Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-05-27
A NEAT JOB.
Burglars Story,


it. Idont myself think it's much worse
than a good 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
get out-was looking around for = job,
being at that time rather hard up, as
you might say. We struck a small
country town. amt goin' to give ii
away by telling where it was, or what
the name of it was. There was one
bank there; the President was q rich
old duffer; 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
out 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, with
nothing very near it. We took our OBJ
servations, and there was no trouble at
all about it. There was an old slough
ton bottle of watchman that wa. ked
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
combination lock; the inner door WASH Z
no door at all; you could kick it open.
It didn't pretend to be nothing but fire.
proof, and wasn't even that. The first
thing we done. of course, was to fit a
key to the outside door. As the lock
on the outside door was an old fashioned
Bacon lock, any gentleman in my
article will know just how easy that Job
was, and how we down it. l may say
here that the gentlemen in my line OF
business, having at times good deal of
leisure on their hands, do considerable
reading, and are particularly fond of q
Eeat bit of writing In fact, in the way
of literature have found among 'em-
however, this being depression drop
it and 60 on with the main job again.
This was our plan: After the key
was fitted Twas to 60 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 l doused the glim and laid low.
After they got by l goes on again. Sim
pie and easy, you see. Well, the night
we selected the President happened
to be out of town-gone down to the
city, as he often did. I got inside all
right. with slide lantern. breast
drill, small jimmy, bunch of skele-
ton keys, and green baize bag to stow
the swag. fixed my light and rugged
my breast drill. and got to work on the
door right over the lock.
Probably great many of your read
ers is not so we'll posted as me about
bank locks, and, may say for them.
that three-wheel combination lock
has three wheels in it and slot in each
wheel. In order to unlock the door you
have to get the three slots opposite to
each other at the top of the lock. OF
course if you know the number the
lock is set on you can do this, but if
you don't you have to depend on your
There is in each of these
. small hole, through which You put .
wire through the back Of the lock when
you change the combination. Now, II
you can bore hole through the door
and pick mp those wheels by running .
wire through those holes, why you can
open the door. / hope / make myself
clear. was boring that hole. The
door was chilled iron, about the neat
est stuff I ever worked on. I went on
steady enough; only stopped when Jim
as I said, wasn't his real
name whistled outside, and the watch
man toddled by. By and by, when I'd
got pretty nearly through, Jim, so to
speak, whistled again. / stopped, and
pretty soon I heard footsteps outside,
and I'm d., ! mean blowed--if they
didn't come right up to the bank steps,
and / heard . key in the lock. was
70 dumfounded when I heard that, that
you could have slipped the bracelets
right on me. ! picked up my lantern,
and I'll be hanged If I didn't let the
slide slip down and throw the light
right onto the door, and there was the
President. Instead Of calling for help,
a. / supposed he would, he took step
inside the door, and shaded his eyes
with his hand and looked ct me. /
knowed I ought to knock him down
and cut ont, but I'm blest il could, /
was that surprised
aWho are you?" says he.
who are you?" says !, thinking that
was IN innocent remark. ~ he COM
menced II, and a-trying al1 the time %
collect myself.
.I'm the President Of the bank. says
be, kinder short Something the INST
tor with the lo0k
@By George The idea cAms to ~
then. sYeG. sir,s says !, touching NJ
cap. Mr.. JenninGs, hs tslegraphs6
this morning the lock Wa out q oRdeF
and hs couldn't get n, and I'm CO.
on 10 open Il Tor him.
II told Jsnninen : veek - 4 n1ND|
~ "that 10 cu4hS " ~ Aa4 18ekl
1xod. WhefU q NJ
s1Ies 49, arwyil i = ll ~ m Il