The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-06
The ART OF BanIS Robbery.

50 "a 5Vhe ART OF Hank Robbery.
In connection with the Ocean Bank
robbery, the New. York Jomnal of Com
n,erce has an inteSesting article on the re-
muneration and business aspect of bank
robbery. The sJosttnal says it is more
than business lit Is a fine art, requir-
ing time, labor and capital, and wit.
nesses the costly character Of the tools
worth 81, ,OO0) left behind by the Ocean
Bank burglars after the conshmmation of
their recent feat. The Jour1sdlsays:
We have before US accurate pen and
ink sketches and verbal descriptions of
the principal tools used and abandoned
at the bank. They are of all kinds,
heavy light coarse, fine, about 400
pieces in. oil, designed and fitted for
every professional exigency with the nice
discrimination of q dentists set of in
struments, to which the $50 sizes of
drills bear slight general resemblance.
Most OF the articles were specially made
for the business, it would seem, by skilled
manufacturers in this country or abroad
another evidence of the recognized
status of burglary rs means of liveli-
hood. The 'jimmics" for pfying open
doors were of the finest steel, beautifully
finished, each of two pieces, which
screwed together. There were five steel
bars, ono and q half inches thick, and
four feet eight inches long, chisel-edged
at each end, and unscrewing in the mid
die. All the implements, including the
powerful juck-screw, were constructed to
be taken apart in small pieces and packed
into close space, or carried about in
pockets.
Nothing could be moro nicely con-
trived than the can with n flexible tube,
for filing safe locks with fine powder.
The sledges of soft composition metal
which gave out no ringing sound, the
200 brad avis for fastening muslin
against the windows, the gum overshoes
in which the robbers could move about
noiselessly, the thoughtful provision of
strong cords and of handouts to gag
and fetter anybody who should intrude
Oh them unawares-thesc contrivances,
like all of tho other details of the deed,
are truly artful and scientific. Nothing
was omitted necessary to the object
sought-and that is the very essence of
art, rs contrasted with bungling empiri-
cism. But the master-stroke Of the
whole was the opening of the crack COM
bination lock on the outer door. There
are several theories proposed to account
for this; but they arc all based on the
ppooitloh tLbt ny COlluSlOu Vi Ill SOtuo
other way the burglars obtained The
number Of the combination to which the
door was locked on Saturday night.
But what if they have hit upon some
device to ascertain the combination by
manipulating the lock itself, making it
tell its own secret, and then open the
door as easily as the man who locked it!
This is flight of art which the combi-
nation lockmakers have believed to be
beyond the reach Of mortals. But the
detectives say that there are some bur
glars-the highest graduates in the
school-who can perform this feat, hith-
erto supposed to be practically impossi-
ble. They may not be able to open all
combination locks; but may not some be
rs easyof unriddling MS child's puzzle?
The third door, we observe, was fastened
with another pattern of tho combination
lock, and it may be that defied their skill,
and hence the door had to be forced with
the jack-screw. Amid oil the mystery of
this affair one thing seems to be tolera-
bly, clear, and that is that the burglars
are fully up to the tricks of the lock and
safe-makers, and that when they have
once got inside of bank they will bore,
break or manipulate their way to its most
secret treasures.
About $340, 900 worth of the bonds
stolen from the Ocean Bank were found
this morning in q small trunk on the
sidewalk in Elizabeth street, by police
man. S142.950 in railroad bonds and
miscellaneous securities anu nearly 5000,
600 in bank checks, the payment Of
which had been stopped. No Govern
ment bonds were returned.
Florida, it is asserted, contains over
100000 acres of land lying along the