San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-22
DYNAMITE DISCOVERED.
Al, Floor of the old Christian Church, de-
t''. ',s,, two Mysterious Bottles Of Liquids,
Burglar Tools, etc.
Dallas Herald. June q

NNas
Burglar Tools, etc.
Dallas Herald. June d
Yesterday morning force under the
aa,vision of Captain w. O. Conner,
sI clearing the old Christian church
'. the north end of Austin street, pre-
.ratory 10 erecting building for the
adnnsrters of the Dallas Electric
IIsht company, which has purchased
lit property, came across a lot of dy-
Nan,;te and two bottles with glass stop
nars containing a fluid resembling in
rpolor iodine, which is believed to be
nitro glycerine. Mr.. Conner knew that
,hs three large rolls in brown paper
~a,e dynamite and lifting them up and
,hs two mysterious bottles with tender
sars he carried the articles of destruc-
t;on 70 the office of Chief of Police Ar
mold. where they are now lying on the
aoor. They were inspected yesterday
nv number of persons, who were con-
tspt with only a glance, for they dared
not to touch them. The dynamite was
Wrapped in brown paper and around all
tbree of the rolls was newspaper dat
inc back to July 1st, 1881. They were
concealed beneath the floor of the build
inc. II was used as a house for the
storage of oats by Thomas Field, and
the weight of the grain broke in the
aoor. Some three weeks ago while re-
moving this grain, Jimmy" and sew
eral other burglar tools were found and
tbe inference is that the articles found
we're used by the parties who attempt
ed TO burglarize Adams & Leonard's
bank on the night of the 10Th of No
yember, 1881. A lot of fuse was found
with the dynamite of the make of that
discovered when the attempt was made
TO rob the bank. Directly after this at
tempt three masks of false whiskers
we're found on Pacific avenue, between
the bank and Schneider & Davis whole
sale grocery house, but the matter was
kept quiet with the hope that the wear
ers of them might be ferreted out. The
tools found by Thomas Field were near
the spot where the dynamite was found.
It is the belief of many that instead of
the find being the store of the parties
who attempted the robbery of the bank,
that it has recently been placed there
by parties who contemplated the rob-
berry of some bank in this city. No
worship has been held in the building
for the past two years, and it is made
handy store house for bank burglars.
Some two months ago information was
given the banks here that several not
ed cracksmen were in the city, and for
them to be on the alert. Guards were
employed and the police force did extra
duty for some time, yet after several
weeks mad elapsed and nothing OF sus-
picious nature came to their knowledge
it became to be regarded as a fslse
alarm. though the utmost diligence con-
tinues to be exercised, and should
break be made there is hardly doubt
but that the burglars would get the
worst of it, Later in the day, as the
work proceeded tearing up the old floor,
they came across something rolled up
in piece of cotton, and unwrapping it
found pound of powder and large
piece of oil cloth, six by three feet, on
which was artistically painted the door
Of bank vault. 1t was complete in
every respect, having the gilt lines usu-
al to such doors as we'll as the nickel
knob and combination lock, which were
complete in every respect and calculat-
ed at few PAGES to deceive the closest
observer so thorough is the imitation.
Along the edges of the cloth are holes
to be used in stretching the cloth, and,
it is under cover of this imitation OF
this false vault door that these expert
enced cracksmen operate. They stretch
the cloth on frame work of wire, and
setting it a few feet in front of the vault
do their work behind this screen which
the passer by mistakes for the original
vault door. It is cute continuance
and shows the inventive shrewdness OF
the bank burglar. Mr.. Conner took 1t
down to the Dallas Ice company, where
it is now on exhibition.