The pickpocket who tried to “pinch” a likely looking man’s pocketbook and found his fingers in the grasp of two snapping turtles was a Japanese. A native traveler in Japan had bought the turtles, and, being afraid that he would be charged heavily for their transportation as live animals on the train, he placed them in a small portable trunk he carried. When he got on the train he held the trunk so carefully under his arm that a thief who was in the crowd was sure the man had something valuable in the box. So he got into the same car and took an adjoining seat. Taking the first opportunity he cut a small hole in the trunk with a sharp knife and slipped in his hand.
    About this time the turtles concluded that there was “something doing” and they took hold of his fingers in a hearty way. Gritting his teeth, the thief tried to withdraw his hand, but he couldn’t. Then he howled and the owner of the trunk seized him and turned him over to the train people, who at the next station gave him to a policeman. The incident, however, wasn’t closed until the traveler was punished for violation of the railway regulations.
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