The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-08
THE BURGLARS STORY.


than good many others. However, that
has nothing to do witt! my story. Some
wears ago me and the gentleman connected
with me in business he's met with reverses
since then, and at present isn't able to go
out-was looking around for a job, being
at that time rather hard up, as you might
saw. We struck a small country town. 1
amt agoin' to give it away by telling where
it was. There was one bank there. The
president was rich old duffer; owned the
mills, owned the bank, owned most of the
town. There wasn't another officer but
the cashier, and they had a boy who used
to sweep out and run errands.
The bank was on the main street, pretty
we'll I'D one end of tia nice, snug place
on the corner of the street, with nothing
very near it. We took our observations and
found out there wasn't no trouble at all
about it. There was an old Waterman that
walked up and down the streets nights,
when he didn't fall asleep and forget it.
The vault had two doors; the outside one
was chilled iron and had athree-wheel COM
bination lock; the inner door was no door
at all-you could pick it open. 1t didn't
pretend to be nothing but freproof, and
wasn't even that The first thing we did,
of course, was to fit key to the outside
door. AS the lock was an old-fashioned
Bacon lock, any gentleman of my profess
sion who chances to read this story will
know Just how easy that job was and how
we done it. / may say here that the gen
tlemen in my line of business, having at
times great deal of leisure on their hands,
do considerable reading and are particular
" fond of neat bit of writing. In fact,
in the way of literature, have found
among 'em- However, this being a
depression, 1 drop it and go on with the
main job again.
This was our plan: After the KEY was
fitted was to go into the bank, and Jim
that wasn't his name, of course but let it
pass-was to keep watch on the outside.
When anyone passed he was to tip me q
whistle, and then douse the glim and lay
low. After they got by goes on again.
Simple and easy, you see.
Well, the night as we selected, the presi-
dent happened to be out of town; gone to
The city, as he often did. got inside all
safe, with slide lantern, breast drill,
steel jimmy, bunch of skeleton keys and
q green baise bag, to stow the swag I fixed
my light and rigged my breast drill and got
to work on the door right over the lock.
Probably great many of your readers
are not so well posted as me about bank
locks, and may say for them that three
wheel combination lock has the three wheels
in 1t and a slot in each wheel. In order to
unlock the door you have to get the three
slots opposite each other at the top of the
lock. Of course, if you know the number
the lock IL set on you can do this: but If
you don't you have to depend on your in
genuity. There is ia each of these wheels
small hole, through which yoH put wire
through the back OF the lock when you
change the combination. Now, if you can
bore hole through the door, and pick up
those wheels by running wire through
those holes. why you can open the door. L
hope may make myself clear ] was bor-
ing that hole. The door was chilled ifop
about the neatest stuff / ever worked on
] went on steady enough; only stopped
when Jim-whieh, as l said, wasn't his real
name-whistled outside, and the Waterman
tnddled by. By and by,when I'd got pretty
near through, heard Jim, SO to speak,
whistle again. l stopped, and pretty soon
heard heavy footsteps outside, and I'm
blamed if they didn't come right mp the
bank steps, and heard key work in the
lock. Twas SO dumbfounded when heard
that that you could have slipped the braee-
lets right on me- I picked up my Ian tern,
and I'll be hanged if I didn't let the slide
slip down and throw the light right
on to the door, and there was the presi-
dent. Instead of calling for help, as
thought he would, he took step inside
the door, and shaded his eyes with his
hand and looked at me-. knowed ought
to knock him down and cut out, but I'm
best if l could, l was that surprised.
s'Who are your says he.
"Who are your says /, thinking that
was an innocent remark, as he commenced
it, and a-trying all the time to collect my
self
sim the president of the bank, says he,
kinder short; sssomethings the matter with
the lock-" 49, ~ 9f02 @i
ssYes. sir, " says I. touching my cap, ssMr.
jennings telegraphed this morning that the
lock was out of order and he couldn't get
in, and I'm come on to open it for him.
sT told Jennings week ago, says he,
ssthat he. ought to get that lock fixed,
Where is hep" III aas4 .ss ~
''He's been a-writing letters, and he's
gone to his house to get another letter he
wanted to answer"
swell, why don't you go right on p. says
he. gsA 80 as S.. s.
"rve got almost through, says /, s'and
I didn't want to finish up and open the
vault till there was somebody here.
s'That's very creditable to you, says he;
ga very proper sentiment, my man. You
can't be too particular about avoiding the
very suspicion Of evil, he goes OF, coming
around by the door.
'sNo, sir, says I, kinder modest like.
''What do you suppose is the matter with
tine lock?' gays he.
81 don't rightly know yet" saysI "but
/ rather think It's little worse on account
of not being oiled enough. These locks
ought to be oiled about once a year.
..Well. says he. ''you might as well go
nings comes Can't help you-hold your
lantern. or something of that sort ?"
The thought came to me like fash, and
/ turned around and says: How do know
you're the president? / amt ever seen you
afore, and you may be trying to crack this
bank for all know
sThat's very proper inquiry, my man, !"
says he, 'sand shows remarkable degeee
of discretion in you. confess that should
not have thought of the position in which
was placing you. However, can easily
convince you it is all right. Do yoa know
what the presidents name ISL" ~
'sNo, don't" says ], sorter surly.
* "Well, you'll find it on that bill, ayshe,
taking bill out Of his pocket; fand you
see the same name on these letters, and
he took some letters from his coat.
I suppose ought to have gone on then;
but / was beginning to feel interested in
making him prove who he was, SO says:
ssYou might have got these letters to put
up "a job on me"
s:You're very honest man" says hei
Zone among thousand. Don't think I'm
at all offended at your persistence. No, my
good fellow, like il !" and he laid his hand
on my shoulder: CHOW here, says he, tax
ing bundle out of his pocket, s'is pack
age Of SIC, 900 in bonds. A burglar would