Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-14
BOLTS AND BARS.
HOW THE PROFESSIONAL LOCK-
PICKER DOES HIS WORK.
Years of Close Study Necessary First
Beating the Com binstiOD-So Jobs
Which Pay-HOw Safe Flowers
Manage Observation-Disclosures"
Ist. Louis GloSe-Democrat.l

The lock expert is an interesting person.
He will show you how easy it is Tor q man
who is familiar with locks to open door,
no matter how thoroughly the door may be
secured With the brass wires he has in his
sachel be will pick any lock in the hou7e.
throw back any bolt or lift up any bar
Further than this, he will guarantee TO open
any safe pick anv combination lock or get
into any room, closet or vault without the
aid of powder or jimmy.
The business of picking locks is as fasci-
mating to me, said one Of these gentlemen
to an inquistive reporter, "as the study OF
chemistry, geology, botany or astronomy Is
to a scientist. take more delight in master
Ing a combination than mathematician
does in solving an intricate problem The
public believe that burglar is thug,
man all brawn ami no brain, who has no
knowledge of letters and no mental strength;
that be is in fact desperate animal The
very reverse is the case. l know burglars
who are tine conversationaiists and appar-
emily we'll cultivated men. just little
thought Will enable you to see that burglar
must be a man-that is, q successful burglar
must be a man of good mental quality as
well as of superb courage Ths safe blower
Is invariably a we'll informed man. OF all
the fraternity of lock workers the combina-
ton safe-worker is the most expert
His is a life Of study, and he pro-
ceeds to fathom the mystery Of new
piece OF mechanism Of this sort with about
the same sensation that a good Newspaper
man would follow up the mystery Of .
crime OF the capabilities Of these men an
incident that occurred a short time ago may
interest you. The cashier OF q bank IN
Ohio counted over its securities in his pos
session one evening, and, finding them cor
rect, closed the safe door with bang and
went home. The next morning by some
freak of mind the combination which would
only let him into the fire and supposed burg
lar-proof safe had slippei from his mind
In vain he endeavored to conjurs up the
magical numbers, and in vain the directors
and officers Of the bank worked on the
turning knob. There were s2o,00o worth OF
bonds and money behind that invulnsrable
door, and for two months the bank men
fretted and struggled to reach them One
day stranger sauntered into the little
town, and the first thing he heard OF was
the dilemma II the bank.
"He strollei leisurely up to the building
and quietly informed the cashier that he
could open the safe in a short time The
cashier, who had fretted and fumsd for two
months a; the SAM job, looked upon the
stranger as lunatic, but as the case was
desperate one he told the stranger 10 60
ahead and do it. The man walked over to
the pondercus door, and on one knee began
to turn the combination knob. The click
Of mechanism pleased him, for he smiled,
AMI in a few minutes. rising TO his feet,
gave the door q pull. and it swung slowly
on its hinges. ami revealed the strong boxes
the bank officers for eight weeks so earnestly
!onSei to see.
They must have paid him we'll
The did: but, 10 show you what human
nature is. let me tell you another incident
which happened - this same happy lock
picker He came across a close-i ted rner-
chant in Pennsylvania. who was unable TO
open his safe. My friend playfully dangled
the combination few minutes. and then
swung open the heavy door. Ten dollars
said he to the merchant On, no. said tbs
merchant: do you think I'm going TO pay
that much for few minute work. Very
WE'LL said my friend. quietly closing the
safe door and giving the combination knob
a few turns. Just excuse me; I've got busi-
hes down town. In half minute be was
walking out of the store, leaving the safe As
securely locked as it had been before.
Ibis WAS Soincl Iln- tue 0ca4ci nia Hot oaf-
gain for, and he FASTENED after the lock ex-
PERT. but be bad TO pay IS before tie safe
was opeced AGAIN
You asked me a moment ago about SAFE
blowers. There are very few safe-workers
who resort 10 the use OF powder TO open
door Having acquired mastery over one
combination, ssfe-oiower is to shrewd TO
let his secret out After entering the build
irg in which the safe i located, be can by
his sense Of touch or sound, open the COM
binatiou and then secure his piunder. Then
he begins the work of safe-blowing. He
first locks the safe dooe and then fills all the
cracks with putty, and through q little chi
fee msde in the upper crack fills the sale
with powder by means Of Q little bellowx
He then fills the hole. attaches a SLOW match
to a small orifics made in the lower crack.
and walks OF lsisurely with the fruits OF his
crime In half hour the fuse has iSnite3
the powder. and the safe door b shattered
from its hinges Then the police rush in,
and the next day report at headquarters
that the robbery was accomplished by blow
ing the safe.
Some Of tie forsmosf eEpsrts never begin
operations until the 'RouShers. . name
given those who force open the building,
stand ready to brain an officer, and do the
blowing business after the lock expert has
J rifei the safe and started On his way With