Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-10
ARE SAFES SAFE?
Interview with q Boss Gopher, Who
Has Reformed
Ifc Gives Up Some Interesting mas
ter with Regard 10 the Latest
Invention OF the Selen.
silc Burglar.
cincinnati EuouIrer.l

Safes and lock-. Come and see me at thu
- ho,,s-. tonight and maybe can accom-
mediate you.
The writer was promptly on hand thai
night, and, carefully secluded in the retired
precincts of n back-rcom on the second floor
of the hotel, the reformed gopher was inter
viewed. After friendly tip and .sundry
wbiffs az his niootian weed, the reporter re
marked: Il understand tina: YOU are 70
tired burglar
Wen bet IL 90 at that frankly admitted
the man
lis there any thing new III the bcsinessf
Yes, there is great deal of newly dis
covered matter that the talent are working
upon at this time. and owners Of the modern
.,yle 81 safes with combination and time
locks arr. comparatively speaking, getting
left
The conversation had with this gentle
manly burglar covered many technicalities
ii the crooks profession, but the tenor Of his
communications, however. were so plain
that those who have any concern for the
-afeiy of their deposits can govern them
selves accordingly after reading what fol-
lows:
The public is continually calling upon the
genius OF inventors for the perfection Of the
severa, appliances used for the betterment Of
every branch II industry, remarked our in.
formant. There seems to be no greater de-
sire prevalent among men of means than for
something that will afford them unques-
toned protection for their dormant capital,
miscellaneous valuables, important docu-
n,ents. books and records Innumerable de-
vices have been invented for the purpose Of
securing the receptacles OF their treasures
from the devious ways Of the accomplished
burglar and the enterprising sneak-thief
With extraordinary and outside safeguards
in the shape Of watchmen, etc, these have
generally answered the purpose; but the in
defatigable burglar generally gets his work
in just about the time bis work y least ex-
pected. Eternal vigilance, after ell, is the
thing required. The old aphorism that no
chain is stronger than its weakest link is
truly applicable to safes and vaults Their
locks are at one and the same time their
strongest, Yet weakest and most vulnerable
point"
How does this affect the new style Of time
and combination locks - 9ueried the scribe.
Combination locks and time locks are con-
siderei the he plus ultra of modern invention
for the security OF treasure. They have
given a fair degree Of satisfaction. and resist
the ordinary tools o. the modern burglar
TIE wedge. drill and blow pipe. But the neces-
s.ty OF perforatiEg The door for the in ertion
of the spindle has caused feeling OF distrust
il the minds Of practical safe-builders As %
tire propriety OF this method that perSisten:
arguments have failed to dislodge, although
Zoe possibility of df-iyin. uIt or drilling ha,
bren reduced to minimum by lape' o:'
ilan5ed sIdndies. 1t seems. however, that
perverted ge'ias marches abreast with the
advance of scientific improvements"
Well. what is worrying the bloatei bond
holders now: Haven't they any security al
I'll Tor their accumulated wealth:
No, sir, At least. am afraid not. Re-
ceut develo, menis ,b1rglarIously sIeaking)
have tended 70 cause considerable conster-
Ea:iol aGaong those who have rested easy
under the superstition that combination and
time lo,k were secure beyond I..radventure
The latest freak of the skilled professional
cracksmaG is in takins advantage Of the ada
mantiEe prolcr;ie- II oortindum, which
they apply in very novel manner, to-wif,
takin. advantage Of the rotary motion tina,
the spin,;l. affords, tn finest tempered steel
spindle can H. gn'nul down in few
hours bv the same neth,d that the glass
shoppers IF decantcr- are ground, to sI:ch re-
ducci proportions q, ;u admit Of the !nser-
ton Of any amount "r kind of explosives
through the crevice thereby made between
the spindle and the door.
How is II done:
The modus oIeran,ii l. - f l"7r>: The
safe, ii of moderate size. Is laid upon is
back, a strap or thong of leather of the
necessary length j, loopei over the knob OF
the spindle, man at each END Of the strap
pulling alternately produces Il rapid revolu-
ton of the spindle. The process being
identical with the drill bow ( the ieweler
the gunsmith, but being TN larger scale is
accomplished by the greater force and more
rapid motion.
The next requisite l. the Of small
stream Of water charIei With c"runium or
emery powder, which j. juiiyinII>iy mace To-
trickle against the periphery of the spindle.
and between the spindle and body Of the door.
which, il carries with il the rnwder in
lution-both obeying the laws Of gravitation
thus readily Penetrating the Utmost crcvices
the constant revolution Of The spindle, or.
more properly. the ste-sav motion If the
leather strap rapidly grinds down the face Of
the spindle and the surrounding metal.
(Coarser grades Of ccrunium used as the
grinding proceeds
In a very short period this labor reduces
tie originally well-ftting spindle 10 the con-
dition Of the hub and axle Of "a WORKOUT
cart or wagon. thus enabling the expert
cracksiuan to insert his explosive material.
should il H. considered necessary
How about larger safes and banl-vaults:
Large safes are operated upon ia sub
stantially the same manner. with the excep-
ton that, being too cumbersome to upset, n
funnel AM short Rubber tube i, used to
permit the plan and Use II the grinding
mixture 10 pehetrate the c-eyiccs and the
rapid see-saw of ihe strap does the res of
the work
is there nothing yet invented, or i'll use.
or any substance known that can success
fully prevent this new method Of safe de-
struc tion.'
-ha. I ,n--