The Delta independent., 1888-06-05
HE CAUGHT A SUCKER.

The Experience of a MIN Who Fs'rti-
ned His Pocket with fishhook's-A
Catch That Weighed 18O Pounds.
bill Charters" said a man in Main
street cigar store to a Stockton (Cal.)
Mail reporter. "was 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
oughIy. and then. after making two or
three new-fangled fly-hooks, he'd place
the outfit back in its box, at tho same
time knowing that he'd be unable to
use his tackle for probably six months.
'Bill lived in Boston when 1 first
knew him. That was eighteen years
ago. He was tinsmith by trode. I
went up ono night to see him concern
ing some work he had beon eng aged on
for several days Bill was in the din
ing-room examining his fishblg tackle
when enteped.
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 tho size of your
hand.
".Bil.'" said I, taking the hook
covered cloth IN my hand. did you
ever catch any fish with this arrange
mentP'
".Yes, sir, he answered with a
laugh. i caught sucker on that col
lection last fall that weighed 160
pounds
=" Where and how asked, hardly
knowing what Bill meant, as had
never seen sucker that weighed moro
than three or four pounds.
Just this way" replied Bill. One
night my wife an d decided to 60 to
the theater. When we reached the
box-oflice there was perfect jam of
people. Ileft my wife near the door
while struggled bravely to reach the
ticket window. L 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. "S:olen!' exclaimed
l, 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-
BILE put my plan into execution. Turn
ing my money pocket inside out I
hastily sewed all the small fishhooks 1
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.
but I placed it in another pocket
and again we started for the theater.
There was still considerable of q crowd
in the neighborhood of the box Office,
and once more began edging my way
through for the purpose of procuring
tickets. 1 allowed my fishhook money
pocket to take care of itself.
"'Just as was being handed my
ticket I felt bite. I attempted
to turn round, when 1 found I had
hooked very fine-looking sucker in
the shape of well-dressed man who
wore shiny tile. paid no attention
to his tugging at my pocket, as knew
after one Or two tugs he'd quit. When
l reached my wife she said: ''William,
who is this gentleman with youp" I
told her he was very particular friend
of mine.
An officer standing nt tho door
accompanied my friend and me. at my
request, into an adjoining room. where
I explained matters. I recovered my
lost pocket-book and greenbacks. 1t
was keeping company with seven other
similarly 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 1 ever caught--must
have weighed at least 16o pounds.
And this is no fish story. either