The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-05-19
a DEADLY TRAP.
Catching Thief with a Pocket Lined
with Fishhooks.


Catching a Thief with a Pocket Lined
with FishhoolSs.
They were discussing the best way to
| bring a prisoner from the place of Ills
arrest to headquarters at the central Of
fee not long ago, says the New York
Times, and the collar, cuff, and arm
grips were instanced as manual expedi-
ents, and handouts, nippers and pocket
bludgeon thongs as mechanical aids.
81 know said a detective who had
been to Europe and pissed some time in
the society of London detectives 'show
| a picl1pocket was once arrested with
out his captor seeing his prisoners face
before he got TO the lookup, and with
out anyone putting hand on him. 1t
happened this way: A detective who
was often detailed to gatherings, we'd
dings, the houses of parliament, West
minister abbey, and other public places,
often ran across why little man who
he discovered had no business where he
was seen, and did nothing for a living.
''Coincidental with the mans visits to
crowded places were complaints of lar
cenies of articles that were carried in
the pockets of tails of coats, and espe-
cially silk handkerchiefs. The detectives
suspected the little why man, but he ev-
identity had more than one confederate
to pass what was stolen so as to be
clean for the officer who was watch
ing him, and who was nettled at re-
proof from his snperiors for his negli-
gence in not discovering the pickpock-
ct, had him arrested twice by other of
icers and shaken down without find
ing any stolen goods in his possession.
Strange 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 I don't mean this for a |!
pun, but it came out that way. The de-
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 blackfsh, some fax thread and a
needle, he passed an afternoon in turn
ing the tail-pockets of an old-fashioned
frocls coat into thief-trap. The hooks
were ringed and with the needle We're
sewed bent out just inside the pocket,
permitting hand to enter, but prevent
ing its withdrawal. He knew of book
sale that would be largely attended at
the east end of the Strand and made up
for it, so that when he left
home he was pleasant-faced old gobe-
Sat the book sale he took care to be
as vacuous and unmindful of his sur
as possible, but noted the
presence of the suspect and waited
calmly for bite. 1t came. There was
a tug at his >cat and a bitter oath, and
he knew that his mans hand was seized
BY the hooks and that he would not
venture to risk the agony that tearing
away forcibly would inhict. So he said
quietly: If you follow me our surgeon
will relieve you, and attempted to walk
% Scotland Yard, half a mile away, the
raped thief following with his hand
n the detectives pocket.
'But such large crowd gathered that
he detective had to take cab and he
anded the man safely in the detectives
,ffice. He was held by four of the hooks
Ind the barbs had to be cut off before
hey were extracted. The thief con-
essed and went to prison for short
ERIN, but the Scotland Yard authorities
rowned on the detectives method and
prohibited any further experiments of
he sort for fear the newspapers would
enounce the expedient as cruel. But
deadlier trap could not be baited for
clyfalzer'"