In 1893, Herrick was deemed insane after attempting to rob a train and was sent to a mental institution.

Herrick was elected in November 1920 based on the strength of Warren G. Harding's showing in his district.

Herrick took a similar approach to his 1925 arrest for moonshining, claiming to be an undercover agent for the Internal Revenue Service.

His mental health was often in question and his eccentricities and lack of knowledge of the governmental process overshadowed his diligence for constituents.

Herrick mysteriously disappeared during a Sierra blizzard on January 11, 1952, while on a trip to his mining claim eight miles northeast of Quincy, California.