The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-04-10
HOW SAFES ARE BROKEN.
THE ART AND APPLIANCES OF
THE MODERN BURGLAR.

Bank Vault-A Cracksman's Kit.
The Boston Herald gives an interesting
account by a Pittsburg authority Of the
burglars art:
There are in this country just about an
even score of men whom no bank vault
or sale, however strong, can resist. TO
reassure society, l will say that more
than half of these are safe behind prison
bars. Safe breakers have more than
kept pace with improvements in safes,
including time locks, chilled steel chests
Of eight or nine thicknesses and electric
protective attachments. Theii tools are
made by some of the finest mechanics
and inventive geniuses Of the world. A
full kit of the most approved modern
safe workers. tools costs about $4,000.
The modern safe burglar is an exceed
ingly keen, intelligent man. lie can
open safe having all modern improve
ments in from ten minutes to two hours
without the aid of explosives, and by
only slightly defacing it. Sometimes he
leaves scarcely mark.
A first class modern safe, whether
large or small, generally has double out
side and inside doors, with steel chest
in the bottom, forming really a safe
within a safe, the inside one being the
stronger. The outside door is usually
either "stuiled" or skeleton" The in
side one is made of eight or nine sheets,
of different temper, of the finest steel
These sheets are bolted together with
conical bolts, having left hand threads,
after which the heads of the bolts are
cut off, leaving what is virtually solid
piece Of steel, which no drill can pene-
trste The best locks are Of the combi-
nation type, with time lock attachment
In both cities and towns safes contain
ing the most vafuables have an electric
alarm attached. Any tampering with it
will communicate the fact to the owners
or the safes guardian, which in cities is
either an electric protective bureau or
central police station. Weeks, and some
times even months, are spent in putting
up 'ob of magnitude, and often num-
Der of smaller obs are done to carry out
one where the proceeds may run up into
the tens of thousands Of dollars.
Keys are fitted to every door which
stands between the street and the bank
vault by means of thin sheet of brass,
as near as possible the same size as the
keyhole, and covered with thin coat
of carbon, which may be applied with
match. A dozen entrances may have to
be made to the bank before it is finally
robbed. A key is fitted first to the
outer door. This course is confined
until keys are had CT every door lead
ing to the vault. Having the watch
man and officials of the bank down fine,
one of the last things to do is to select
favorable night.
Then the bank burglar proper appears
He has usually three assistants. The
gang never appears until the night OF
the robbery, and then not till II or L
o'clock. If there is a watchman, his
habits and disposition have been care.
fully noted, and, having access to the
bank by keys, it is an easy matter to
surprise and overpower him. A "crow''
is next planted outside, or in an upper
window, if there be one, to give notice.
by means of signals or a cord reaching
to the workers, of the approach of pa
trolmen or chance passers-by. A regu.
lar code of signals is used, telling when
to cease operations and seek cover, and
when TO resume work.
Next is brought into use the simplest
and yet strongest and most complete
tool for the purpose. 1t is six inches in
length and two inches in diameter al
one end, tapering to nothing at the
other. 1t is pear-shaped, and a thread
extends from end to end. 1t is made of
Muchet's tool steel, the best in the world.
A second wedge shaped tap works inside
this tool. When this tap is screwed
home 1t exerts aspreading force of many
tons. This tool, "the persuader," is in.
serted in the most minute crack or drill
hole, and, properly blocked at the right
time, will force the strongest safe door
open with sound no louder than an
ordinary tirecracker will make. The
outer and inner doors open, if there be a
time lock on the chest, small dynamite
cartridge is placed opposite a detonat-
ing fuse lighted and the outer door
closed. The airing caused by the ex.
plosion, which makes noise scarcely as
loud as pistol shot, disarranges the
works of the time lock, which runs down
and is useless, the clock running down
with exactly a clocks sound, when it is
doing the same. The heavy outer door
of the vault being closed, scarcely an
audience sound reaches the street.
Where drilling is necessary light,
compact machine, which fills the com
bination handle, and which rapidly
drills small hole above the water rim
of the combination dial plate, is used.
A small steel broach is then inserted and
the combination knob turned until the |
tumblers are brought into position, thus
permitting the dog" or bar to drop. A /.
turn of the handle shoots the bolts back |
and the door swings open.
If the operators find on entering the .
vault that the steel chest is an improved |
one, they then proceed to strip" it. |
Sheet after sheet is taken off until the |
works are exposed. This is done by using .
a 'crow," which is ectional-that is, il /
may be extended or contracted. as NAV
be necessary. To an ordinary observer
he "crown looks like the bar which
holds the 'manhole" plate of a steam
boiler in place, and is worked on pre-.
'isely the same principle
Should it be necessary to "wedge' n
afe open, a modified form of the old
drag is used. 1t is light but rigid
md strong steel bar sectional, as to suit
liiferent sized safes, and for ease in
transportation, which clamps the outer
ide Of the safe. Through the bar is run
screw-threaded bolt, with ball Joint
i one end for receiving wedge. On
he other end is worked a railroad wrench
Ised by track hands Tor Tightening rails.
nd which can be procured from auy