The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-02-05
HOW BURGLAR WORKS.

to house breaking for e living, it is
matter of sIrrrire, not that so many
burglaries are committed, but 50 many |
more are not attempted. In our Ont |
districts the houses seem to be actually |
built with the intention of aiding to |
the utmost the efforts of any person de- |
sirous of efTecting an entrance. We |
randas, that serve no earthly use, run |
along the front of hundreds of our |
houses, and it is quite easy, having |
gained the veranda, to lift up a window |
sash and thus effect an entrance. The |
locks on the majority Of those doors are !
OF the poorest description, and offer
little or no resistance to the burglar. !
Many people, when they lock their door
at night, have a habit Of leaving the
KEY in the lock, under the impression
that it will prevent any person using a
pick or skeleton key to open the door,
and so It will. But in this case the
thief usos neither of those instruments,
He introduces into the key hole q very
strong, though light, forceps, and seiz-
ing the extr. nifty of the key, opens the
door with & single turn Of his wrist.
Then, if you leave a key in the lock,
let it be one that does not open the
door.
THE BURGLARS TOOLS.
There is but little difference between
the tools of a frst-class burglar and
those of an honest IOcksmith, for the
latter is often called upon to pick locks
and to open safes when keys are lost
and time is pressing. There are some
instruments, of course, such as a dark
lantern and a revolver pistol not re
quired by the honest brakeman in his
business, that are ali Important
to the professional burglar. i first
class outfit comprises a dark-lantern,
siIent-natches. waz-tapsr, revolver, &
large pruning knife, useful for cutting
outdoor panels /; pGliCtte-knife. thin
and plant, Tor opening windows (by in
sertion between the sashes, so as to
push back the spliUg-!asteniug), a
Jimmy or small crowbar about foot IL
length, and splaycd or crow-footed a.
ore end skeleton. keys with wards at
each end, called d0uble-euders );
wires to lift lock tumblers, Gnd center
bit. This is a complete set Ct ordinary
tools, and may be carried with ease IN q
small carpet bag. Hall-door locks are
large, massive. and usually take very
large and apparently complex warded
kew; but the burglar is we'll aware that
many of these wards are supeTHuous.
If he wants to make key for such a
lock he cuts out a blank key in TIN, one
side of which he covers with wax.
Wards being simple Instructions fixed
in tie locks, he has only to carefully
insert the blank and turn it gently to
receive an impression of them out Of
them on the wax. From this impression
a key is easily forged out Of strong iron
wire. OF course, it is much simpler
than the original. Sometimes dccrs
are opened with the pick-lock, which
acts 10y working outside the wards,
reaching the bolt that way but it re-
quires more dcxterity than the other.
and is successful only in the hands OF
the practical thief.
SAFES,
The success Of the burglar when op-
Grating on warded locks, caused them
at length to be discarded from banks
and mOney-houzes, in favor Of the lever
or tumbler-lock, and the thisf's skeIe-
tor KEYS found themselves bent on 10
effect in endea7oring to open them,
So the locksmith had to be circum-
vented by fresh means, and the jack
in-the-box was invented. lis object
was to break the lock of or TO rend the
case so that the bolts might be drawn.
back. This was accomplished by in
sorting a Z shaped bolt OF iron in the
lock, and then by means Of the jack Ian
adaptation Of the principle e the lever
aud screw, rending open the lock,
This plan was prevented By introduce
ing very small keys, and placing the
tumblers, etc, above the key-holC.
Having been defeated "a for long while al
the safe-lock, they ct length discovered
a new plan. which was to attach the
hinges. pressing them of by means Of
powerful levers. In this manner the
safe OF q large firm in London was
crenad, and au immense amount OF va
uabIes stolen. The firm brought an
action against The safe makers who had
sold them the safe as thief proof, 20 u
cover damages; and for the defense,
the burglar, Who had been captured
and sentenced, was placed or the stand,
and deposol that there was no safe
made that couId resist an attack prop
erly made On It's hinges. After this
trial the makers counter sunk their
hinges, and at the present time VIC NAV
safely say that the thief las The worst
of the battle.
TIE PANEL CCTTEr,
After the lock has been overcome the
burglar has often to remove door bolts.
To do this il is sometimes necessary &c
cut ont one of the panels. THIS used to
be effected by means Of q Eue saw.
Now, an instrument called q pauol-Cut
ter is used. 4 strong stem with GIN
let point is thrust into the centre Of the
panel. Through this stem slides
cross-bar, carrying ut one extremity &
sharp cutting tool, which can bo al
justed to move at any required radius
At the head Of Tire stem is a double
armed lever, which works the whole
machine. This instrument viii make q
hole in & few minutes large enough TO
admit The burglars arm or the 10 iy Of
small boy, aud tho door is quickly IN
fastened. The only safeguards arc TO
have the door lined with shsetiron or
studded with nails irregularly disposed.
HOW TIE JOB IS PUT Up.
Every body knows that the thief SCI
dom. il ever, breaks into house on al
the particulars concerning which no Is
not well posted. He knows how many
people live / the house, and the rooms