Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-11-02
, Nlist&IIaaeous ataalns,,, g.
SECRET OF P0CkET.PICKING.

The Detroit Post tells good story as
follows 1.E ea.oN jr-.3 aGJ 81 p
a short time since, as our reporter
was visiting town in the interior, he
made the acquaintance of a weltto-do
farmer who, afteE; making somsiinquiries
in regard to the growth and prosperity of
Den oft, inquired if there were any pick
pockets in the city. The reply was of
course in the affirmative. The farmer
laughed quietly a moment, nt,and then said
| don't often vell my, first experience in
seeing the lions of your city, but l am
not as sensitive over it ROW 40 | used to
be, and III 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, a few years ago, it came to me, of
course l was strongly Iattached to the
watch. and not Little proud of it, es
pecially when l put it in my pocket up
On the occasion of my first visit to De-
troit. haven't any doubt that l looked
at it a hundred times day. and you will
not be at all surprised when | tell you
that | had not been in the city two
hours before it was missing, chain and
all.
Il 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 no clue to the
thief, he said there was no use in calling
in an officer. He advised me to- offer a
large reward for the watch, and add that
uo questions would be asked. l then
put such an advertisement in the morp7r
ing papers, and during the afternoon re-
ceived note informing me that i'll
would be at the corner of B and L streets
that evening at seven o'clock, with the
reward jslOOJ. my watch would be, .el
turned to me. The note also stated that
-ms-t come alone,nnd if during the day
| made any attempt to inform 'anSotficer
the writer would no. meet me-that /
would be watched all the time, and the
only way that I could recover my watch
was by doing precisely as advertised.
"At seven o'clock l was at the spot ID
dicated. and after waiting few minutes.
a well.dressed man in passing me asked
me the time Of day. ! replied tina. it
was seven clock. At that he asked me
to walk short distance. and as we walked
he inquired if | had brought the s1OO.
| replied in the Affirmative when he
handed me my watch, received the mon
ey, and was about to leave me- i~lIen l
stopped; him, and told him i would give
him $40 more to tell me how he managed
to pick my pocket. -; ag.r- ., bo,.
,"aOh ! said he, placing his finger on
his lip, You promised to ask no questions,
but 1 would show you if it wasn't for
that man standing oyer there oN the Cor
ner. He is detective officer and knows
me : and the man pointed across the
street. 30, -,
Il looked in the direction he had in .
kdicated, but could see 10 one that looked
like an officer, though there were plenty
standing in that localitys That talLfel.
low, with the stove-pipeJ hat, is the one
l mean; but must be off Good by z
1.-The man hurried off. and saw him
disappear roundthe caruerj then 1again
tried to see the 'tall fellow with the stove
pipe hat but if he had been jthete- be
had disappeared, and ! started for the
hotel. happy in again possessing Wy ia
ther'. fast present 70 me. Atthis thought hoi
l putt hahd on my vest pocket, Where
1 had placed the watch d moment before.
and the next instant you could have
knocked me- down with straw, fSr The
pocket was empty. The thief Mad in
deed complied with my request, and
shown me how il, was done 4 j. didnjt
advertise il againdand I eams home with
out telling the hotel clerk shout that
evening experience -.-. ~