The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-27
The Secret of Pocket Picking.

The Detroit PosT tells a good story as
follows
"a short time since, while our repor.
ter was visiting a town in the interior,he
made the acquaintance of a well-to-do
farmer, who, after making some inquiries
in regard to the growth and prosperity
of Detroit inquired if there were any
pick-pockets in the city. The reply was
of course in the affirmative. The farmer
laughed quietly moment and then said l.:
I don't often tell my first experience in
seeing the lions of your city life, but |
am not as sensitive over it now asI used
to be, and LII tell you about it. Some
years before my father died he went to
New York city on business, and while
there he bought himself gold watch. He
wore it as long as he lived, and when he
died, few years ago it came to me. OF
course | was strongly attached to the
watch, and not little proud of it, espec-
tally when put it in my pocket upon the
occasion of my first visit to Detroit. |
haven't any doubt that looked at it
hundred times day, and you will not be
at all surprised when l tell you that l had
not been in the city two hours before it
was missing chain and all.
i informed the clerk Of the hotel where
I was stopping of my loss, and as l did
not remember of being jostled by any one
and could give no clue to the thief he
said there was no use in calling in an Of
ficer. He advised me to offer large
reward for the return of the watch and
add that no questions would be asked. l
then put such an advertisement in the
morning papers and during the afternoon
l received note informing me that if /
would be at the corner of B--and L.
streets that evening at seven o'clock with
the reward (S100) my watch would be re-
turned to me. The note also stated that
1 must come alone, and if during the day
| made any attempt to inform an officer,
the writer would not meet Inc. That |
would bo watehed oil the limo @aa the
only way that I could recover my watch
was by doing precisely as had advertis-
ed.
AT seven O'Clock l was at the spot in.
dicated, and after waiting few moments
well dressed man in passing me asked
me the time of day. l replied that it was
7 o'clock. At that he asked me to walk
along with him short distance, and as
we walked he inquired if l had brought
the 500. l replied in the affirmative,
when he handed me my watch, received
the money, and was about to leave me
when l stopped him and told him | would
give him $40 more to tell me how he
managed to pick my pocket.
"Oh !" said he, placing his finger on
his lip "you promised not to ask ques-
tions, but I would show you if it wasn't
for that man standing over there on the
corner. He is detective officer and knows
me- and tho man pointed across the
street.
II looked in the direction he had indi-
Gated but could see no one that looked like
an officer, though there were plenty OF
people standing in that locality. THAT
tall fallow with the stove pipe hat is the
one mean but l must be off, Good
bye"
THE man hurried off and saw him
disappear around corner then l again
tried to see the tall fellow with the stove
pipe hat, but if he had been there he had
disappeared, and | started for the hotel
happy in again possessing my fathers last
present to me. At this thought | put
my hand upon my vest pocket, where |
had placed the watch moment before,
and the next instant you could have knock
ed me down with straw, for the pocket
was empty. The thief had indeed COM
piled with my request, and shown me 'how
it was done l didn't advertise for it
again, and came home without telling
the hotel clerk about that evenings ex-
perience."