The morning call., 1894-01-20
A SAFE CRACKED.
In DR.. Dennis Office on
Powell Street.
An Entrance Effected With Sledge
Hammer and the Safe Door
Battered Down.

The professional safe-cracker has arrived In
San Francisco with bis kit full OF the tools OF
his chosen profession, and has accomplished
his first job in a manner which leaves no doubt
In the minds of the detective department tnat
whether it be lone operation or gang they
are all graduates In the art OF opening burglar
proof safes after dark.
Yesterday morning, between the hours OF
and O'clock. a large safe in the dentalparors
OF DIR. l.. W. Dennis, located in the Alliance
block, 115 Powell street. was broken open, and
money, GOLD sheets for filling teeth and other
yauabes. 10 the amount of about $500, alb
struc;ed. The job was one Of the neatest that
has been done In San Francisco for long
time, and after securing their plumber the rob-
bers left no clew behind that might lead to their
Identification. Although the case was reported
TO the detective department early yesterday
morning and all that could be spared wer- put
to work up on ii, there has not been the slight
est dis covery made that would tend TO lead to
the detection of the cracksmen.
The Alliance block stands all alone 10 a big
lot on Powell street, between Ellis and O'FaI-
rell, and is twO-story brick with basement.
Leading ND from the sidewalk 10 he main floor,
above the basement, is a wide stairway, at
the TOD OF which IS the main entrance. The
nour, OF between 2 and O'clock, is fixed by a
lady who sleeps in one of the rooms next door
who heard some one pounding as she thought
on the door. but paid no attention TO it. DIR.
Dennis ofnce is located on the second floor, the
front room being the office or reception-room in
which the safe stood. and the balance of the
space DeiDg utilized for operatlng-rOoms and
workshop.
From the sidewalk the crackers walked up
the stairway to the landing, from which they
stepped across 10 window sill on The main
noor. The sill Is broad and afforded a good
chance 10 work. Placing crowbar under the
lower sash frame they pried the window up
breaking the fastening on the inside and shat
terlng the glass. This gave them an entrance
10 the main floor. Walking out into the hall
they mounted the staircase leading TO the Sec
ond moor, on which the doctors Offices are To-
Gated. AS II familiar with the exact location OF
the safe they went TO the door leading into the
reception-room. The door was locked, and not
being supplied with latch keys they began 10
batter it down with a sledge hammer. The
door was shattered 10 splinterS ana an entrance
gained 10 the room where the safe stood
From the number OF burned matches that law
strewed about the floor yesterday morning the
detectives were of the opinion that the men
worked ID the dark, using matches for a light
when illumination was necessary. First they
began TO drill around the combination with
hard-pointed burglar drills. Twice this was
tried, each time the drill breaking in the door,
In which position they were found in the morn
ing. Finding 1t was impossible 10 drill the
combination out, they began work with the
sledge. Fast and heavy The sledge blows fell
upon the handle OF the door. the sounds being
those heard by lady sleeping next door, until
the knob fell TO the floor broken of close to the
steel outer plate. The down spindle was then
pushed in, which let the Iumblers fall down.
This accomplished. ali that was left was to put
a strong instrument into the hole in the door
and pull IL open.
In one OF the inner boxes was 5000 IN gold
and silver, which was taken. The drawers and
boxes which form the treasury compartments
were filed with gold sheets used for filling
teeth and other articles of value all of which
they carried away. The detectives for micrOs-
cone lay IN one OF the drawers, and they also
fell prey to the greed of the crackers. On
little table close TO the safe lay number OF
valuable tools used in dentistry, but these were
uhmolested. as also was everything else about
the room. The safe door was left:open and the
drawers and boxes scattered about the floor
in which condition DIR. Dennis found them on
arriving at his ofnce yesterday morning.
After accomplishing their work the burglars
lett the same way they entered. leaving behind
no cleW other than the two broken drills in the
safe door, large quantity of half burned
matches and a room that looked as If it had
been visited by horde of anarchists