The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-02-06
LINED WITH FIsH-HoOKs.
A Thief Attempts to Explore Pocket
Thus Protected and Comes to
Grief

borne, a famous mine owner of
Shasta county, California,
The story involves Mr., Osborne's
experience with an enterprising
pick pocket, in the city of San-Fran-
cisco The facts are vouched for
on such authority as to settle all
doubts as to their correctness,
Mr. Osborne arrived in the city of
San Francisco several weeks ago,
He is one of the best known mining
men in California, having mined for
years in the north. He was the
discoverer of the Gladstone gold
mine, French Gulch, which he sold
for $5O,O00. AS he was On his way
to Johannesburg, to take charge
Of some mines, and did not know
when he would get back, he spent
some time seeing the sights and
taking his ease preparatory to
starting
While in the city he sent to Red
ding for $1,000, which he received by
express. Much of this money he
carried on his person, for Osborne
is a big, stalwart man, who has
been about the world, and is not
afraid of anybody One night over
a year ago; when he and his friend
Petty were out seeing the sights, a
light-fngered man touched him for
two $50 gold pieces, which he had in
one of his trouser pockets, This
was surprise to Osborne and set
him to thinking, He had never had
anything like that hap
pen before, and he was much an
moved. He said nothing about it at
the time however, but set to work
devising plan for thwarting any
similar accident in future.
In dim way he recollected that
he thought some one had put a
hand in his pocket on the night he
lost the coins, Osborne, as is Gus
tomary among many mining men
wears substantial corduroy clothing
and these are equipped with unus-
ually stout pockets. In the right
pocket OF his trousers, therefore, he
skillfully arranged half dozen
big fsh-hooks, each carefully twist
ed to its place, and in such way
that they would offer no resistance
to hand being inserted, but the
hand would be grasped by the barbs
while being withdrawn. Any one of
the hooks would hold ten pound
salmon.
Thus equipped Osborne again
started forth At the corner of
California and Kearney streets a
fakir was biithsomely expatiating
about his wares, and the mining
man stopped to hear what he had
to say, DESTROYS of testing his in
vention he jingled two or three $40
pieces carelessly in sight, and then
dropped couple of them into the
yawning nav below the fish-hooks.
Then he leaned back and became alb
sorbed in the street corner oratory.
In few minutes sure enough, he
felt a hand going down his pocket.
1t moved slowly and carefully, but
every time the fakir said anything
to make the crowd laugh it went
down with more confidence. Pret-
ty soon Mr., Osborne felt that he
had a man at his side who was do
ing some deep thinking. He knew
this by the commotion that had
taken place in his pocket He said
nothing but he knew something was
going to happen. 1t did, when a
voice said;
Say, mister I've got my hand in
your pocketP'
"What in---have you got your
hand in my pocket for2' said Os
borne, cheerfully. "Why don't you
take it out2"
Il can't, its caught, said the
man. looking up and turning pale
'Well come right down here to q
policeman He will hell
you take it out " replied the mining
man, and he moved off as he spoke
the thief being forced to trot along
Wy MS CdplOl'
"Oh, didn't get any money Fol
heavens sake let me go2' cried the
! thief, t.....
Osborne did not care anything
about imprisoning the fellow ant
Furnishing the fellow any further
He declared he would not have
minded it a bit if he had lost the ad
ditional gold pieces. All he wanted
was to see If his trap would work
SO he released the fellow and le
him 60 He Immediately ran ava.
and Osborne returned to his hotel
followed by several people II. r