Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-05-20
The HERALD
Anecdotes About Pickpockets.

n young iEleLu bOlu Suo WFllST re-
Gently that bis mother was sitting
not long ago in an omnibus, when
she became aware that the gentle
man" on her right was feeling for
her pocket under her cloak. For q
moment a cold SILVER passed through
her, but, as it was broad daylight,
and as here were evidently many
persons in the omnibus to whom she
might apply for protection, she took
courage, and recollecting that in the
dress she wore, her pocket had,
much to her previous annoyance,
been sewed on the wrong side Of the
skirt, concluded to sit still and wait
the course of events. After having
been sufficiently entertained by the
vain efforts of her neighbor TO find
the pocket, she turned to him and
ssid, quietly, "My pocket is on the
other side, sir" The man immediate
ly jumped up, pulled the strap, and
disappeared with amusing rapidity,
the contemptous GOODNESS of the lady
having been too much for his artistic
nerves.
The passengers on one of our
crowded ferry-boats were much
amused one day at seeing q GENTLE
man very deity pick his friends
pocket OF his pocket-book and trans
fer is TO his own. They we're still
more amused at seeing third "gen-
tleman" take the bocket-book even
more deity from TIE amateur and
disappear in the crowd. The den-
ouement soon came. Number Two
asked Number One to let him see
his pocket-book, and, when his friend
could not find it. proceeded with a
smile to restore it TO him. His smile,
however, was soon changed to a
intense surprise, which was very
much enjoyed by the bystanders,
tor they expected that "gentleman"
Number Three would soon appear
and unravel TO his friends this anus
ing mystery. But, alal Number
Three never came back. He was,
II seems, true "artist," who had
coolly robbed the amateur as public
ly as the latter had robbed his friend.
In the hurry and confusion of land
ing Number Three made his escape,
80 the amateur was obliged to com
pensate his friend for the contents of
his pocket-book, probably resolving
az the same time to eschew ever at
tor such practical jokes.
While the writer was one day con.
versing in car with friend he told
the following story The best joke
! know of about pickpockets, is what
happened TO a gentleman ramed
A., who at the time was Presi-
don't OF one of our New York banks.
! had occasion to so to Philadelphia
To attend to some business 10 which
A--was interested, and in the cars
met "a friend, an old gentleman, and
his grown up sou. When we reach
ed Philadelphia, the old gentleman
declined getting into the coach of
the hotel TO which we were going,
preterring to go moro cheaply by
the horse cars. We got TO the hotel
before him, and when be joined Us
hc said he had had his pockets pi X
ed on the cars. Mr.. A - had been
talking with friend about some
thing else, but catching a word or
two OF our conversation he asked me
about it, and when | told him what
happened he said ooh can never
have any sympathy for a man who
has had his pockets picked. Why,
when | was getting on the cars at
New York, a fellow reached across
Inc very roughlJ, pretending that
ne wanted to reach the knob of the
doOr. | looked at him, and knew
IN moment that he was pickpoclS-
at 40 / just put my hand on my
brcast-pooket, whore carried my
pocket. hook and papers, and kept it
there, while ! looked at him so az to
let him see that | knew who he was
and what he was after"
We then went on conversing about
Tho business that had brought us to
Philadelphia. After discussing it
tor some time Mr.. A wished TO
show us some memoranda he had
made, and put his hand into ais
breast-pocket to get his pocket-booIS,
IN which they were. saw him
start. and asked what was the mat
ter, when ne exclaimed with counte-
nance expressing the most intense
astonishment, "Why, my pocket
book is gone! Z"
II was very clear that the man
that reached across him had taken
the pocket-book, and that he had
been ever since feeling tn other
papers in his breast-pocket, and had
been deluded with the idea that his
pOcket-bOok was safe. 1t was a
very serious business for him, for
ne had brought on about $50, 900
worth of notes OF Philadelphia mer-
chants to negotiate for his bank, and
he had besides, some five or six hum
dred dollars in bills. He asked me
what he should do, when / advised
him TO telegraph Immediately to
New York, and put an advertise
ment IN the papers, Offering at least
$1,000 for the return of the papers.
He replied, ooh no; $500 will do"
Very well" said |, "try it," He
did try it, and received a note stat
ing that $4,000 was required. He
tried to negotiate for less, but was
finally compelled to pay the sum
named. Since then, have occasion.
ally amused myself by quoting to
him his own remark; Il have no
sympathy with man who has had
his pocket picked. ~. Y. Times
INsTRTNENT ron TpsrYNr Noron