The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-04-20
COOL SCOUNDREL,
1oe PECULIAR Manner In which Burglar
Cracked q Bank.

ACOOL SCOUNpREI..
The Peculiar Manner In which = Burglar
Cracked q Bank.
NY profession isn't = popular one. There
IL considerable prejudice againstit. Idon't
myself think it's much worse than many
others. However, that's nothing to do with
my story. Some years ago, me and the
gentleman who was At that time connected
With me in business-he's met with reverses
since then, and at present isn't able to e :,
out-was looking around for job, being at
that time rather hard mp, as You might say.
We struck a small country town. amt
agoin' to give it away by telling whore it
was, or what the name Of it was. There
was one bank there; the president was
rich old dutfsr; owned the mills. owned the
bank. owned most Of the town. There
wasn't no other officer but the cashier, and
they had boy, who used to sweep ont and
run Of errands.
The bank was on the main street, pretty
we'll up one end Of it-nice, snug place. on
the corner of CROSS street. nothing very
near it. We took our observations, and
found there wasn't no trouble at all about
it. There was an old watchman, that
walked up and down the street nights, when
he didn't fall asleep and forget it. The
vault had two doors; the outside one was
chilled iron, and had three wheel combi-
nation lock; the inner door wasn't no door at
all; you could kick it open. 1t didn't pre-
tend to be nothing but fire. proof, and it
wasn't even that. The first thing we don't,
of course, was to fit q key to the outside
door. AS the lock on the outside door was
an old fashioned Bacon lock, any gentle
man in nv profession who chances to read
how easy that job was. and
how We done it. may say here that
the gentlemen in my line OF business, hav-
ing at times good deal OF leisure
on their hands, do considerable reading,
and are particularly fond Of neat bit of
writing. In fact, in the way Of literature
have found among 'em-however, this be-
ing depression, drop it, and go on with
the main job again.
This was our plan: after the key was fit
ted was to 90 into the bank, and jim
that wasn't his name, of course, but let it
pass-Was to keep watch on the outside.
When any one passed he was to tip me
whistle, and then doused the glim and
lay low; after they got by I goes on again.
Simple and easy, you see. Well, the night
AS we selected the president happened to
be out Of town; gone down to the city as he
often did. got inside all right. with a
slide lantern, breast drill. a small stee
jimmy, bunch Of skeleton keys, and a
green baize bag, to stow the swag. fixed
my light and rugged my breast drill, and
got to work OF the door right over the l,ck
Probably q great many OF your readers is
not so we'll posted az NE about bank-lccks,
and may say for them that three.wheel
combination lock has three wheels in it,
a 0lNfS vo1 Oh -
look tho door, you have to get the three
slots opposite to each other, at the top of
the lock. OF course, if you know the num-
Der the lock is set on YOU can do this; bnt
II you don't, You have to depend On your
ingenuity. There is in each of these
wheels small hole, through which you
put wire through the back Of the lock
when you change the combination. Now,
If you can bore hole through the door,
and pick up those wheels by running
a wire through those holes, why you can
open the door. Hope make myself clear
l was boring that hole. The door wss
chilled iron; about the neatest stutf
ever worked on. went On steady
enough; only stopped when jim
which, as said. wasn't his real
name-whistled ourside, and the Waterman
toddled by. By-and-by, when I'd got
pretty near through, heard Jim-so to
speak-whistle again. stopped, and pref
~ soon heard footsteps outside, and I'm
blowed if they didn't come rig ht up the
bank steps, and heard key in the lock.
I was so umofoundered when heard that
that you could have slipped the bracelets
right on me. 1picked up my lantern, and
I'll be hanged if didn't let the slide slip
down and throw the light right onto the
door, 1nd there was the president Instead
OF calling for help. as supposed he would,
he took step inside tue door, and shaded
his eyes with his hand and looked at ne. I
knowed ought to knock him down and cut
out, but I'm blest if I could, Was that
surprised. 49,
"Who are your" says be-
who are gonF says I thinking that
was an innocent remark as he commenced
it, and a-trying all the time to collect
myself.
I'm the president of the bank, says he,
the LOCKE"
By George! the idea come to NE then.
Eyes, sir" says l. touching my cap;
Mr.. Jennings. he telegraphed this MORN
ing as the lock was out of order and he
couldn't get in, and I'm come to open it
for him."
Il told Jennings week ago." says he,
that he ought to get that lock fixed.
Where is he?h
Hes been a-writinq letters, and he's
gone up to his house to get another letter
he wanted for to answer"
We'll, why don't you go right on?"
says he.
i've got almost through, says 1; land
didn't want to finish up and open the vault
till there was somebody here"
That's very creditable to you, says he;
q very proper sentiment, my man. You
can't" he goes on, coming round by the
door, be too particular about avoiding the
very suspicion of evil"
No, SIR" says l, kinder modest like.
"What do you suppose is the matter
with the lock?" says he.
II don't know yet, says /; but rather
think its little wore on account of not
being oiled enough. These ere looks
ought to be oiled about once year."
well, said he, "you might as Well go
right on, now I'm here; I will stay till Jen-
nings comes. Can't I help you?-hold
your lantern, or something Of that sort?"
The thought came to me like a fash, and
turned around and says:
How 10 1 know you're the president?
amt ever seen you afore, and you may be
a-trying to crack this bank. for all know ="
I1at very proper inquiry, my man, "
says he, "and shows remarkable degree Of
discretion. confess that should not
have thought of the position in which was
placing you. However, I can easily con-
vince you that it's al right. Do you know
what the presidents name is7"
NO, DON'T" says sorter surly.
well, you'll find it on that bill,'' said he,
taking bill out Of his pocket; and you
see the same name on these LETTERS" and he
took some letters from his coat.
suppose ought to have gone right on
then, but I was beginning to feel interest
ed in making him prove who he was. so l
says:
"You might have got them letters to put
up job on me"
You're very honest man." says he;
lone among thousand. Don't think I'm at
all offended at your persistence. No, my
good fellow, I like it, I like it, and he laid
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