Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-02-25
secured. Having acquired this knowl.


side, and no further arrangements are
necessary for that room. Where there
is bolt on the inside of the door a
hole is bored through the door imme-
diately over the knob for the introduc-
ton of the sectional stem, and then
this hole is carefully puttied up and the
small slot in the door is colored with
quick drying material of the same col
or. Provided they are not interrupted,
all the vacant rooEis on the floor are
thus fixed, and the thieves await the
influx of guests in the evening Where
the doors are fastened with double
locks the mode of fixing is different,
and requires more time and labor. In
the first place, entrance is obtained by
the use of the Invaluable 'bar-key,' and
then, locking himself in, the thief
begins work on the inside lock, the
key of which is always in its place
This key is taken out of the lock, and
a hole is drilled directly through the
back plate of the lock and the door;
this must be large enough to permit the
introduction of fine pair of nippers
for turning the key There is another
way of fixing the inside lock which is
frequently resorted to, but which is not
so generally successful as the one |
have just told you about, and that is to
bore small hole through the lock plate
and the door, and then to file a slot'in
the end of the key, like that in the head
of screw. BY this means a large put
tied hole on the outside of the door is
avoided, and small, sharp-edged
brad awl inserted into the hole will
catch in the slot and turn the key.
From half dozen to a score of
rooms having been putin condition to be
entered, the thieves watch the registers
to learn which of the rooms they have
fixed are to be occupied, and study the
individuals who have been assigned to
them, with the view of selecting those
from whom the richest harvest may be
reaped. The next preliminary, and this
| is of the greatest Importance, is to care
fully study the habits of the detectives
| or watchmen who perform their duties
during the night. For this purpose the
thieves are often compelled to delay
their operations for two or three nights
1.-The key and bits which these
cracksmen use are of peculiar construc-
ton. They consist of straight steel
key bar, with bits which can be insert
ed at will, and they can be used either
upon any ordinary stem lock or tumbler
lock with perfect ease. The files,
drills; avis, etc, are of the usual pat
tern, but are made of fine steel and
highly tempered. The sectional stem
is made of fine steel or iron, and is
used for slipping bolts. The 'barkey'
consists of the bar and handle of an or
dinary key, with slot in the end, into
which may be inserted the bits, which
are especially designed for the locks of
the general hotel doors, and screw
which secures these bits in their places.
t and l. bits are made in such variety
that they will open any door not fur
nished with tumbler locks, and when
tumbler locks are used the necessary
bits to open these doors can be readily
procured or manufactured by the thief
himself. The WILDLY is small piece
of bent wire with string attached,
forming sort of bow. With this sim
pie instrument running through key
hole if the bolt is below the lock. or a
gimblet hole made for the purpose il
above the lock, a burglar can throw
back any mortise, spring or sliding
bolt now in use, no matter in what p0.
sition it is or how the knob may be
placed. In addition to this the WILDLY
will operate the finest night latch in
existence, and for avariety of purposes
it is one of the most useful of articles.
"When everything is ready for the
operation, and the guests are sleeping
soundly in their beds, the thieves begin
their work. If the corridors are de.
serted their labors are easy, and theil
entrance into the chambers of the
sleepers is easily effected, without risk
and in short space of time. If there
is a watchman on duty, his goings and
comings must be carefully noted, and
the work done during his goings. Five
minutes, generally, is all the time an
expert thief occupies in working 9
single room. If the sleeper to bt
operated upon has left the key in tn,
outer lock, the nippers are used, anC
in twinkling that part of the difficult,
is over, and the key is turned so quietly
and noiselessly that no one would b(
aware of what was going on. If, how
ever, there is an inner or double lock
and bolt on the door, the putty from
the drilled hole is quickly removed
and the nippers are inserted, and tn,
sectional stem,' the wildly, or tn,
bent wire is used upon the bolt.
All impediments being removed, tn,
thief noiselessly enters the room. Tn,
first thing to be done is to replace tn,
plugs in the holes in the door. This i
done in an instant, and then the thief
maintaininga a STOPPING posture, spring
for the clothing of the occupant. Th
reason for adopting this STOPPING posi-
ton is that every person in bed on be
ing awakened suddenly will naturall
look up and not down. The thief
movements are rapid and as noiseles
as the Indian on the trail. If he
successful in finding good roll O
money or a wallet he goes in furthe
than the clothing, but if only loos
change is found the next point of attacl
is the bed. A few deft movements an
the thief has secured the property
whether the same is placed under mat
tress or pillow. His exit is then mad
as stealthily as his entrance, and i
many cases he is sufficiently consider
ate to lock the door behind him.
1.-The victims of hotel thieves are yer
delicately called patients and tn
uSno1 naticut Y11anuar in which tho
submit to the operations of the skillfu
robbers amply justiiies the application
of the term. II a thief is disturbed o
discovered he does not make any ful
ther attempt that night, but quiety es