Democratic banner., 1848-11-27
Robbery of the Patent ONCE.

will excite much interest throughout the
country, we have taken pains to ascertain
the particulars, So far as they can be known:
The Patent Office seems 10 have been
entered at the door opening on the porch
in front, BY applying a pair of nippers to
the key within the door, and turning it.
The robbers, for probably there were more
than one) then proceeded up the gallery,
which was opened by means of a skeleton
key. The door was then locked, and the
knob further fastened inside by a piece of
Irvine. They next doubtless prepared the
means Of egress. by boring into the side of
the window and letting down a rope be-
neatl, the porch near the corner. The
tools for breaking into the case were OBJ
tanned from the small room at the end Of
the great hall, which was opened by means
of the same skeleton key which had been
used for the gallery door. So far as can be
judged, they seem to have locked them
selves in this small room to make their pre-
parations, as the key was found on the in
side Of the door, and a board was found
placed against the window, evidently de-
to shade the lantern. The method
of obtaining the articles of which they
were in quest, was ingeniously planned
These were contained within a double case,
the inner one being Of very thick glass, end
at the distance of some inches from the
other. Of course it was necessary to break
both Of these through, and this must be
done without allowing any Of the glass to
drop on the floor, aud in a way to prevent
the noise Of the crack being heard. TO ef-
feet this, they took paper and pasted it,
over the outer glass, So that when broken,
it hung together, and not tie smallest piece
on the floor. Tie glass was tsken out
most carefully and laid on a chair, and
then the same process was repeated, with
the inner case. The instrument for break
ing the glass was probably the end of file,
or something similar. No diamond seems
to have been used, as the glass appears TO
have been broken, not cut. They had
brought with them bottle Of gum, but as
found the paste-rot and brush FUSED
for pasting labels, &c., ready to their
they appear to have adopted it as the
most convenient. The cases being broken
open, they inserted their hands and secured
the articles as far as within their reach
The gold box, string Of pearls, and seab-
bard which had been formerly stolen, were
fastened each to a bell, and probably alarm
ed by the noise of this, they cut the string
Of pearls, and two of them dropped off,
which were found the next morning in the
room. Having secured whatever they
could in a hurried manner, they decamped,
their exit through the window, let
ling themselves down upon the front porch
by means of the knotted rope, and leaving,
besides the key already mentioned and the
implements used, a bludgeon about one foot
long, loaded at both ends and covered with
leather.
It is impossible to say at what time of
night the robbery took place: but from the
fact that a gentleman passing by about ~
observed a light through the win
under the porch, it is presumed this
was the time! lrThe two wstchmsn were
probably in the basement at the time the
was made; and DO il was a bright
moonlight night, The robberssran .considera-
BILE risk Of discovery, especially as in case
the bottle Of altar Of roses had been bro
Ken. it was next to impossible that it should
not have betrayed them. The thieves
must have carefully examined the room
prexiouslys and laid their plan with great
ingenuity, as It must be confsssedth ey GER
tainly executed it with unusual skill. /
',t 1l .ey.HE 81 ! a21 Union ..