The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-01
A .FISHY STORY. !
AusAcoount Of q Detectives Cap
ture Of a Thief.
4 Method of Catching Plckpockets
Which. Whether Practicable or
Not, Was Certainly Very
IngnnionE.


Iney We're discussing the best way to
bring prisoner from the place OF his
arrest 70 headquarters at the central
Office not long ago. and the collar, cuff
and arm grips were instanced as manual
eXpedients, and handouts, nippers and
pocket bludgeons thongs as mechanical
aids.
/ know" said detective who had
been to Europe and passed some time
in the society of London detectives, to Il
New Y ork Times reporter, how pick
pocl.et was once arrested without his
ca ptor seeing his prisoners face before
he got to the lookup, and without
anyone putting q hand on him. 1t hap
pened this way: \ detective, who was
often detailed to gatherings, weddings,
the houses of parliament, Westminster
Abbey and other public places, often ran
across 4 wiry little man who he discOv-
cred had no business where he was seen
and did nothing for living.
"Coincidcntal with the mans visits to
crowded places were complaints of lar
cenies of articles that We're carried in
the pockets Of tails of coats, and es-
peciaiiy silk handkerchiefs. The de-
tective suspected the little why man,
but he evidently had more than one
confederate to pass what was stolen so
as to be clean, for the officer who was
watching him and was nettled at re-
proof from his superiOrs for negligence
in not discovering the pickpocllet had
him arrested twice by other officers and
shaken down without finding any
stolen goods in his possession.
''Strangc officers were used to make
the arrests in order that the suspected
man might not become familiar with
the principal detectives face, as he de-
termined to get him by hook or by
crook. Now | don't mean this for a
pun, but it came out that way. The dc
tective belonged to one of the many
fishing clubs that abound in London and
was familiar with tackle.
''Procuring four dozen unsnelled
hooks Of the size and strength used here
for blacllfsh, some flax thread and a
needle, he passed an afternoon in turn
ing the tail pockets OF an old-fashioned
frocll coat into thief trap. The hooks
were ringcd, and with the needle were
sewed bent out, just ilaside the pocket,
permitting the hand to enter, but pre-
venting it's withdrawal He knew of a
book sale that would be largely at
tended at the east end Of the Strand
and made up carefully for it, so thu
when he left home he was pleas. nj.
faced old gObc mout:he
/ AT the book sale. he took cprn to he
! as vacuous and lmmindful Of his s,,,
| roundings as pos ,siblc, Int noted the
presence Of the, suspect and waited
calmly for a bite. it came. There was
tug at hlS e. Iat and q bitter oath, and
he Knew that his mans hand was seizef
| by the hook 5, and that he would not
venture TO risk the agony that tearing
away Tor cibly would infiict SO he sale
quietly: If you follow me our surgeon
VIII eleve You, and attempted to wall,
| to ; cotland Yard half q mile away, the
trapped thief following with his hanC
IN the detectives pocket.
But such a large crowd gathered
that the detective had to take a cab
and ne landed the man safely in the de
tec>lves' Office. He was he'd by four OF
| the hooks and the barbs had to be cut
| OF before they were extracted. The
| thief confessed and went to prison fo1
Il short term, but the Scotland YARD
authorities frOWned on the dete ctiye's
method and prohibited any further ex.
! perments of the sort for fear the news
papers would denOunce the expcdient
as cruel. But deadlier trap could not
be baltcd for a 'clvfalzer.' II