The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-03-17
dRXICO Has NO BURGLARS.
CHANCES FOR DAYTIME THEY
cry
enough without Hou.s-Bssaklng by
Night.

aterO Sucn easy opportunities lOT DIP
,ropriating other peoples property that
s / really is not worth his while to bother
With night raids or to take the risk of
orcing an entrance into private houses.
.hieving with the. ratero is no mere
matter of getting a living; it is a pro-
ession, and he knows init only the JOY
t|f being good thief when he is skilful,
Ind the sorrow OF being a bad one
Ehen he is clumsy. There is pleasing
INVERSION in the methods of these
ight-fingered gentry, ranging from the
Ludacity of moments impulse to the
most elaborate, plotted trap. Bold
*.pecimens attack victim suddenly and
& ely upon the surprises for an escape.
"a A man descending from a street car
HAS the diamond snatched from his
Ffcarf before his feet have fairly touched
khe ground, and by the time he has
Taught his breath the thief is lost in a
crowd. A woman stops to gaze in a
z:hop window in busy San Francisco
fltreet in the capital city, and her rich
Embroidered cloak is jerked from her
ihoulders and the nimble-footed ratero
disappears before nearby gendarme
syets the alarm.
A crowd gathers in the streets to
watch horse fallen on the slippery as
)halt pavements, or a procession on a
festa day. and the very hats are not
lafe on the heads of respectfully dressed
people. Or it may be on Sunday,
when all the Suburban trans are crowd
Hi. and the little stations as Nei. that
d long arm is thrust into the open Win
How ~ q starting elect !, car and seve-
ai hats gathered before any one knows
+ What has happened.
h Il IT,. more willy and consid rate of the
Il. lling avoid giving these rude shocks
Il h their prey Thes. are tt.e ones who
mi ex pocketbooks and Watches 50 quiz
Ntly that the loss is only gradually APP
|preciated, and who teach women the
lolly of wearing dangling ornaments in
! The streets.
Some years ago travelling fakir ar
lived in the capital and set up his booth
In the Plaza Mayor. The extraction of
Teeth without pain was the lure that
brew a throng. His rather primitive
method was to fire a pistol close to the
patients head at the moment of grip
loing the molar. The shock of the noise
bufficed to distract the sufferers atten-
Zion, and on the whole there were few
complaints.
At last well-dressed Mexican pushed
bis way through the crowd, and moan
Ing over an aching tooth, seated himself
n the chair.
(which one?" asked the dentist brisk
y.
Tha man hacitatnd q moment
THE smallest on the left side" he
finally answered.
But the tooth appears perfectly
sound,'' said the dentist, after survey.
But it has ached for three days,
.ell you, and I want it OUT
You'll pay in advance?"
Certainly. Will it take long?"
The fakir, a dollar in his palm, smiled
-eassuringly and pulled out a hand
some gold watch
1T Will be over before the second
hand can go half way around" he
poasted.
"All right" said the patient. resign
edly.
NJ The dentist got a good grip on the
Booth, while the man lay back quietly
Gin the chair. There was a loud crack of
he pistol and the dentist held up a
Bound and bloody tooth.
''It was a mistake to part with that,
ksenor, but did you feel anything?"
mo; did your"
mo" was the puzzled response.
'4Then we're even" said the Mexican,
Getting up and disappearing in the
erowd
A few minutes later, the dentist
Slapped his hand to his empty watch
pocket in dismay. 1t was then that he
appreciated the timely jest Of his pa
tient.
A story almost too perfectly rounded
to an amusing close is nevertheless
vouched for. 1t is said that certain
well known judge found himself at the
opening of court one morning without
his watch, which ne remembered hav-
ing left under his pillow. His remark
to that effect was overheard by loi-
terer, and presently a messenger ar
rived at that judges casa and asserted
that the judge wanted the watch which
had been left in the bed. Furthermore
the judge had sent the fine turkey the
Imam was carrying, and wished ii
coowked for supper, as he had invited
quests.
Such plausible statements could not
fail to win confidence The watch was
exchanged for the bird by the lady OF
the house herself and the messenger
went on his way rejoicing.
Home came the Judge at noon for the
midday meal and the afternoon siesta
and with his first inquiry for his watch
the trick was exposed. The Judge
however, while lamentfng the watch
appreciated the thief's ingenuity and
pronounced him needlessly generous in
the matter of the turkey.
But since the ratero had made the
suggestion why not bring home some
friends for supper after all? The judge
returned to court, and the worthy seno-
"a saw that the turkeywas prepared in
the manner acceptable to Mexican pal
ates cooked with rich, dark chile
sauce.
1t was done to a turn when a man
came I'm breathless haste to say the
scamp who stole the judges watch that
morning had been apprehended and the
watch recovered, but the judge needed
the turkey sent as evidence in disposing
of the case.
.'But the turkey is already cooked
protested the distressed housewife, with