Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-11-29
LOCK PICKING AS A SCIENCE.
An Expert Says That His Key 10 in Every
Mans Watch.
Dosf Rrrrsea

though $500 was offered to any one who
could do il within thirty days. Then he
went to England and picked the lock
in the vault door Of Brown, Shipley q
Co. 1t was supposed to be the strongest
lock in England, but he worked with
back turned and his hands Dehlno
him. He picked number OF other
famous locks. and the British instltu-
ton of Civil Engineers gave him the
Telford medal, its highest honorary re-
ward. But you must remember that
Mr.. Hobbs was 70 years old when he
died, and lock picking was much cas-
Ter plishment forty years ago
than now.
ut is not very profitable business,
| suppose, for an honest man?" the re-
porter inquired.
"Well, that depends" said MIR. Sar-
gent. "Now and theu man will offer
thousand dollars to any one VINO can
pick his lock, another will offer 500,
and another $500. Then sometimes l
make bet that can open lock within
q certain time, ana if succeed OF
course there is more money, Oh, hon
esty is a very good thing, after all, L
suppose have earned upward OF Sc, 600
in direct cash payments by opening
locks.
do you ever fail?"
! "No, sir! can always tell whether
or not | can pick lock, and never try,
or put up money on doubtful case.
have broken into most Of the strongest
safes in the country, including the vault
| e. 10 ri
ington-that did inside OF an hour TO
the utter horror Of the officials.
''Once | went out to Des MONIES.
! There is bank out there that has some
eighteen smaller country banks depend
ent on it. Once a month the Presidents
of these countro banks all meet in the
! Presidents Office OF the mother bank,
and at that time it's safe is filled with
thousands of dollars. / found out the
day of the meeting, and when they had
all assembled entered the room as
| stranger, and said: Gentlemen, DO you
know that you have thousands OF dollars
locked up here in safe that a burglar
could easily break in a night? He could
take your money, change the combine
| ton on the lock so that when you came
down in the morning you could not get
into the safe, so that you would have to
| send to the east for the maker, and by
| tibet time he got all the way out here
and opened the doors and you had dis
| covered the loss of tn money, the burg
| lar would be sailing over the ocean to
! Europe. Now, gentlemen, have come
here in broad daylight. You may go 10
your safe and put on a different comoi-
nation, and when you get ready l will
go to it and open it to prove that what
! have said is true They were very
much impressed by my statement, but
having perfect confidence in their sale
were quite willing that / should make
! the trial. The combination was changed,
| | set to work, and they returned to their
room. Presently the lock was picked.
Inside the money was piled high in bags
of gold. took one Of the bags and
went into the Presidents room. Hold
ing it I'D | asked If that belonged to
him. He and the others were dunn
founded. He made grab at 1t, and
then they all rushed out to view the
safe. There it stood with doors wide
open"
what is the hardest lock you ever
-ried to pick?"
''It was out in Cincinnati, but the
trial was hardly fair one. The
makers tried to play trick on me, ana
manufactured a lock which | doubt II
they could pick themselves. The trial
took place about eighteen years ago,
and mad great stir in the papers at
the time The safe was pot on truck
drawn by four horses, and taken to the
place where L was to make the Trial.
! The conditions were that was to open
the safe inside of 100 hours or forfeit
$500, which I had deposited with the
committee appointed to see that every
thing was square. For every hour that
| worked over 100 was to pay SIS. Well,
sir, that safe was open in twenty-eight
hours. l worked pretty hard during the
day, and by night had got the secret OF
the combination. Then l went with
some friends to the theatre. They tried
to dissuade me from trying further.
You'll kill yourself, Sargent, they
said: there is no use trying; the safe
cannot be opened. l kept mum, and
and the next morning sent for the COM
mIttee and the lock makers. There was
a great crowd in attendance, and OF
course all the newspaper reporters were
on hand. Gentlemen said, L am
getting tired, and feel indisposed to
make further efforts. You see the safe
is utterly uninjured, according to our
contract. AS said this l turned the
combination this way and that, as
though to show them its perfedt condi-
ton. Then gave the knob a jerk, the
bolts few aside. and the great door
opened. The excitement was enormous
and we had big dinner at the hotel
that evening"
"Have you particular method OF
working, Mr.. SARGENT"
Yes, have devoted a great many
years of study to this subject, and am
more or less familiar with all the locks
made. The secret is one that | never
told, but do not mind saying that you
have, in your watch. key to all the
locks that have picked"
The Mother Got them.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, November q.
"A year ago Amanda Carson began
suit for divorce from VIM. II. Carson.
The wife prayed the Court for the ems
! todv of the children, boy, Charles aged