St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-10
HOW TO GET a SAFE OPEN.
A Hartford Locksmith Makes
Short Work.

Hartford Courant.
Occasionally one hears of safe that
has turned on its owner and refuses to
Open, whether because the combination
has been lost, or for some other equally
convincing reason, and the safe usually
has the best of the argument for some
time. That there are good many
more of which nothing is heard outside
the people Immediately interested, IS
shown by the fact that one Hartford
man has had fifteen of them to attend
to in Hartford, and its immediate vicin-
ity, in little more than year. His name
is w! II. Halliday, and he has lock-
smith shop on Front street. That he
has not been sufficiently known, after
all, is shown by the following story:
When r. j.. Ganley disappeared re-
Gently the combination of his safe went
with him, and after E. w. Parsons bad
qualified as assignee his troubles began
with getting that safe open. First he
consulted the agent who had sold it. He
was of the opinion that there need be
no trouble. just send the safe to the
factory; they would drill around the
lock, get the thing open and send it
back with new door on for from $40 to
$50. This did not sound encouraging.
and Mr.. Parsons meditated aud inquired.
He heard OF some one In New Haven
who had reputation for dealing with
recalcitrant safes, and wrote to him.
The expert answered that he could dO
the job by drilling around the lock, re-
quirfng new door when he got through.
This was the same as the other plan,
but would save freight and carriage and
possible delay, so he was told to come
ON, but had no time available until Sat
urday night, when he promised to be
OIL hand.
Saturday morning Mr.. Parsons wanted
key fitted and went to Mr.. Halliday,
who recognized the key as one fitting a
lock at Ganley'S place. and presently
asked how the safe had been left. Mr..
Parsons sOrroWfully admitted that he
had been unable to getintoit, and Halli-
day suggested that he could get it open
without all the destruction that he was
told was impending. He admitted that
he should drill one hole, but added that
| it would be small, and that when he
had entirely finished no one could
| find it.
On the strength of this he was told to
| was cofintermanded. Mr.. Halliday went
to work Saturday afternoon, and in
| about an hour and half the door swung
| open. The most interesting thing in
| the contents was the list of creditors
| who had agreed to compromise at
| 25 cents on the dollar. This appeared
| to be complete. There had been a
doubt whether two of the number had
consented to the terms.
| Now for the way the trick was done.
Mr.. Halliday has drawings of the ordi-
| nary bank and safe locks. Finding out
| what the lock was in this case he looked
it up, found just where he must drill to
| get at the point where the tumbler slots
must come in line before the bolt could
be thrown Gust as they would be if the
combination were set, drilled quarter
| inch hole there. and by using wire to
| check them, and turning the knob till
| one after another came round and was
arrested at a proper point, brought
| things to such pass that he could
throw the bolt and open the door.
| When the little hole is plugged with a
| screw and painted it seems that his
promise will be made good and that no
i one can see where the hole was made.
But when peaceab)e citizen can toy
| with locks in such q fashion in the ordi-
| nary course of trade, it suggests some
| thing of the possibilities for expert
| bank robbers. who have plenty of brains
| and training and big stake to make if
they succeed.