Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-01-22
DIR. FRENCH HAS SOUVENIR OF
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.
ALMOST LOST HIS CHRONOMETER.
Waited Chance 70 Catch Thief, Who
Escaped From Car, After Struggle,
at vandeventer and Olive
Culprit Left His Hat in
Physicians Possession.
FROM the 81. Louis post.pispateh

1
with pickpocket on the back plat
form Of an Olive street through
car about $50 o'cIock Wednesday after
noon, DR.. Pinckney French, Of 1871
Delmar boulevard, formerly OF Mex
leo, Mo-, secured the thief's black
derby hat and black velvet overcoat
collar.
DR.. French detected the pickp0cket
| In the act of extracting his gold
watch and chain from theirplaces. In
the struggle that followed the con-
ductor came to the doctors assist
ance, but the thief wrested himself
away from his captors and escaped by
sprinting away at top speed, hatless
and collarless.
DR.. French, who is President Of the
Olive Street Bank, boarded west
bound car in front Of the bank at Gar
rison avenue and Olive street en- route
home.
The car was crowded and the
physician took a standing position at
I one end OF the small iron railing in
the center Of the rear platform. The
pickpocket stood by his side. DR..
French faced west and the pickpocket
faced east.
THIEF WORKED DEFrLY.
IL. 4. French, cashier OF the bank
and brother of the doctor, boarded
the car with him and took position
to the doctors left. The pickpocket
was on his right.
Evidently the nimble-fingered indi-
viduaI commenced operations as soon
as the doctor came TO bis side.
For by the time the car had reached
Grand avenue he had unbuttoned the
doctors overcoat, coat and vest, had
removed the chain from the button
Ihole OF the doctors vest and had
startcd to draw the watch from the
DOCTORS trousers.
DIR. French was conyersing with his
brother all the time and had no idea
what the man next him was doing.
The pickpocket stood so close that
the doctor could not see his own vest
In pushing his right hand in the di-
rection Of the Doctors watch pocket,
however, the pickpocket moderately
rubbed his hand against the doctors
lshirt.
i DR.. French felt something toucf
him and he instinctiyely dropped hi;
fright hand to see what it was.
i In so doing he touched the knuckle
Of the pickpocket's right hand as hs
attempted to draw it away.
j The doctor didn't say a word. Ht
looked the plekpocket squarely in tht
eye and then looked down to see whal
| had happened.
Then he buttoned his vest, replaced
Ibis chain in position, buttoned hi'
Icoat and overcoat, without saying
word.
DOCTOR WAITED HIS TIME.
The car was nearing Spring avenue
when the physician had completed
the Encouragement of his clothing
and he concluded to risk silence unit
Vandeventer avenue was reached II
the hope that there might be police
man there.
When the car did reach that cross
ing there was, as usual, no policeman
in sight.
Then the doctor, who walks with |
cane, handed the cane to his brothei
and suddenly grabbed the pickpocke
by the neck with his right hand an'
by the coat collar with his left
He stuck the fingers of bis righ
hand under his collar to secure a firm
: hold.
"My dear SIR said the pickpocket
feigning astonishment at the doctor
: movement.
"You're a pickpocket, sir" es
claimed the angry physician, "an'
I'm pojnp to hold you.n
rhe pickpocket said nothing more
, He struggled to free himself. TIL
eondnctor came TO DR.. French's assist
, ance. seizlng the other side OF th
) thief's collar.
DR.. French called on the other pas
: tsengers to help him, but they, think
ling it was a fight, backed out of tn
way
The pickpocket dragged the docto
. and the conductor to the edge OF th
| nlatform.
: Suddenly the tue-of-war was ende
! bv the collar separating from the ovel
, coat
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