Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-10-05
THE SECRET OF POCKET-PICK-
ING.

A short time since, while our repor-
/ ter was visiting town in the interior,
he made the acquaintance of a well-to-
do farmer, who, after making some in
quiries 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
Il don't often tell my first exper.
fence in seeing the lions of your city,
| but | am not as sensitive over it now
as | used to be and I'll tell you about
it. Some years before my father died
he went to New York city on business,
and while there he bought himself a
gold watch. He wore it as long as he
lived, and when he died, few years
ago, it came to me- OF courze [ was
strongly attached to the watch, and not
a little proud Of it, especially when l
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.
81 informed the clerk of the hotel
where | was stopping of my loss, and
as did not remember of being jostled
by any one and could give 30 clue to
the thief he said there was no use in
| calling in an officer He advised.me
to offer large reward for the return of
the watch and add that no questions
would be asked. | then put such an
advertisement in the morning papers,
and during the afternoon received 4
note informing me that if | would e
at the corner of B---and T.
streets that evening at seven O'Clock
with the reward (SlG0) my watch
would be returned to me The note
also stated that | must come alone, and
if during the day made any attempt
to inform an officer the writer woald
not meet me. That | would be watch
ed all the time, and the only way that
could recover my watch was by do
ing precisely as | advertised
AT seven O'Clock [ was at the spot
indicated, and after waiting few mo-
ments a well dressed man in passing
me asked me the time Of day | re
piled that it was seven O'Clock At
that be asked me to walk along with
hin, ~ hort 1;ot,poo ,nd or mo ,u.;l- cd
he inquired if [ had brought the 500.
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 $50 more to tell me
how he managed to pick my pocket
oh !! said he, placing his finger
on his lips, you promised to ask no
questions, but would show you if it
wasn't for that man standing over
there on the corner He is detec
tive officer aud knows me, and the man
pointed across the street.
II looked in the direction be had
indicated, but could see no one that
looked like an officer, though there
were plenty Of people standing in that
locality. That tall fellow with the
stove pipe hat is the one | mean but
[ must be of. Good bye.'
The man hurried off and I saw
him disappear round the corner; then
| 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 knocE-
ed me down with a s raw, for the
pocket was empty. The thief had in
| deed completed with my request, and
shown me how it was done didn t
ad ertise for 1t again, and caoc home
without telling the hotel clerk about
that evenings experience '-Detroit
Post.