Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-27

the western part of Ohio who recently |
conceived the grand and novel idea of
inventing a safe which not even the
most ingenious burglar could open
without knowledge of the combina-
tion upon which it should be locked,
and which no amount of fire should be
able to injure. The young man was
regarded as a dreamer by practical
men, and they Knocked at him and his
contemplated safe as the Antediluvian
Positivists mocked at Noah and his
prophecies OF an approaching storm
center from Manitoba, followed by
much rain, together with an extensive
area of drowned persons in the region
of Mesopotamia. They said that no man
had ever yet invented a safe that could
not be opened by skillful burglars, and
that it was universally admitted that
the front door of a safe must always be
consumed in any fire to which it might
be exposed. Mr.. McGonigle- which
was the young inventors name-was
not disturbed by any sneers or argu-
ments, but calmly proceeded to devise
his new safe. He was animated by a
most powerful motive, for old Mr.. Nc
WIZ " OIL 0Cu LILO SOh Will
great contempt, had openly said that
when he should have succeeded in in
venting an absolutely fire and burglar
proof safe, he would give him $4,000,
and not until then. This old Mr.. Nc
Gonigle said, believing that the young
man was the flower of the idiots of this
country.
Young Mr.. McGonigle worked steadi-
ly for some months, and finally one
evening informed his father that the
new safe was completed, and was pre-
cisely what he had promised that it
should be, and that, if he pleased. he
would like that ten thousand dollars.
The old gentleman laughed him to
scorn, and utterly refused to believe in
the safe. Tne young man, however.
persevered in his assertion that no fire
could injure and no burglar open his
safe, and appealed to his father, as an
| honorable man, to examine the safe be-
fore he refused to keep his promise in
regard to it. One of the neighbors -
Mr.. Brown, the livery keeper,
| who was present, and on whom much
of the blame of the affair has since
been justly laid-took the young man s
part, and told Mr.. McGonigle that he
was justly bound to give the inventor
what he termed " show by looking
at the safe and pointing out its weak
parts. Finally the incredulous old man
yielded, and, accompanied by Mr..
Brown and two or three citizens who
had dropped in on their way home from
the store, went to the young man s
workshop and inspected the safe.
1t certainly did seem rather slight
and t1imsy affair, but the inventor in
sisted that he had constructed it upon
an entirely new plan, and that it was
SO strong that neither false keys, CHS
els, nor gunpowder could have any eff
feet upon it. Mr.. McGonigle, Sr., re-
viled the safe and heaped all sorts OF
degrading epithets upon it, winding up
with the declaration that it was so weak
that he could burst open the door with
his own unassisted strength. In this
spirit, heinsisted upon entering the safe,
and having the door locked upon him
promising to knock the door open il
i've minutes by the watch. This reso
luton was greatly applauded by Mr.
Brown, who at length induced the in
ventor to consent to the proposed test
The old gentlemen entered the safe; his
son locked the door, and, after severa
vigorous kicks, old Mr.. McGonigle ac
knowledged that he could not breaE
out. He, therefore, ordered the dool
to be opened, when, to his great aston
ishment and dismay, the young invent
or exclaimed, in tones of anguish, tina
he had forgotten the combination.
The lock was closed upon combina
ton of certain letters, but what thes
letters we're young Mr.. McGonigle nj
longer remembered, and no human be
ing could imagine. The prisoner wa
in no immediate danger, for he coul,
breathe through the key-hole, but h
greatly desired to get out, and as he as
: serted, to break every bone in his SON
body. The local locksmith was sum
moned, but the lock resisted his mos
skillful efforts. A telegram was sent t
the Chief of Police of Chicago request
ing the loan of one of his best burglars
Accordingly, in about five hours
2 prominent detective officer arrived, bu
| after prolonged efforts failed to ope
the safe. He said that were nitro
glycerine to be introduced into the in
terror of the safe through the key-hol
it might be possible to blow it open
l but the obstinate old gentleman object
l ed loudly to this plan. Sledge,ham
mers and chisels were next brough
, into requisition, and for two successiv
t days the din was tremendous, and oil
Mr.. McGonigle felt as if he were
1 boiler undergoing prolonged proces
s of riveting. Still the new safe was tr
n umphant. The sledge-hammers MARIE
S the varnish, but made no impressio
upon the iron, and the inventors fl
4 ther, in spite of the beef-tea which ws
S fed to him through the key-hole, b,
!, came SO weak and disheartened that b
| 20 80 ,,,1
he should be let out.
q On the Goth of December the atteml
a to break open the safe with sledg
IS that time young Mr.. McGonigle b.
It been engaged in Systematically tryin
IS every word given in Webster's I'm
, bridged Dictionary, in the hope I
a finally hitting on the forgotten comb
IS nation. 1t is estimat ated that it will tai
e six months to try every word in tt
IS Dictionary, and even then, owing
IS Mr.. McGongle's habit of spelling wor'
K by the light of nature instead of tt
20 Dictionary, he may not find a word tn
N will open the safe. 1t is, however, b
is coming doubtful whether it will be r
lie ally worth while, so far as the prison
ID is concerned, to find the combinatio
e Since the goth ult., not sound h
" been heard from the old gentlema
" and he has failed to take any beef te
1t is, therefore, feared that somethil
a, is wrong, and that if the safe were nc
Il opened it would merely entail the &C
1e of coffin. Meanwhile, there can be
ID doubt that young Mr.. McGonigle h
it invented burglar-proof safe, thous
I'd it does not seem to give him any re
TX comfort. His father is known to ha
t. most of his money, in the shape of
lg linois Central bonds, in his pocket boo
er and as the pocket-book is in his pock
ne the money is quite unattain able
n Y. Times.
-S,
h India's Deadly Snakes.
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he INT SCdCIoCICS SNOW CHao OuIIHS