The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-06-16
HE CAUGHT A SUCKER.
The Experience of n Man Who Fortf.
fed His Pocket with hshhooks-A

The Experience OF q Man VINO Fortfs
fed His Pocket with fishhooks-A
Catch That Weighed 16O Pounds,
Bill Charters" said q man in Main
street cigar store TO a STOCKTON (Cal.)
Mail reporter. twas fond of fishing.
On winter evenings at home. if he had
nothing better to do, he would haul out
his fishing tackle and inspect it thor
ough.y. and then. after making two or
three new-fangled fiy-hooks. he'd place
the outfit back in its box, at the same
time knowing that he'd be unable to
use his tackle for probably six months.
Bill lived in Boston when first
knew him. That was eighteen years
ago. He was tiasmith by trade. l
went up one night to see him concern
ing some work he had been engaged on
for several days. Bill was in the dim
ing-room examining his fishing tackle
when 1 entered.
Zone huge batch of hooks attracted
my attention. There was probably
thirty very small eyehooks. all sewed
securely to jagged piece of cloth
string 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 arrange
mentp
Yes, SIR " he answered with
laugh, Il caught sucker on that col
lection last fall that weighed 160
pounds.
Where and how asked, hardly
knowing what Bill meant as l had
never seen sucker that weighed more
than three or four pounds.
Just this way replied Bill. One
night MY wife and decided to 60 to
the theater. When we reached the
box-office there was perfect jam of
people. left my wife near the door
while l struggled bravely to reach the
ticket-window / asked for two dress
circle tickets, and when put my hand
in my pocket to get the money to pay
for them discovered that my pocket.
book was gone. ''Stolen!" exclaimed
], and retreated.
Mrs. Charters and walked home
She felt Disappointed she wanted to
see that play. A thought struck me
instantly, and just as quickly as posi-
bic 1 put my plan into execution. Turn
ing my money pocket inside out
hastily sewed all the small tishhooks |
had to the inside of that pocket in such
manner that when my pocket was
showed back to its proper position the
barbs of the hooks stood out and point
ed downward.
I" 4 took some more money with me
but placed it in another pocket
and again we started for the theater.
There was still considerable of crowd
in the heighborhood of the box-oflice,
and once more began edging my way
through for the purpose of procuring
tickets. I allowed my fishhook money
pocket to take care OF itself.
"Just as l was being handed my
ticket I felt bite. l attempted
to turn round, when l found l had
hooked very tine-looking sucker in
the shape of a weli-dressed man who
wore shiny tile. paid no attention
to his tuggjng at my pocket as | knew
after one OF two tugs he'd quit. When
l reached my wife she said: civilian,
who is this gentleman with you?" l
told her he was a very particular friend
of mine.
Gan officer standing ut the door
accompanied NV friend and me, at my
request. into an adjoining room. where
| explained matters. l recovered my
lost pocket and greenbacks. 1t
was keeping company with seven other
milarly situated purses. | had to
cut the pocket out to hand the thief
over to the officer, but it was returned
to me after the doctor succeeded in get
ting the hooks out of the fellows hand.
Yes concluded Bill, he was the
biggist sucker ever caught--must
have weighed at least 100 pounds.
And this is no fish story. ether.