Wichita eagle., 1889-03-07
HOW SAFES ARE BROKEN.
An Authority In Burglary Gives Few In
structiVo Points.

An Authority In Burglary Gives Few In.
structive Points.
The Boston Herald gives an interesting
account by a Pittsburgh authority in the
burglars art
There are in this country just about an
even score of men whom no bank vault or
safe, however strong, can resist To reas-
sure society, 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 thick
nesses and electric protective attachments.
Their tools are made by some of the finest
mechanics and inventive geniuses OF the
world. A full kit of the most approved
modern safe-worker's, tools costs about
5000
The modern safe burglar is an exceeding
~ keen, intelligent man. He can open a
safe having all the modern improvements
In from ten minutes to two hours without
the aid of explosives, and by only slightly
defaclng 1t. Sometimes he leaves scarcely
a mark
a first class modern safe, whether large
or small, generally has double outside and
inside doors, with steel chest IN the bot
tom, forming really safe within safe,
the inside one being the stronger. The
outside door is usually either stuffed" or
skeleton" The inside 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 of, leaving what is virtually
a solid piece Of steel, which no drill can
penetrate. The best locks are of the COM
1.T,,
In both cities and towns safes containing
the most valuables have an electric alarm
attached. Amy tampering with it will COM
municate the fact TO the owners or the
safes guardian, which in cities is either an
electric protective bureau or central po-
lice station. Weeks, and sometimes even
months, are spent in putting up a job of
magnitude, and often a number of smaller
jobs are done to carry out one where the
proceeds may run up II to the tens Of thou
sands Of dollars.
Keys are fitted to every door which stands
between the street and the bank vault by
means of a 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 a match. A dozen en-
frances may have to be made to the bank
first TO the outer door. This course is
continued until keys are had of every
door leading to the vault Having the
watchman and officials of the bank down
fine, one of the last things to do is to select
a favorable night.
Then the bank burglar proper appears.
He has usually three assistants The gang
never appears until the night of the rob-
berry, and then not till eleven or twelve
O'Clock. If there is Waterman, his habits
and disposition have been carefully noted,
and, having access to the bank by KEYS, it
is an easy matter TO surprise and overpow-
er him. ''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
patrolmen 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 at one end, tapering
to nothing at the other. 1t is pear shaped,
and thread extends from end to end. It
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 it exerts spreading force of
many tons This tool, 'the persuader.'' is
inserted 10 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
e-cracker will make. The outer aud
inner doors open, if there be time lock on
the chest, small dynamite cartridge is
placed opposite, a decorating fuse lighted
and the outer door closed. The Earring
caused by the explosion. which makes
noise scarcely as loud as pistol shot, dis
arrange the works of the time lock. which
runs down and is useless, the clock running
down with exactly clocks sound when it
is doing the same The heavy outer door of
the vault being closed. scarcely an audible
sound reaches the street
When drilling is necessary light, COM
pact machine, which fits the combination
dial plate, and which rapidly drills a small
hole above the water rim Of the combination
dial plate, is used. A small steel breach 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 eX-
posed. This is done by using crow"
which is sectioual-that is, it may be ex-
tended or contracted, as may be necessary.
To an ordinary observer the crow looks
like the bar which holds the "manhole'
plate of a steam boiler in place, and is
worked on precisely the same principle.
Should 1t be necessary to wedge" a safe
open, a modified form OF the old drag is
used. Ii is a light but rigid and strong
steel bar, sectional, as TO suit different
sized safes, and for ease in transportation,
which clamps the outer side of the safe.
the bar is run q screw-threaded
bolt, with ball JOINT at one end for re-
ceiving wedge. On the other end is worked
a railroad wrench, used by track hands fox
tightening rails, and which can be procured
from any railroad section-house. With
wedging and blocking, no door can resist
this instrument. Sometimes a miniature
railroad Jack" such as engineers carry, is
A heavy cleat is firmly fast
ened in proper position and placed on the
floor The wedge in the crack. the ''jack''
in place. the result is but question of time.
AN electric vehicle. called the Ward ON
nibus, has been making some very success
tui trips recently in the English metropolis
This electric omnibus is said 70 be the only
one in the world actually at present able 70
run on the ordinary streets without rails,
and taking Its place among other vehicles