The San Francisco call., 1898-02-25
PICKPOCKETS
 WERE OUT IN
 FULL FORCE They Had a Gala Day at the Chutes on
 Tuesday. .Nume merous People Robbed of Their Money and
 VaIuables. J. H. Hynes of Oakland Loses His Purse Containing His
 Savings of Years.
PAPER-CARRIER A VICTIM.
The Assistance of Four Detectives Procured Without Finding Any
 of the Criminals.

There was a hot time at the Chutes on Washington's birthday, and Man ager Riley was driven almost crazy by the numerous complaints made to him by people who had been the victims of pickpOckets. In his desperation he telephoned to police headquarters, and Detectives Gibson, Wren, Reynolds and Dinan were hurriedly dispatched to the Chutes to search out and arrest the daring thieves.
 The first man to make a complaint to Manager Riley was J. H. Hynes, who lives at SIS Chestnut street, Oakland. He went to the Chutes with his two children, and, being afraid of burglars, he took $350 in gold with him. as he thought it would be safer in his pocket than in the house. He bought his tick cts at the box office at the ChuteS, and a few minutes later he had occasion to put his hand in his pocket, where his purse was supposed to be- and to his sorrow and amazement he found it was gone. He at once notified Manager Riley, who telephoned to police head quarters that pickpockets were on the grounds. The four detectives were sent SIOuluS Il, but before their arrival the manager had received complaints from about a dozen other people
 c. Gray a carrier for the Examiner complained that he had been robbed of a diamond pin valued at $250. He and his family had decided to spend the day at the Chutes, and a few minutes after he had left the ticket office his wife drew his attention to the fact that his diamond pin was gone. He hurried to the manager and told him of his loss Gray said he had advanced $100 on the pin to a friend, who was going to the Klondike, and he would not have lost it for anything. Before advancing the money he had taken it to Shreve & CO., and they told him that he would be perfectly safe in advancing $150 on it. He was sure it had been taken from him while he was among the crowd in front of the ticket office.
 The complaints came in so quick that Manager Riley was under the impress sion that every pickpOcket in the city was at the Chutes. John Mann com plained to him that after he had paid for bis ticket he put his purse in his pocket, containing SIP 50, and minute or so afterward it was gone. Alto gether twelve people made complaints that they had been robbed.
 When the detectives arrived they made a hasty tour of the grounds and arrested two men whom they thought were suspicious characters, but as nothing was found on them when searched they were told to make them selves scarce.
 Manager Riley complains bitterly that when he has asked for the pres ence of detective or two at the Chutes when a crowd is expected the Upper office has paid no attention to his re- quest. PickpOckets have operated at the Chutes on former occasions, but WashingtGn's birthday will stand out as far ahead of any other occasion.
 Hynes' case is a particularly sad one He had saved the s350 after years of hard work. and the loss to him Is al- most irreparable. He told Detective Denny Holland of the Oakland force of his loss. and Holland visited police headquarters yesterday to see if he could be of any assistance in finding out the man who robbed Hynes.