The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-04
HOW A BURGLAR WORKS.
His Tools and His 0bstacles--How to
Nab Him.

The San Francisco Call thus treats of
subject which has degree of interest
in these hard times, when thieves have
50 multiplied
Nearly every day we take up our morn
ing paper now, we read of some unfortu-
nate having been burglarized. Crime is
a disease, and like many other diseases,
appears to be epidemical. To any one
acquainted with the skill and audacity
of the class of men who take to house
breaking for living, it is matter of
surprise, not that so many burglaries
are committed but that many more are
not attempted. In our out districts the
houses seem to be actually built with the
intention of aiding to the utmost the
eforGs of any person DESTROYS of effect
ing an entrance. Verandas, that serve
no earthly use, run along the front Of
of hundreds of our houses, and it is
quite easy, having gained the veranda,
to lift up w1ndow-sash and thus effect
an entrance. The locks on the majority
of those doors are of the poorest descrip-
ton, and offer little or no resistance to
the burglar. Many people, when they
lock their door at night, have habit of
leaving the key in the lock, under the
impression that it viii prevent any per-
son using pick or skeleton key to open
the door, and so It Will. But in this
case the thief uses neither of those in
struments. He introduces into the key
hole very strong, though light, forceps
and Selling the extremity 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.
TIE BURGLARS TOOLS.
There is but little difference between
the tools of frst-class burglar and those
Of an honest locksmith 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 instru-
ments, of course, such as dark-lantern
and revolyer-pistol not required by the
honest tradesman in his business. that
are all important to to the professional
burglar. A first class outfit comprises
dark-lantern, silent-matches, wax-taper,
revolver, a large pruning knife, useful
for cutting outdoor panels a palette
knife, thin and plant, for opening win
dows (by insertion between the sashes,
80 as to push back the spring -fastening),
q jimmy or small crowbar about about a
foot IN length, and. splayed or crow-foot-
ed at one end skeleton-keys with wards
at each end, called "doubled-enders -
wires to lift lock-tumblers, and center
bit. This is a complete set Of ordinary
tools, and may be carried with ease in a
small carpet-bag. Hall-door locks are
large, massive, and usually take very
large and apparently complex-warded
key but the burglar is well aware that
many of these wards are superfuous.
If he wants to mako 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 the
locks, he has only to carefully insert the
blank and turn it gently to receive an
impression of them on the wax. From
this impression key is easily forged
out Of strong iron-wire. Of course it is
much simpler than the original. Some
times doors are opened with the pick
look, which acts by working outside the
wards, reaching the bolt that way but
it requires more dexterity than the 9TH
er, and is successful only in the hands
OF the practical thief.
The success of the burglar when oper-
ating on warded locks, caused them at
length to be discarded from banks and
money-houses, in favor of the lever or
tumbler-lock, and the thief's skeleton
keys found themselves bent to no effect
in endeavoring to open them. So the
lock-smith 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 T shaped
bolt of iron in the lock, and then by
means of the jack Gan adaptation of the
principle of the lever and screw rending
open the lock. This plan was prevented
by introducing very small keys, and
placing the tumblers, etc., above the
key-hole. Having been defeated for
long while at the safe-lock, they at length
discovered new plan, which was to
attack the hinges. pressing them off by
means of powerful levers. In this man.
ner the safe of large firm in London was