CHECKS TELEPHONE PESTS. ~ Lieutenant Hammil Has Made a Most Useful Discovery.

August 10, 1908
CHECKS TELEPHONE PESTS.

Lieutenant Hammil Has Made a Most
Useful Discovery.

Lieutenant H. W. Hammil, stationed at the Walnut street police station, has an infallible method of getting rid of the fellow who wants to monopolize the station telephone. When the bothersome fellow gets the receiver to his ear a monologue like the following ensues:

"Hello, is this Mary?"
"Aw, you know who it is."
"Yes, you do."
"Guess."
"Who have you been thinking about most today?" and so forth, ad infinitum.

Last night such a dialogue was started over the 'phone by one of the beardless youths who frequent the station.

"Watch me make him cut that out," said the lieutenant.

Slipping up behind the unwary youth the officer pulled a common pin out of his vest and inserted it into the cloth wrapping around the telephone wires.

"Hello," said the youth.

A long pause and then he repeated the salutation. Evidently something was wrong with the wire and after calling until he was red in the face, the young man desisted, muttering to himself words not loud but deep.

When he had gone the lieutenant explained:

"You merely insert the pin into the cloth and twist it until it touches both wires at the same time. That causes a short circuit and communication is as impossible as if the other person had hung up the receiver. It is an absolutely sure method of cutting short the conversation, and the recipe is free to all who wish to try it."