁shooting ▁had ▁been ▁intended ▁to ▁fright en ▁him . ▁He ▁made ▁no ▁mention ▁of ▁any ▁deal ▁with ▁Hol mes , ▁perhaps ▁calculating ▁that ▁by ▁keeping ▁silent ▁he ▁would ▁maxim ise ▁his ▁ch ances ▁of ▁payment ▁from ▁that ▁quarter . ▁ ▁Re vel ations ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Private ▁E ye ▁included ▁another ▁short ▁te asing ▁piece ▁by ▁A uber on ▁W augh ▁which ▁ended : ▁" My ▁only ▁hope ▁is ▁that ▁sorrow ▁over ▁his ▁friend ' s ▁dog ▁will ▁not ▁cause ▁Mr ▁Thor pe ' s ▁prem ature ▁ret irement ▁from ▁public ▁life ". ▁By ▁this ▁time ▁most ▁newsp apers ▁knew ▁of ▁the ▁stories ▁surrounding ▁Thor pe ▁and ▁Scott , ▁but ▁were ▁w ary ▁of ▁lib el ; ▁according ▁to ▁Par ris , ▁by ▁keeping ▁silent ▁they ▁were ▁" ser ving ▁notice ▁on ▁Thor pe ▁that ▁they ▁knew ▁a ▁bigger ▁story ▁must ▁break , ▁and ▁could ▁wait ▁for ▁it ". ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁Scott ▁appeared ▁before ▁magistr ates ▁on ▁a ▁minor ▁social ▁security ▁fra ud ▁charge , ▁and ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁being ▁h ounded ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁previous ▁sexual ▁relationship ▁with ▁Thor pe . ▁This ▁claim , ▁made ▁in ▁court ▁and ▁therefore ▁protected ▁from ▁the ▁lib el ▁laws , ▁was ▁widely ▁reported . ▁ ▁The ▁Daily ▁Mail ▁had ▁mean while ▁discovered ▁B ess ell ' s ▁where about s ▁in ▁California , ▁and ▁on ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁carried ▁a ▁long ▁interview ▁with ▁the