The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-02-05
now YOUR BURGLAR WORKS.
Ills ToCLs AND HIS OBSTACLES How TO
GUARD AGAINST IHEM.

doors at night, have Il habit OF leaving
the key in the lock, under the i'm
preston that It will prevent any person
using Il pick or skeleton key to open the
door, and so it will. But ia this case
the thief uses neither Of those instru-
ments. He introduces into tn3 key
hole 4 very strong, though light for
cops, and, SEEING the extremity of the
key, opens the door with a single turn
of his wrist. Then, II you leave a key
III the lock, let it be one that does not
open the door.
There is bat little difference between
| the tools OF a irsS-class burglar and
those Of an honest locksmith, for the
latter IS often called upon TO pick locks
and open safes when keys are lost and
ume Is pressing. There are some in
strumants, of course, such as q dark
lqntern and Il revolver not required by
the hcnest tyadesman in his business,
that are al important TO the professional
burglar. 4 first class outfit comprises
a ~dark-!antern, a large pruning-knife,
useful in cutting out GOor-panrels ; a
palette-knjfe, thin and plant, for open
ing windows by insertion between the
sashes SO as to push back the spring
fastening; q jimmy or small crowbar
about a foot in length, and splayed CT
w-footed at one end !; skeleton keys
with wards az each end, called "douh1e-
endcrs :" wires to Eft lock-tumbiers,
and a center pit. This is q complete
set of ordinary tools, and msy be car
ried with ease in a small carpet-bag.
Hall door-locks are large, massive
and usually take a very large and ap-
parently compl-x warded key but the
burglar is well aware that many OF
these wards are suIeriuous. If he
wants to make a key Tor sncA q lock he
cuts ont 8 blank kew in tia, Il side OF
which he covers with wax. Wards being
simply distractions fixed in the locks,
be has only carefully TO insert the blank
and turn it gently to receive Hi i'm
preston of them on the wax From
this impression a key is easily forged
ont of strong iron wire. OF course it
is much simpler than the original.
Sometimes doors are opened with the
p;ck-lock, which acts by working out
side the wards, reaching the bolt in
that way; but il requires more dex-
terity than the other, and is successful
only in the hands Of the practical chief.
The success of the burglar when
operating on warGei locks, caused them
at length to be discarded from banks
and mOney-houSes. in favor Of the lever
ortumbler-iock, and the thief skeleton
keys found themselves bent to no effect
in endeavoriAg to open them. So the
i0cksmith had to be circumvented by
fresh means, and the jack-in the-box
WAS invented. Its object WAS to force
the lock Off or to rend the case so that
The bolts might be drawn back. This
was accomplished by inserting a t
shaped bolt Of iron in the lock, and
then, by means of the jack Can adapta-
ton of the principle OF the lever and
screw. rending open the lock. This
plan was prevented by introducing very
small keys, AMI placing the tum5leys,
etc, above the key-hoie. Having been
defeated Tor a long while at the safe
lock, tIey at length discovered a new
plan, which was To attack the hinges,
pressing them OFF by mean OF power
tui levers. Ii this manner the safe OF
a large firm III London was opened,
and IN immense Quantity of yaluables
stolen. The firm brought en- action
against the safemlkers who had sold
them tie safe as th'ef-pr0of, to recover
damages, AID Cor the defense, the bur
giar who had been captured and SEN
fenced, was placed on the stand, and
deposed that there vas no safe made
that would resist an attack properly
made on its hinges. After this trial the
safemakers countersunk their hinges,
and ut the present time we may safely
say hat the thief has the worst Of the
battle.
After the lock has been overcome the
burglar has often TO remove door-boits. |
To do this 1t is sometimes necessary to
cut out one OF the parcels. This used to
be effected by means OF afne saw. Now,
al instrument called the panel-cutter