The Portland daily press., 1883-08-24
A Museum Of Bsrglarz.

In two large glass cases at police head
quarters are displayed hundreds of imple-
ments which have been used by burglars in
waking their waf into dwelling-houses and
stores. Sergt. Bird of the detective bureau
pointed out to Tribune reporter the most
Interesting Of the tools in the collection and
and explained their use. To see the array
OF articles and hear the quiet police officer
tell what has been accomplished with them,
would cause many citizen to experience
cold chill and lie awake at night In the ap-
prchension of visit from the thieves. There
are implements with which robbers exert
great force in breaking open heavy doors and
shutters and wrenching of the hinges Of
safes. Much noise is caused necessarily in
their use. There are others which are sed
20 silently that with their aid a burglar can
enter room where persons are sleeping
without making an alarm.
For heavy work the 'jimmy is a favorite
tool of the burglar. 1t is modified iron
crowbar, often made in sections In order to
be more convenient for carrying on the per-
son. The ends are made of the finest steel,
usually wedge-shaped or chisel-shaped, but
frequently having sharp cutting edges. With
two or three large sectional jinss, les thieves
can open the strongest of store s-dtters and
doors. Burglars tools are made of the best
materials, and the mechanical workmanship
displayed in them is of the best. Most of
them can be used readily as deadly weapons
OF ohense and defense. Several Of the best
jinmies at police headquarters were made
by Adams, alias Moore, the bank burglar,
now in prison. Other implements made BY
him are fine diamond-pointed drills, bits and
braces. Persons who rely on iron bars, set
across the basement windows of their houses
TO keep out thieves, would be astonished by
the working Of "Dividers," long screw bolts
e5n which are nuts attached to hooks. A
few turns Of the bolts, by means Of lever,
viii spread bars far enough apart to permit
q nan to enter.
When robbers wish to open doors without
breaking them, they often use pick-locks or
skeleton keys, of which there are many
specimens at police headquarters. Keys
left In locked doors are turned from the
outside easily with a pair of slender pincers
called "nippers." Occupants Of houses can
protect themselves against the use of such
implements, however, by q simple device
recommended by the detectives. A piece Of
strong wiro about foot long, bent over the
handle of door and passed through the
ring Of the key, will make il impossible to
unlock the door from the outside. Burg
lars laugh at the fastenings of windows
which are not guarded by strong shutters.
On windy nights they quickly cut out pieces
OF glass near the fastenings, using piece of
putty to deaden the sound and to keep the
glass from falling inside the window. The
noise made in the operation will not waken
Q light sleeper. Large pieces of wooden
shutter. are removed by the use of fine au-
gers and creased saws. When proper open
inEs are made the thieves can remove ordi-
nary window fastenings and even heavy
eross-bars without arousing the inmates Of
house. In the collection of articles used
BY thieves also are dark-lanterns, face
masks, pistols and knives, leaden mallets,
rope ladders, bits and braces, and many
tools commonly used by carpenters and ma
chipAsts.-New York Tribune.