The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-10-12


asunder the most improved burglar !
proof safe. Explosives can not very |
easily be used in cities for safe-blow- |
ing purposes, except in big establish /
ments in outlying districts. The noise |
would betray the burglars. Dynamite |
is used for filling holes drilled around !
the dial plate and exploding it in the
usual way by a fuse; but there is a
more complicated way Of using eXplO-
sives-one which never failed to shat
ter any number of iron or steel plates.
1t is employed because the destruction
of the combination does not always
open the safe door. If the burglar has
time and opportunity the case of
country banks, where big sums Of
money are kept at certain seasons of
the year-he lays out his work elab-
orately.
Attached to his air-pump is a piece
of rubber hose ending in cOncave
piece of tin, through the center Of
which and into the hose runs a small
tin pipe. The crevices of the dOor-jamb
are puttied all around, except for u
few inches at the top and at the bottom
OF the jamb. At the bottom the burg
lar applies the tin and holds it firmly
with his foot; at the top an accomplish
holds a paper OF loose powder. Then
the air-pump is worked It's OPP
GRAFTON draws tho air out Of the vault
or sale below, while a sharp current
streams in on top, the draught carry
ing with it the loose powder. As soon
as sufficient powder is thus drawn in
between the iron frame of the
opening and the jamb of the
door, fuse is inserted into
the crevice, which is then puttied up
tightly. The explosion is always of
sufficient force to complete the break
ing open of the door with a jimmy.
Though the expert burglar knows how
to deaden the sound of the detOnation
by blankets, pieces Of bedding, or sim
liar appliances, the noise is too great
to be risked in cities, whore the police
or watchmen are supposed TO be
around Tho old, time-worn opera
ton of surprising the cashier of
bank at his home and compelling him
TO give up the combination of the
safe or vault in his charge is also anti
quated.
To ascertain whether there is a
Waterman on the premises to be visit
ed the professional burglar has a very
simple but effectual stratagem. He
forces d piece of thinly shaved whale
bone between the doors of all exits
and the outer castings Of the doors, If
the whalebOne-is still, in It's place in
Z Of Of
1 opening for business the door has not
been opened by any one. A watch
man IA leaving the premises in the
morning would naturally cause the
whalebone to spring to the ground.
I The use of twine to the burglar is Just
us important as the telegraph is to the
public. One of the first steps taken
/ by the burglar after etfecting an
entrance is to fasten one end of Irvine
| to something near the safcJand run
! the other end to the outside man, who
watches to give the signal if it is safe
/ to keep on working, to keep quiet for
a time, or TO como out at once. The
outsider scatters beans or sand along
the sidewalk for some distance near
! the place of operation so that no per-
son approaching can walk without
being heard.
Tho hotel thief is always a clever
rascal From external appearances no
| one could think of suspecting the well
/ dressed, gcntlcmauly-look individ-
ual who registers with quiet and unas-
s,ming air and whose tone bespeaks
! both travel and education. He never
+ dresses in gaudy colors and his apparel
is usually chosen with the utmost good
taste, stamping him as a gentleman of
refined tastes. His tools, of the finest
quality of tempered steel, consists Of a
"bar key" set of bits OF various
sizes and arranged for either stem
or tumbler locks, a small drill, a
file, u sectional stem pieces of wire,
and a pair of nippcr5. The implements
do not occupy much room in the
satchcI of the nomadic thief and are
frequently carried about his person.
Hotel thieves travel in pairs. They
manage to secure their rooms on the
same floor and, if possible, close toeach
other The habits of the guests on
that floor are carefully studied, and it
is soon ascertained which of the rooms
are unoccupicd. If there is only a
single lock to contend with the work
is soon done-the "bar key with its
appropriate bit, opens the door readily
from the outside, and no further ar
engagements are necessary. When there
is a bolt ON the inside hole is bored
through the door Immediately over
the handle or knob, for the introduce
. r hn
carefully putting up until the time for
operation arrives. Five minutes is
frequently all the time an expert oc-
cupies in working a single room. II
the guest has left the key in the lock
the nippers arc used and the KEY is
turned so quickly and noiselessly that
no one would be aware of what's going
ON. If, however. there is an inner or
double lock and bolt on the door the
putty from the drilled hole is quickly
removed. the nippers are inserted, and
in case the inside key has been pre-
pared by filing a sharp anvil is used,
and fitting into the slot in the end of
the key, turns it readily. Then the
sectional stem, the fiddle" or the
bent wire is inserted through the hole
over the bolt, and with an easy turn
of the wrist the bolt is thrown back
and every obstacle to the entrance of
the thief is removed, the partner
keeping watch in the meanwhile.
\ dangerous burglar is the key
filter, because from the very nature of
his operations he is rarely ever dis
covered. lie is not considered first
class man by the professional cracks
man because he is as much of "a sneak
as he is burglar. Wholesale jewellers,
furriers and other firms who frequent