Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-08-29
Burglars and Kits.
,,o If the Outfits Which Cracks
men Carry Cost Immense
sums Of Money.
inscription of the Tools and Manner
in Which They Are Used

,ora OF men whom no bank vault
&c however strong, can resist. 10
OF soeiety, | will say that more
re ~ them are safe b hind prison
luNHt CO. breakers have more than kept
OI.-' ..i,b improvements on safes, inelud
Pa0o Iocks. chilled steel chests of eight
Ls ,bickpesses, and electric protect
" ..o.bnents. Their tools are made
49, nf the finest mechanics an ln-
D! 80 geniu-es of the world. full Kit
-. most approved modern sate-work'
srs, tools costs about S5iOOO'
mn modern safe burglar is an exceed
= tean. intelligent man. ii can open
80 with all modern Improvements IN
-. can minutes TO two hours without
I'D of explosives, and by only slight
a.f,cino it, Sometimes ne leaves
scarcely mark.
s.1,t-clas- modern safe whether large
ii generally has double outside aud
"a. doors. with steel chest IN the
bottom, forming really sate "l'hlh
90 The inside one being the stronger.
The outside door Is usually elthef stun
5n ~ skeleton" The inside one is
made of eight or nine sheets, OF inherent
temper, of the finest steel. Inese sheets
are bolted together with conlcal poits,
having Ieft-hand threads, after which the
Deads OF the bolts are cut of, leaving
vnat IA virtually solid piece OF steel,
which no drill can per citrate. Inc pest
hicks are of the combination type, with
,im,- Lock attachment. In both cities
and towns safes containing the most
valuAbles have an electric alarm attached,
Any tsmperipg with II will communicate
~ the owners of the safes guardian,
which in cities is either an electric pro-
t,ctive bur-au or a central police station.
Weeks. and sometimes even months are
speut in putting up job of magnitude,
and often a number of smaller jots are
done to carry out one where the proceeds
NAV run up into the tens of thousands of
dollars.
Keyg are fitted TO every door which
stands between the street and the bank
vault by means of thin sheet of Drass,
as near "a possible the same size as the
keybole. 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 1t is finally
robbed. Key is fitted drst 10 he outer
door. This course is continued until
KEYS are hai Of every door leading to the
vault. Having the watchman and Of
fc.as of the bank down fine one of the
last things TO do is to select favorable
night.
Then the bank burglar proper appears.
HJ has usually three assistants. The
gang never appears until the night of the
robbery, and then not until IL or II
O'Clock. If there Ia a Waterman his habits
and disposition have been carefully
noted, and, having access 10 the bank by
keys, il is an easy matter to surprise and
oyerpOwer dim. A "croV" IL next planted
outside or in an upper window, if there
be one 20 give him notice, by means OF
signals or cord reaching TO the wo-kers,
OF the approach of patrolmen or
chance passefs by. A regular code of
signalsis used, TO tell when to cease oper-
atoms and seek cover, and when to resume
work.
Next Is brought into use the sim plest
sut yet strongest and most complete
tool tor the purpose. sis six inches in
length and two inches In diameter at one
end, taperiug to nothing OF the other. Ii
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 crewed home it eXerts spreading force
OF many tons. "This tool, "the persuad
en- Is inserted in the most minute crack
or drill hole, and properly blocked at the
right time will force the strongest safe
door c pen with a sound no louder than
an ordinary irecrackr will make. The
cutter and inner doors open, II there be a
time lock on the chest, small dynamite
cartridge Is placed opposite, decorating
fuse lighted, and the outer door closed.
The JArlng caused by the explosion,
which makes noise scarcely as loud as
pis oil slo', disarraLges the wo ks of the
TIME Iack, which runs down and is useless
lhs clock running down with exactly a
CLOCKS sound when it is doing the same.
Inc heavy outer door of the vault being
e'o'ed scarcely an audible sound reaches
the street.
Where drilling is necessary a light
compact machine, which fits the comb
1a.'ol handle, and which rapidly drills a
sWa- mole above the water rim of the
combination dial plate, Is used. small
steel breach Is then inserted and the
vou0llANou knob turnei until the tum-
OeI- are brought into position, thus per
u.It.Ius the dog or the bar to drop.
q .urA of he handle shoots the bolts
Oaes and the door swings open.
u The operators find on ntering the
''ol' That the steel chest Ia an i'm proved
err they Their proceed TO strip" it.
oA.r' after sheet is taken off until the
"ofk '- exposed. This is done by using
crow, which IS sectional-that is, it
may De s1teuded OF contracted, "a may
Or necessary. To au ordinary observer
1s CROW .ooks lke the bay which holds
'.- nsnaoIe' plate of steam boiler in
t'.e-, and Is worked Oh precisely the
sane principle.
2'o7'l II be necessary to "Wedge"
a.5 open a modified form OF the old
-.as l- used. 1t is light but rigid aud
..lS steel bar, sectional, as to suit diff
...-. sized safes, and for ease in trans
Ton, Rhlch clamps the outer side of
7.e. lar ugh the bar is run a screw
'', with ball pint at one END
Wing wedge. o. the other end
sse railroad wrench, used BY
"-H1- for tightening rails, and
can be procured from auy railroad
Ion aou-e. With weuRiDg aud block.
-' aaHr can resist this instroment.
mes miniature railroad Jack"
as engineers carry, Is substituted