The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-06
SAFEGUARDING.
spike" Hennessey Tells Some Of the
Secrets of His Trade.
Neu vcrk

"Spfke" Hennessey Tells Some OF the
Secrets OF His Trade.
New York Advertiser.
Twill I tell you something about the
methods employed by burglars in opening
safes? said the speaker, who was Spike"
Hennessey, somewhat known to fame as a
skiiiful "cracksman." well, you see, I'm
not in the burglary business any more. /
forsook it when l became an actor three
years ago, and hardly care to talk about
| part Of my life that would rather forget
altogether" Mr.. Hennessey was urged to
unboso m himself. and finally, lighting a
perfect0, the ex- burglar began:
Il started in the safe business when
quite young, and staid in right along. with
the exception, OF course OF few vacations
which certain bull-headed officials insisted
on my taking. 1t was shortly after one OF
my vacations that had the good fortune to
attract the notice of Mr.. Davis, who put me
on the stage. No. as for opening safes,
there are more ways than one of doing it.
Just as there are more ways of killing dog
than by choking him with butter. Banks
amt burglarized very often because it takes
months sometimes to work up a job before
yen can go at it. When l was in the bust
ness never worked with more than one
man. who DIG the outside work, while /
went In and wreStled with the safe. We
had signals, made by tapping or throw
| Ing sand against the window, so when
my pal would tip me everything was serene.
I'd begin work with the drilling machine no
the vault door. 1t doesn't take long to cut
into the lock, and the next thing is to punch
out the dog that holds the combination.
sometimes It's dangerous TO put the dog
out on account of the noise, in which case
you put taper tap in the bolt, follow IL
with plug and cut thread through the
door. Then you screw threaded bolt until
It strikes the detent. and by applying a
wrench to the end of the bolt you twist the
dog OF without bit of noise. Then
there's the big steel safe standing smiling at
you, and you are at liberty to go in and daily
with it.
"ADd how do you open bank safe ?"
auxiously inquired the reporter.
We'll, replied "Spike" warily, "there
amt SO many knows how to do it, and
those that do amt shouting it from the
housetops. will say, however, that nearly
all improved bank safes are opened with ex-
poSlveS The secret is how to get your
dynamite, gas. or whatever explosive you're
going to use. inside the door. and all you
need is an instrument to suck air and one to
0i0w. In i've or ten minutes you can have
the charge inside the door and then you use
Illuminating cap or electricity to touch her
of. You blanket the safe heavily let her
go and out drops the dog.
The hard work to an expert is not in the
actual blowing or opening of the safe. but
In the getting into the place where it is, and
In getting IN at time and in such way that
man can work unmoiested by policemen
There are a good many ways of opening
the common safe. 1t is easy enough to blow
a thimbeful of powder into the lock and
burst it off, or you can drill into the lock
and then force it. In a case where the safe
has double doors you can drill behind the
inner doors and then insert a charge suf-
ficiently powerful to blow off both sets of
doors at the same time"
''Well. how about getting the charge imp"
asked the reporter.
''Oh. that's easy." answered "Spike.o
.Y ou just-but say. young Teller, L think
I've told you as much "a is good for you"
And so saying the gentle Spike" percolated
through the stage door.