Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-03
A Detectives Stories Of Their Tricks
and lngenuiy---Hsw They 0pe-
ratS--What TsSls ana Time
II Takes 10 Open
Safe.

BrsSk5A Assls.l
The performances 81 tae bank bar
glars strike the community With
alarming eject, ewing " their eKten
ivs ehAustsr. The shelves seldom
attack q bank without frst havisg
possessed themselves Of some knowl
edge Of What is 10 be gained by sue
ssII. The act Of barglary is an Unrest
nsht hSR which largs truitien is ex
pssSsd. 1t seSts the burglars less
thSuEhs A 10 hOv they will cover
thSir racks thaa ss ~ bow they will
90 through with the job Of getting at
he bonds or money in the vaults
Bill, their retreat is frequently as bold
ARd audAsious Al their attack.
Allan Pinksrtoa has had a greater
aHd nsrs Varisd experience with bank
thieves il oil pars Of the country
Aaa AHy ether living detective, and, IL.
may be added, has ksea more suecess
al 10 sutwittiRg them, recovering
Asir hssty aad IL bringing them to
justice. Having msds a close study OF
AS burglars and their ways and
means, tie rssula Of bis observations
saAAst nail 70 be instructive to the
general reader, and especially to all
who place constant reliance upon the
sSsuritg Of safes aHd their eombina-
dSnB. Mr., Pinksrton says ons Of the
NEST SeBRSR methods of opening
afss hss bSea by drilling and blasting
with PeWdst, gan cotton and occasion
ally BitrO-Eyssrins. With the ordi
nSry ArS-Prssf @fss the sommen drill
n suAeisnt, bat With chilled iron and
BrAnklinits, Whisk cannot be touched
With = steel drill, diamond dust and
emery are effectively ussd BY the
Shelves.
Ii has alGs bsSa q practice to draw
the temper Of hardened irsns with the
bloW-pips, eenIistins Of a spirit and
ell lAnp and bellows especially nade
FOR the purpose. This iS quiskly done.
Aftsr whish the safe NAY be drilled
with a OoHnon stssl drill.
Astuto buTglRrs nlke q practice Of
AoquaiAtiRs themselves thoroughly
With all the particulars Of the son
strus6ou Of safes, a. well a. Of their
lsSks, aRd SEINE mfes have been opened
by drilling eat ell ne rive6Ag Of the
iaASF lining, ana Of the beta aad lock
Vhish hsteR the sane to the outer
shell 81 the deer, obtaining the posi-
GOn Of these rivSn BY exact nasasurs
nyut non the outside.
bens Rsfss are - constructed as L.
leave ne rSesPtasls for powder or
Blasting material, excepting in certain
spegtaFOs Of thS lock. bat 50 vel
seauaihtsd vita their mechanism do
the thieves become - 10 he able, By
measurement from the outside. t.
know exactly where "a place their
drills.
The neat ordinary safes have been
Bads 10 yield to the ordinary Jack
screw, which is applied in two ways.
either BY sfiliing a hole in the door.
generally about three -quarters Of aa
iRsh in diameter, then with a screw
SR outtiHE = thread for a slightly
mpeTiBG steel screw, which, by a lever.
u made 70 tightly fit into the hole.
AZ attashment is then made with the
screw aud jack, the latter being sun
ported By . rough frame. and held
&sN tho safe with hmbers placed
Saaiss1 the lambs, when the shell Of
zoe deer is pulled out By main force.
breaking the rivets. The other
nsthod of using the ~jackscrew is to
SFss the door inward. breaking it into
piSsS that are easily removed by the
jimmy" When an abutment for the
FekssFeW saARot be obtained by plac
Ins anosrB against solid partition or
ethsr oblest, a brace is obtained By
securing q long timber 70 the floor. and
blocking up she other end so as to be
10 . DSSiSioE sentral to the door,of the
cafe against and between this and the
door ne jack is placed.
Mary safe doors have also been
opened by means Of wedges. p%rincipal-
y used in forcing off the frame around
ne paRsls. Very fine steel wedge.
ere hrst used, then larger ones as the
aperture becomes sufficient TO receive
thon.
A great many hre-proof safes
throughout the country have been
opened simply with the pick and
jimmy. With safes that are manufac.
tursd Of ordinary plate iron. all thai
ia necessary is, hrst with several we'll
directed blSWs of a pick to make an
aperture just sufficient to receive the
sharp end Of the jimmy in one corner
Of Vie panel, then with the Jimmy tho
iron is ripped and torn the whole
length Of the panel and laid back, ex
pesing the filing, The latter is picked
cut il o few moments. The bent end
.sf the jimmy is then inserted hehind
The bolt, and the same pried back by
wais force, breaking the wards in the
1oOk. This operation has frequently
becn performed in from fifteen to
tVaw minutcs.
khhVss have adopted a coed mani