The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1906-09-15
HOOK AND LINE THIEVING.
Mexico Turns Out Some Artists
in the Line of Petty
LarcenV

business down to a science. The ia
vored manner Of stealing is from the
houses. Most of the buildings are but
one story high, and the doors are kept
closed and locked. The windows are
as large as the doors and extend to
the floor. To keep the thieves out of
the house they are protected with
heavy ircn bars, but the Mexican
sneak thief has found way to over
come this difficulty.
Because of the lowness of the win;
dow he can look into the room and
"spot" the article he wishes. Then he
waits until the occupant of the room,
is in some other part of the house. A
bamboo pole about as long as a fishing
rod is produced, to which is attached
piece Of string with fish hook Oh
the end.
The thief by practice can cast the
hook so that it will catch on almost
any article in the room, no matter
how far it may be from the window.
Slowly it is drawn forward and pulled
through the bars.
In this manner articles are taken
off the bureau or tables, rugs snatched
from the floor and bedclothes from
the bed. Clothing left on chairs or
hanging on the wall is easily removed
The thieves do not even wait until
the occupants are out of the room in
all cases. There have been cases where
men and women who were undressing
in their rooms have lost clothingj
while their backs were turned to the
window.
A short time ago the wife of a we'll
known mining engineer was dressing
to go to a dance. She had removed
part of her clothes from the wardrobe
and turned her back. Hearing a noise
she turned just in time to see her
She screamed for help, but before she
could explain what had happened the
| thief had escaped.
| An Episcopal minister who went to
take charge of a congregation had
| sad experience. The congregation was
large one for Mexico, and he expect
ed to live in a modern rectory. How
cVc1, CllClS Wclc liz A1uSIlCdu HOUSES
for rent in the town. He was shown
to a typical Mexican house, and as he
was tired went to bed as soon as the
committee had retired.
He was instructed not to place any,
thing movable near the window He
needed the advice and, drawing a
chair near the bed placed his clothes
on it. In the morning when he awoke
he was shocked to find that his
clothes and shoes were missing. He
looked for his grip and saw it near
the window. It had been opened and
every stitch it contained taken out.
The satchel would have been taken,
too, if the thief could have pulled it
through the iron bars.
| The clergyman could not speak a
word of Spanish and he was expected
to preach his first sermon that morn
ing. He could not go out in a barrel
because there was no barrel. The
sheet on the bed was a small affair
and he was a large man. There was
nothing for him to do but to sit down
on the bed and hope that some of the
members of his congregation would
come to the house. In about half an
hour after the time set for the service
the committee which had escorted him
to the room in the evening arrived.
The rector was found huddled I'D on
the bed with the little sheet wrapped
around him. After explanations had
been made the men procured a wagon
and went to the station and got the
parsons trunk and he was able to
| dress.