The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-14
HOT POTATOES AND ALAcRITY.

A Possibility That "the Stoebine Prnoi-
pie" May Yet Come Into Recognition.
Chicago Inter Ocean
Adam Stoobling. II seems Is not charged
merely with the larceny Of two hot pota-
toes from the restaurant In which he was
employed up to November last as a
waiter, but incidentally with the larceny
Of many other potatoes and with carrying
on private traffic, to his own personal
profit, with patrons Of the establishment
who were willing to pay for more hot
potatoes than usually went with an order.
The allegation Is that Stoebling was in
the orders OF those who did not care
particularly for the vegetable, aud carry
ing them around, either In his pocket or
under his apron, until he CHANGED TO wait
upon a patron who asked for more. Then.
IL Is charged. he would take the hot 20
tatoes from their place Of conccalment on
his person. put them on n plate, serve
them, and collect the price on his own
account,
Suspicion was directed to him. It is held.
by the fact that, owing to the presence
OF the hot potatoes In his pockets or under
his apron, he moved around with more alac-
rlty than the other walters II II Is true.
that Stoebling purlolned hot POTATOES and
concealed them in this way It is only
natural that at times he would get hold Of
potatoes which were uncomfortable hot
A hot potato is deceptive. II may not
appear to be go very hot to the casual
pocket or under ones apron it may de-.
velop an extraordinary amount of heat
and produce an extraordinary amount OF
energy at what scientists would call tho
point Of contact, II Is assumed by the
prosecution in this case that stoebllng's
alacrlty, Mt first attributed to his desire
to make himself useful and pleasing to his
employers and their patrons. was In real
ity due To the conscious presence OF the
hot potatoes on or in close proximity IN his
person.
II is we'll recognized principle that,
when a human being Is brought into con.
tact with something hot the human bc-
ing moves. This has been rr7oneouslv set
down as triumph NJ matter over mind.
hit m exclamation Of the phenomenon has
long since been arrived Mt 10 the satsfac-
tlon OF all thinkers. However. there are
some exceptions which prove the rule
II n man inadvertently sits upon n hot
radiator he realizes Mt once that the rndi-
be moved without an effort and nj the
cost Of precious time. 50. instead of whiting
for the radiator to move. the man moves.
Hc may even dance. on the other hand.
hlacksmith's shop. the act Of separation
Is mutual Usually the man Jumps up as
thr horseshoe falls down
Expert Testimony in the stoehling hot
notato case may shed some new light upon
the suhicct. and for this and other rcnsonS
the public will look forward with conSid.
cradle interest to'the reports Of the PRO
ccNdlngs.
finished that hot pnt0to iudlcinusIy con.
cenled on the person ~ the average waiter.
telegraph hnv or messenger will greatly
accelerate the speed of these wnrkpra and
Who knows INIT that which NAV some dav
he called Tho Stoehiing nrinciple." I'm
honor NJ IFS discoverer, shall be annlie1
generally n the emnlo~es Of establish
ments in which the public now does most
~