Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-08-12
THE NATHAN MYSTERY.
Theory OF The0. Allen, the Great
Eighth-Ward Politician.
For, tba Nour Vel, Ct.ul..l

From the New York Standard.l
That murder was not planned, bu
burglary was. 1t was done by two
cracks. and it's my belief when they
went in that they probably had $500
tools with EN-. Our reporter inquired
his reason for thinking so, and what was
the nature of his theory. Well, it's just
this, replied Allen: these cracks" knew
there was safe in that room, they knew
the family were away from home, and
they determined to go through it. They
hid themselves in the house, and on pro-
ceedlng to business were a little surprised
to find Mr.. Nathan in bed, they having
supposed the housekeeper and her son
were the only inmates of the house Now
comes my theory. 1t is founded on two
facts-why should the burglars carry the
safe drawer down into Mr.. Nathan s
room and put it on the bed to search it?
1t is absurd to think of and was the
iron instrument really "dogY Now,
sir, can see the whole scene as though
| had been present. The men entered
the room, found Nathan in bed, stole his
studs and searched his pockets. In
the pocket of his pantaloons they
found the key Of the safe and
were saved the trouble of using
instruments to open it. They had
brought with them an instrument for
pulling safe doors, which saves the
risk of the noise of gunpowder and the
long job of picking locks. In all safe
doors the center is plate divided in
two by heavy bar. The Cracks drill
hn 1lafa f,l Ill
and then put strong hooks attached to a
lever, through the hole. They then use
a strong iron brace, shaped to suit the
lever, and sharpened like chisel at both
ends One of the ends is driven into
the floor on slant, and one into the
wooden support of the "puller," to pre-
vent its slipping toward the safe when
the leverage is applied, and so neutral
izing the force of the lever. When the
lever is worked the plate of the safe door
gradually bulges, and is at last pulled
out, and the safe is at the mercy Of the
cracks. " In the case of Mr.. Nathan
murder, one of the cracks" kept watch |
over him in bed while the other attended |
to the safe. Of course, having the key,
he did not use his tools. In removing
the drawer of the safe he probably made |
noise which awoke Nathan. Nathan |
sprang out of bed, rushed for the library,
not seeing the other man, who immedi- |
ately put the mug on him. !
This is sometimes called putting the |
crook on. This is done by catching |
a man round the neck, the throat fitting |
into the bend OF the elbow and choking
him; at the same time placing the knee
in his back to render him powerless to
struggle. This he most likely did, but,
finding Nathan powerful man, called |
out to his pal" for help. The pal "
naturally seized the iron brace belong
ing to the "puller;' and, by that time,
Nathan had seized his assailant The
first blow he received from the brace was
that which smashed his hand.
Finding, however, that he made deter
mined effort to arrest them, the pal j
struck him a violent blow in the side to
knock the wind ont of him.
NOW FOR THE DRAWER on THE BED
When Nathan jumped out of bed and
the other man put the mug" on, the
one at the safe had got the drawer in both
hands. Hearing the scuffle he rushed
into the bedroom and, seeing how things
were going, pitched the drawer on the
bed and rushed back for weapon. The
brace was naturally the first thing he
picked up, Now, sir, that is my theory
of the Nathan murder and you mark
my word, if the murderers are ever dis
covered, my theory will be the right one.