Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-09-08

MachInfsts Opening the Best Com bfna-
fIon locks with Esse-HOw 1T is
Done-ExcItement Among Bank Off
GERS and Lock Makers.

Machjnists Opening the Best CoEnbina-
tIon locks with Eese-Hoyv 1T is
Done-ExcItement Among Bank on
GERS and Lock Makers.
From the New York Times, Aug. "a
At the time of tie Ocean Bank robbery
the Times announced that Mr.. William T.
Ensign, an expert of this city, had picked
the combination lock on the safe of that
institution in presence of the officers OF
the bank, and the statement was by some
declared to be erroneous. Subsequent in
vestigation proved, however, that not only
did he pick the lock in question, but that
he did it with facility, and after the combin-
atoms had been made by the bank officers
themselves, and were entirely unknown to
him.
A Washington dispatch, published in yes
terday's Times, announces that Mr. James
Sargent has been operating on the patent
combination locks on the Treasury Depart
ment safes in that city, which he succeed
cd in opening, first in an hour and twelve
minutes, and afterwards in twelve minutes
time. The frequency with which burglars
manage to open locks Of the most improv-
ed character, and the fact that Mr.. En-
sign, III this city, and Mr.. Sargent, in Wash
can be opened, raise the question whether
any Of them are beyond the skill Of expert
burglars, and this suggestion created con
siderable agitation among bank officers IN
this city yesterday.
Mr.. Ensign's mode Of operating is very
simple one. He places underneath the
key-plate a small circular, smooth-faced
dial having on it duplicates of the princi-
pal numbers that are on the original lock,
which numbers are graduated equi- distantly
form each other. When the person vino
locks the safe turns the key, this dial re-
ceives an impression or scratch upon its
surface, conformable to the exact position
of the numbers on the lock itself, the pos
sibility of any other scratch being obviated
| by a spring which depresses the receiving
! plate, whenever the key, auer placing one
number of the combination, IS turned back
ward to place the other, and lets 1t up again
when the reverse turn is made for the
second, third, or fourth point III the com
bination, as the case may be. This dial
having been impressed by the key, when
removed shows exactly at what points on
the original number plate are the numbers
which make up the combination used; and
it is then matter of simple calculation,
from one extreme point to the other, what
these particular numbers are. This being
once ascertained, the working of the lock
becomes easy, and puts the contents OF the
safe at the disposal of the operator. The
intricacies Of the operation are somewhat
varied, according to the peculiar character
Of the lock to be worked; but the general
principle Of all the patent combination
arrangements is the same. Mr.. En-
sign, thee years ago, picked the lock OF
the safe of the National Exchange Bank OF
Iiansingburg, set upon the combination OF
50-50-50-50, also that OF the State Bank OF
Michigan, and several others, from the
officers of which banking institutions he
holds certificates; and he can pick other
locks of the same character If he be allow
ed q burglars time and opportunities. II
is not surprising, therefore, to learn that
Mr.. Sargent, another expert, is able to do
the same thing in Washington with the
locks on the Treasury safes. In fact, judg-
ing from what has been done i'll the past, it
seems TO be no exaggeration to say that,
given the opportunities desired, either
Ensign Or Sargent can pick the best lock
in the strongest safe in the biggest bank III
New York