Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-24
He CAUGHT A SUCKER.
The Experience of IA Man Who Fortified
His Pocket with Fishhooits.

''Bln Charters was a very original man
that is, If he was out os Job he Il de-
wise some way Of his own 10 procure tho
whercwithnl 10 keep fire in the crate
and provisions In the pantry" said q man
in II Main street cigar store the other
night. "Bill was also fond of fishing On
winter evenings at home, II he had moth
ing better 10 do, he would haul out his
fishing tackle and inspect 1t thoroughly,
and then, after making two or three new
tangled fly hooks, he'd place the outfit
back in its box, at the same time know
ing that he'd be unable to use his tackle
for probably six months.
"Bill lived In Boston when | first knew
him. That was eighteen or twenty years
ago. He was n tinsmith by trade. l
went up one night TO see him concerning
some work he had been engaged on for
several days. Bill was In the dining
room examining his fishing tackle when
entered. After settling our tinsmithing
business he began explaining the different
methods used to catch the various species
OF the flnny tribe. This hook was line
for trout in the carly morning, that
brown tackle was immense ut noon when
the sun was shining, and that white moth
fly hook was simply perfection in
the evening, just about the time the sun
was setting.
"One huge batch Of hooks attracted
my attention. There were probably thirty
very small eyehooks, all sewed securely
TO jagged piece of cloth-strong drilling
about the size OF your hand
"Bill, said /, taking the hook covered
cloth in my hand, did you ever catch any
| fish with this arrangement
"'Hes, sir he answered with q laugh,
| Il caught n sucker on that collection last
fall that weighed 100 pounds
"'Where and howY l asked, hardly
| knowing what Bill meant, ms | had never
seen n sucker that weighed more than
three or four pounds.
| "'Just this way replied Bill. 'One
| night my wife and decided to 20 to the
| theatre. When we reached the box Office
there was perfect jam Of people. left
my wife near the door while | struggled
bravely 10 reach the ticket window.
| asked for two dress circle tickets, and
when put my hand in my pocket to get
the money 10 pay for them | discovered
that my pocketbook was gone. "Stolenr'
exclaimed |, and retrcated.'
"'Nirs, Charters and ] walked home.
She felt disappointed; she wanted TO see
that play. 4 thought struck me instantly,
and just as quickly rs possible i put my
plan into execution. Turning my money
pocket inside out i hastily sewcd all the
small fish hooks / had TO the inside of that
| pocket in such manner that when my
pocket was showed back Ia its proper posi-.
tion the barbs Of the hooks stood out and
pointed downward.
| j took some moro money with me-
but i placed it in another pockct-and
again we started for the theatre. There
was still considerable Of crowd in the
L .Naf.r l.ls e 4.
more began edging my way through for
the purpose Of procuring tickets. | nj.
lowed my fish hook money pocket TO ta&l
care Of itself
Just as ! was being handed my
tickets felt bite. ! attempted to turr
round, when found had hooked q very
| fine looking sucker in the shape Of wei
dressed man who wore n shiny tile ] pai,
no attention TO his Juggling at my pocket
as ] knew after one or two tugs he'd quit
When | reached my wife she said: ''Wu
lam, who is this gentleman with youf'
told her he was very particular fricn,
of mine
can officer standing at the door &c
companied my friend and me, at my rc
quest, Into an adjoining roOm where
explained matters. j recovered my los
pocketbook and greenbaCks. 1t was keen
ing company with seye1l other similarl
situated purses. had TO cut the poclle
out TO have the thief handed over TO IN
officer, but II was returned 10 me afte
the doctor succeeded in getting the hook
out of the fellows hand
Yes concluded Bill, ,he was III
biggest sucker / ever caught-must hay
weighed at least 100 pounds. And this
J no fish story, either, '"-5tocktoa CCal
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