Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-06-24

"LocksP Locks won't keep burglars
ou1 can open any kind of lock that
has ever been invented. without key OF
combination. The speaker was a
clean-shaved, olean-cut, penetrating
looking man, who was standing in a
locksmith's shop All around the shop
were bits of broken locks, old keys,
drills, odds and ends of wire, aud hung
up in front Of the door was the sign:
...................-..... ....... ..............
Practical Jocksmith and Safe opener
'''''.' ..'s''.''''t' t'.'.'. '.'' ''.''....'..'
''Do you make a profession Of break
ing open safes?' asked a reporter.
Il open safes when nobody else
can replied the smith. That is,
open safes when the locks are out of
order or the com bination's lost Some
times a man will oil the lock of his safe
and it gets gummed up so that the
tumblers won't work and he can't get
it open. Some men are forgetful and
lose their combinations. Safes are sold
ut sheriiis' sales sometimes, and the
owner being mad won't give up the
combination. When any thing of that
kind happens they send for me.
DO you blow them open"
"No. If the lock is broken so that
ii won't work. | lriil little hole
alongside the dial and Pick the lock
with a small piece of wire. II the lock
is all right and only the combination
lost, 90 TO work and find it and don't
deface the lock at all. 1t takes me
from three seconds 70 six hours to open
a safe, according to the kind and the
method | employ"
But how can you fiud the combina-
ton? Does it not take a long ume"
''By testing. As 10 time it depends
upon circumstances. II ] know the
man who sets the combination can
find it in a very few minutes; il | don't
know him it takes Longer. You see, l
study the character 9i the men, and If
| know him pretty well | can strike
his combination through his character.
When q stranger comes TO me 20 say
he has lost his combination, make a
study of min. and in nine cases out of
ten l hit il the second or third time.
But il he Gid not set the combination
himself II is more difficult. Then |
study the lock instead OF the man, and
I'm sure TO got it oprn in few hours.
Oh, no! II wouldn't do to tell YOU how.
Sate-Openers are dangerous to the
community. They are always watched
by the police. They keep an eye on
me all the time have them trying
my door AZ all hours Of the night, and
there's generally one somewhere
around. No, / couldn't teach you
how to open safes. And you might
not find il easy to learn. There is
kind Of association between me and
locks-an understanding, as it were.
We have the same way Of thinking"
Gould YOU open a burglar proof
time-loc&?' asked the scribe.
II can open the best lock that was
ever made in five or six hours. These
little Office safes l wouldn't put that
much time on. They don't pay enough.
| just take hammer and break IN
knob OF and can get into the safe il
about three seconds
What do you get far opening
safes?"
"For a little three-sccond safe | get
ten dollars. For large safes like those
in banks and brokers Offices and whsre
they don I want the lock injured get
two hundred aud fifty doliarsY"
Gould you open the grea. safe in the
United States Treasury"
Easily. / could get rid Of the time
lock and every thing else in six OF
seven hours and wouldn't make any
particular fuss about ii either. No safe
was ever made but Il had a weak point
known 10 the maker so that he could
get into IL In case the lock should re-
fuse 10 respond. II there wasn't they
would have 10 break the concern all to
pieces in case the lock broke. Now, /
know where to lind this weak place. /
can strike within a quarter Of an inch
Of 1t every time. Il is generally coy
cred by thin piece OF steel or boiler
iron, and by cutting away a block
three or four inches, which Is easily
done. ! would drill into the best safe
that was ever made. II would not be
any trouble for burglars 10 get into the
treasury safe if they understood locks
as well as / do"
HAS your knowledge Of locks ever
gotten you into trouble with the po-
llce?'
"No; not seriously; though, as / say,
they always watch me. Down in OIL
City, thOugt. / created quite an alarm
one night and came near being capt
ured rs a burglar. Some fellows got
with the safe i'm large
hardware store there, and somehow
got the combination changed so that
N one knew how 10 open IT, The pro- !
prietOr sent for me and told him ! !
could open it, but, as / was quite busy. |
should have 10 wait until evening. |
closed my store a little after dark and |
vent 70 work on the job. / had /
been working a couple Of hours when /
Iome one banged at The door and called /
IN me TO surrender without resistance.
did not want to be- shot. Tho pro
'rietor was fortunately in the store at
he time and opened the door. There
vas a squad Of policemen, armed. The
ouse was completely surrounded and
could not escape. The patrolman
ad seen me at work on the safe and
one of and reused tho town and the
'hOle police force had been called out
, surround the building The propri-
tor explained and went On with the
,b. IN T. Mai and Express.
-
"A Santa Rosa (CaL) fruit-seller
'ho has been boycotted makes the fol-
wing announcement; Buy my ber-