The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
BARKER'S SUNDAY OUTING.
TRIED PHILANTHROPY ON 4 PTCDS
POCKET WITH RHSULT6.

Followed Up q Streot gar lmctuenu bof MY
Own Study And Personal Interest,"
Loft In n Damaged Condition Id
Tho Park With All His Money Genea
Barker tells-as Joke on himself and warn<
ing 10 his triends-how he went out on certain
Sunday In search OF an adventure After the
weeks routine OF Office work" he says, Il tot The
need OF some excitement but l had TO find II where
wouldn't be ashamed to be found myself, and Z
could think Of nothing more promising than the
Central Park band concert Whore there would
DO such a crowd, 1 argued, something might
happen. SO l took my umbrella on the promis0
OF rain, and boarded street car for tho Park.
1T was open car and making the 18th In the
row chose, was compelled TO sit on tho edge Of
the scat resting my hands on my umbrella Wheni
When the conductor came for my fare. had v
break dollar bill TO get IT, and because OF the
constrained attitude In which l sat- you SEQ =
found II least dnicult TO put the change In the
match pocket Of my coat There was sitting on
that side OF mo a shabby individual whose soft
felt hat was drawn down 10 a hooked and ugly
nose. ! specializing on his history and hia
profession, with an eye his worn coat and
trousers, when noticed a nervous uneasness IN
his hands
-At first he put his LETT elbow on tho back OF the
seat and let that hand hang down at my side.
lie lifted a finger and let II fall. Then he
folded his arms and moved closer To
me- 20 that his right hand, under the
shelter OF his left elbow, camo In contact
with the pocket where had disposed my
change l looked suspiCousy down my breast
and saw the hand suddenly withdrawn Tha
man was pickpocket Here was luck"
Crime Is moro or less picturesque In print and
Barker had learned Of II chiefly through thad
medium A pickpocket to him was a nimblo1
fingered aristocrat Of criminal society, and an
int ztip nj In nee ever mt al
business hours But 70 SEQ pickpocl<et actually
at work. to SEQ him dare arrest and punishment
in bright daylight on crowded street car-thtE
was more OF a sensation than he had hoped Vi
meet
II turned away my head" he continued $50 a.,
not to spoil the game. When dropped stealthy
glance down the coat again. saw the hand aid
back, and watched thumb and forcHnger dis
appear In my pocket OF course 1 lowered my
arm, as accidentally, to strike the thiefs elbow,
Tho hand went back with a noticeable jerk, and
heard him taking his breath hard between hiz
teeth.
That made me think the man could not DO q
professional pick pocket He was too clumsy and
too nervoue l decided that he was some needy
wretch, tempted by the unprotected eilver left ID
easily within his reach "
So Barker drew up his arm and pretended 70 bed
interested In q passcrby. When he looked back
for the hand II was there, and the fingers went In
az ain after the nickels With q generous PITY
for the poverty Of the thief Barker let him draw
out as many coins as he could get In pinch, but
the man was such a blunderer that he caught ON
the coat There the Same whistling OF ner4
Gus breath. His lips were trembling, and while
he concealed his right hand with the stolen money
In H. he passed his left hand shakily acroas hiA
mouth. Barker felt sorry for him, and yet en-
joyed his suffering. II was real, raw emotion
II was crime. And what tragedies there we're
behind it. he could well imagine
by the time he had fingered over tho money,
he says TO the sum OF his apolls, and had
sneaked II cautiously into the worn pocket OF HID
vest the had reached the gate of Central Parlss
He got of there and, OF course. l followed him,
A confederate must have followed both, but did
| not know OF It until afterwards
| "'Now thought this man Is evidently going
| TO try his skill in Central Park. He Is 90 clumsy
that he will DO caught certainly. He u somd
| poor fellow out of work and starving wondoA
| II couldn't help him
"You sec the man was not ragged, though his
| clothes poor His boots needed polish, but
they were not broken He walked with the shuf{
fling gait of a nottingham and there was noth<
| ing in his appearance TO indicate tho criminals
| He turned down a bypath, and went after him.
| When We had como TO spot that seemed suf<
| iciently deserted, l stepped up quickly and laid
| hand on his shoulder He turned about with
startled face: and when he recognized me, looked
about him as II he were going TO run
"You seem 10 be in pretty hard luck said.
| You're not professional thief. are your
| -IIe studied my boots, I saw you take that
money, went on Why didn't you ask for IL
II you wanted it?'
az wouldn't have got It,
"Oh yes you would said and 10 provo my.
generosity TO myself, l guess, as well as To the
thief drew quarter from my pocket and held
it out He looked at it, looked up at mo with an
expression OF face half amused, half astonished-t
he had a cast in ono eye-and held out q bony
hand for the money.
"Thanks,' he mumbled can buy SONG
grub now l did not think to ask explanaI
ton Of his e1uavag ance in riding street
car. l said Down your luck?
81 am that mister. he said. all O. that
TT seemed suddenly, good opportunity 70 hear
the story of an outcast felt that might never
have such another chance because had caught
this one as IL was In character. and he would
doublessly be confidential with mo
-'Tell about IT, / said Perhaps l can helu
you We can sit here and motioned to . near
bench
Tho confederate who had followed US from
tho car I suppose. must have been walking q few
yards behind u.s. and probably he thought was
going TO hold his partner for policeman-o
something like that
-Can't you get work.? began when We were
seated No. he said. I don't belong TO no
unions That did not sound confidential Well
] warned him, you're mighty clumsy picking
pockets There a change in his faca oh
l am. he snared, pinning down my arms
"A hand that smeed uncleanly was clappe4
over my mouth from behind My hat was crushed
down to the bridge Of my nose Yell now an
we'll trottle you, new voice put in
4 didn't yell They went nlmbly through my
vest pockets for some small change felt my trouse1
pockets through tho cloth and found nothing.
l was struggling for breath They took the sil-
yer from my match pocket Then they threw
me the side Of bench face downwards In
the grass. heavy hand on the back Of my
head crushed my nose into the sod: another OK
plored my empty back pocket l heard some
whispering and the footsteps OF one OF tho thieves
making of down tho pathway. After an inteF-
val OF silence tho other growled in my car: You
folly US now, sonny, II you want any moro