The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-06-23
JAY GOUlD's MOUSE TRAP.

In the course of a very interesting
Interview in the Herald OH railroads
telegraphs, corporations generally ant
the future Of the country, Mr.. ia!
Gould said:
have watched New York for many
years. and do not see that ii has L
fear from any quarter. The metrOpO
lis proper to-day numbers about TIVE
million people, and when you get Il
that point rivalry is out of the question
Philadelphia is great city. ~
are Baltimore aud Chicago and st
Louis and San Francisco and Cincin
natl and New Orleans. They are all
growing a sure, steady growth; but
IA it appears to me, no one Of then
can ever touch New York. 1t is al
most idle to talk about it. As said
I have been watching this city fol
many years. ] am not an old man to-
day, but New York, even within my
recollection has expanded in the most
marvellous degree. My first visit to
New York was during the Crystal
Palace exhibition. was u mere boy
was full of ambition, and ! brought
u little thing with me from my coun.
try home that thought was going tO
make my fortune and revOlutiOnize
the world. What do you suppose II
was?"
I" am sure don't know"
1t was Laughing heartily mouse
trap. That mouse trap was to me the
greatest thing In New York. 1t was
not very big, but took SO much pride
in tit was SO precious 10 me-that l
had very handsome mahogany box
made I'm which to carry it. l remen.
Der very well getting on one of the
street cars-I think II was on the Sixth
avenue line. l was q little more I'M
sophisticated In the ways Of New York
than l am now. / was anxious to
see the city. 1t was . wonder to me,
and stepped out on the platform to
look at it's blocks and blocks of houses.
In my innocence left my mouse trap
on the saat. When I got to the street
where l wished to get of, l stepped
inside to get 1t, and to my horror found
that my mouse trap had disappeared.
Turning to the conductor l said {:
What has become of my box
That box that was OH the seat?'
Yes WAS it yOurs? Yes Why
man who got out and turned down
the street above carried il off. II you
run you will probably catch him. j
ran and caught him. He was n great
strong fellow, but l collared him. !
really regretted that had done SO
and tried to get away, but the fact Ii,
one Of my fingers got caught in one OF
the buttan-holes Of his coat, and before
I could get of there was crowd
around us and q policeman, who took
both Of US to an adjoining station
house. The statements of the police
man and myself were all heard. The
magistrate drew some nice legal and
technical distinctions. which came
very near costing me my liberty.
While the thief who stole my mouse
trap was committed for trial, was
given to understand that owing to my
Inability to furnish bail-fOr knew no
one in the city then-I should be de-
tanned rs witness until the trial came
off. II was not . welcome introduce
tion TO New York /; but have never
forgotten IL, and its recollection has
often afforded me q gO0d deal Of amuse-
ment. Fortunately for ine, there was
q detective In the place who had been
hunting my mouse trap thief for years,
and who had q requisition from, l
think, the Governor Of Pennsylvania
or New jersey. He saved me. ! for.
got to say that when in the course Of
the examination the box was opened
to verify the truth Of my statement
and the purloiner of my great inven-
ton found II was only mouse trap,
his face assumed such an expression Of
disgust that I really could not help
laughing ut him. although I was at
the time in one Of the most uncOm-
Portable positions ! had certainly up to
that time been placed In. That mouse
trap incident got Of courBe into the
next days Heruid. 1 remember the
title Of the article very we'll How .
Mouse Trap CauGhta Thief" It vas
the fiTst appearance Of Jay Gould In
the pages Of the Herald.