Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-28

Brltons have somehow managed to attain to
tolerable prosperity, chiefly by sheep farming;
But with an interval between of five hundred
miles OF the stOrmiest ocean on the globe, mu-
tual intercourse Is neither frequent nor easy.
FANNIE b. WARD.
LOCK PICKING AS A SCIENCE.
An Expert Says That His Key 10 in Every
Mans Watch.
From the Post Express
High up in the Wilder building, in little
corner room prettily furnished with rich car
pets and hangings, more like a ladys boudoir
than the Office of wide-awake business man.
reporter found James Sargent, the lock man
ufacturer.
Il suppose" the reporter began. "that you
know all about Alfred c. Hobbs, the famous
lock picker, who died short time ago."
"Yes," said Mr.. Sargent, Il knew of him. In
fact, at one time every one had heard of him.
In 1S4S he opened the safe in the merchants
exchange in New York in less than an hour,
although $500 was offered to any one who
could do it within thirty days. Then he went
to England and picked the lock in the vault
door of Brown, Shipley & Co. 1t was supposed
worked with his back turned and his hands
behind him. He picked number of other
famous locks ard the British Institution of
Civil Engineers gave him the Telford medal,
its highest honorary award. But you must re-
member that Mr. Hobbs was seventy nine years
old when he died, and lock picking was much
easier accomplishment forty years ago than
now"
1T is not a very profitable business, sup
pose. for an honest man?'' the reporter in
quired.
.'Well, that depends said Mr.. Sargent.
then a nd
dollars to any one who pick his lock,
another will offer $50 and another $500. Then
sometimes l make bet that can open lock
within a certain time. and if l succeed Of
very good thing after all. l suppose l have
earned upward of $1,000 in direct cash pay
ments by opening locks"
do you ever fai!'
mo, sir l can always tell whether or not 1
can pick lock and never try or put IN money
on doubtful case have broken into most Of
the strongest safes in the country including
the vault of the Treasury Department at WASH
ington. That did inside OF an hour, to the
utter horror of the officials.
"Once l went out to Des Moines. There is
bank out there that has some eighteen smaller
country banks dependent on it. Once a month
the presidents of these country banks all meet
in the presidents Office of the mother bank,
and at that time its safe is filed with thous-
ands of dollars. 1 found out the day of the
tered the room as a stranger and said Gen
tlemen, do you know that you have thous-
ands of dollars locked up here in a
safe that a burglar could easily break in in a
night? He could take your money, change
the combination on the lock SO that when Won
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 the time he
had got all the way out here and opened the
doors and you had discovered the loss of the
49, l.
ocean to Europe. Now, gentlemen, 1 have
come here in broad daylight. You may go to
your safe and put on a different combina-
ton, and when you get ready 1 will
so to it and open it to prove that
what l have said Is true They were very
much impressed by my statement. but having
perfect confidence in their safe were quite
willing that should make the trial The COM
bination was changed, l set to work and they
returned to their room. Presently the lock
was picked. Inside the money was piled high
in bags of gold. l took one of the bags and
went into the presidents room. Holding it up
asked if that belonged to him. He and the
others were dumb;ounded. He made a grab
at il, and then they all rushed out to view the
safe. There it stood with doors wide open"
What is the hardest lock that you ever tried
1T was out in Cincinnati, but the trial was
hardly q fair one. The makers tried to play q
trick on me. and manufactured lock which
doubt II they could pick themselves. The trial
took place about eighteen years ago. and
made great stir in the papers ut the time.
The safe put on a truck drawn by four
horses, and taken to the place where 1 was to
make the trial. The conditions were that was
to open the safe inside OF 100 hours or forfeit
$500, which had deposited with the committee
appointed to see that everything was square
For every hour that worked over 100 was to
pay So. Well, sir, that safe was open III
twenty-eiSht 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 theater. They tried to
dissuade me from trying further. You IL kill
yourself, Sargent, they sand; there Is ugc
trying; tue safe cannot be opened l KEEP.
mum, and the next morning sent Tor the com
mlttee and the lock makers. There was great
crowd in attendance. and of course all the news
paper reporters were on hand. 'Gentlenen, l
said Il am getting tired and feel indisposed to
make further efforts. You see that the is ut
terly uninjured, according to our contract As
i said this 1 turned the combination this way
and that, though to show them Its perfect
condition Then gave the knob u jerK, the
bolts flew aside and the great door opened.
The excitement was enormous and We had q
big dinner at the hotel that evening"
Have you a particular method Of working,
Mr.. SARGENT
Yes, have devoted q great many years of
| study to this subject, and am more or less ia
| miliar with all the locks made. The secret is
one that l have never told, but do not mind
| saying that you have. In your watch, q key to
| all the locks that l have picked"
--->0S-
Three Glasses keeley Can't Cure
Il E--. -