Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-10
CAUGHT WITH F,sHHooKs.
Clean Capture Of Q San Francisco
Pjckpoekat,

Ptckpooket.
A remarkable story came to light
yesterday regarding an experience on
Monday night of Charles Osborne, the
mining man of Shasta county, with
n pickpocket, in which he came of
UNNECESSARILY best. Osborne has
just sailed for South Africa. The
story is so unusual as to seem hardly
credible, but is vouched for in a way
to carry belief.
Osborne arrived here several weeks
ago. He Is one of the best known
mining men in California, having
mined for years in the north. He
was the discOvercr Of the Gladstone
gold mine. French Gulch, which he
sold for $4,000. 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 here seeing the sights and TAX
ing his ease preparatory to starting.
While here he sent to RI lding for
81 600, which he received b.. express.
Much Of this money he carried on his
person, for Osborne is big, stalwnrt
man, who has been about the world,
and Is not afraid.
One night over q week ago, when
he and his friend. Petty, were out
seeing the sights, light-fingered
man touched him for two twenty-dOl-
lar gold pieces, which he had in one
Of his trousers pockets. This was a
surprise to Osborne, and set him to
thinking. He had never had any
thing like that happen before, and he
was very much annoyed. He said
nothing about 1t Mt the time, how
ever, 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 hand
in his pocket on the night he lost the
coin. Osborne, as Is customary
among many mining men, wear SUBJ
stantial corduroy clothes, and these
are equipped with unusually strong
pockets. In the right pocket OF his
trousers, therefore, he skillfully ar.
ranged half q dozen big fishhooks,
each carefully fastened to its place,
and in such way that they would
offer no resistance to q hand while
being inserted, but the hand would
be grasped by the barbs while being
withdrawn. Any one Of the hooks
would hold n ten.pound salmon.
Thus equipped Osborne again
started forth. At the corner OF Cal.
ifornia and kearny streets n fakil
was blithesomely expatiating about
his wares, and the mining mar
stopped to hear what he had to say
DESTROYS Of testing his invention, he
jingled two or three $50 pieces care
lessly In sight, and then dropped {
couple OF them In sight Of the yawn
ing nav below the fish hooks. Their
he leaned back and became absorbed
in the strcet.corner oratory. In ,
few moments, sure enough, he felt Z
hand going down his pocket. i
moved slowly and carefully, but ever!
time the faEir said anything to make
the crowd laugh II went down will
more confidence. Pretty soon Mr.
Osborne felt that he had man Mt hi
elbow who was doing some decl
thinking. lie knew this by the com
motion that had taken place in hi
pocket. lie said nothing, but II,
knew something was going to hap
pen. 1t did, when u voice said:
Say, mister! I've got my hant
in your pocket"
"What have you got your hand II
my pocket for?" said Osborne, cheer
fully. "Why don't you take it out?
II can't: it's caught" said tn
man, looking up and turning pale.
"Well. come right down here to
policeman. He will help you take !
out" replied the mining man, ant
he moved of us he spoke, the THE
being forced to trot along by the sid
Of his captor.
ooh, didn't get any money. Flo
heavens sake let me go!" cried til
thief.
Osborne did not care anythin
about imprisoning the fellow an
Furnishing him further. lie declare
he would not have minded 1t bit
he had lost the additional gold pieces
All he wanted was to see II his ira
would work. So he released the fe
low and let him 60. He immediatel
ran away, and Osborne returned I
his hotel. followed by several peopl,
II. r. Bemis and others examined til
fishhook- guarded pocket. 1t had cor
siderable blood In 1t from the hand {
> the would.be thief.-[San Francisc
Chronicle.