The St. Johns herald., 1895-07-18
SKILIFUL SAFE BLOWING
The Clever Work Of Two Expert
 CrackSmen.
By Their Knowledge Of the Methods Employed in Burglsrizing Safes They Secure a Prize of One
 Thousand Dollars.

Employed in Burglsrizing Safes
 They Secure a Prize of One
 Thousand Dollars.
 Some time ago firm announced in the papers as an advertisement that it had produced an absolutely burglar proof safe, and to back up the state ment offered the sun of one thousand dollars in gold to anyone who could get into the safe in the time usually allotted safe blowers. says writer in the St. Louis Globc-DemOcrat. The money was to be placed inside the safe, and it became the property of the openers the moment the feat was ac- complishcd. This challenge was al- lowed to go unnOticed for some time. but finally one day Q letter was re- ceived from New York city. written in disguised hand. in which it was pro- posed that the writer and his comradc should make trial at the safe. but the firm must agree to grant immunity to the authors of the proposition, as the climate of Massachusetts had not been to their liking for several years. The missive was signed by Teddy the Piper and an immediate reply was asked. The firm, anxious to put the safe to practical test, made all neces- sarv arrangements with the New York gents and immunity was to be granted them if they should be sue ccssful 4 day was set for q public trial, and promptly at nine o'clock in the morning two nattily-Grcssed young fellows stepped off the train and asked to be directed to the offices of the cOm- pany. They carried nothing about them except small hand bags, which they seemed to guard with special care. A number of citizens and rival manufacturers had been invited to the test. as the inventors felt confident of the impregnability of the safe and wanted to get the benefit of the ad- vertisement. The young men were ushered into the office and the terms of test were announced. Tine New Workers were to be given one hour in which to do the work, and 10 unusual noise was to accompany it. Nor were they to have any other assistance than is usually afforded to the practical safe blower The one thousand dollars was placed in the safe and it was publicly guaranteed to them should they be successful.
 At eleven o'clock sharp Teddy the Piper and his pal went to work. Their first act was to remove their shoes and coats. The latter were placed in front of the safe to drown f Fx> fo1I was to open their handbags. out of which drills, chisels, a ''hog-jawed' screw, powder and fuse were taken The hog-jawcd screw vas the first tool taken up. It was Q peculiar instru- ment, having two thick, heavy jaws like bulldog. The jaws were con trclled by a screw of terrific power, easily worked by . short piece Of steel which could be inserted into notcheS. That part of the instrument containing the notches rcsemblcd . wagon hub without the spollcs. The whole affair could bc taken apart and put in q handbag no larger than those usually carried by ladies. This toolwas set on the floor and it's iron jaws placed around t!2C knob of the safe. The two men worked with the greatest quiet and rapidity, one laying out the tools and the other adjusting them. The screw placed on the knob 1t was rap idly tightene; up, and inside of two minutes the knob was literally dragged out by the roots. It came with slow wrenchiug noise which must have reached the hearts of the manufac- turerS
 No time was lost, however. One of the men h8d the powder and fuse ready, and the former was inserted in the hole. The coats were picked 9p and thrown over the front of the safe to smother the noise, the fuse wac lighted and tho operators stepped be hind tho safe. In q moment there was q muGied explosion and the entire front of the safe was split open in jagged creascs. The whole system of bolts and inner machinery was cx- posed to view. A few raps with q chisel and Teddy gave the bolts a sharp jerk. They responded to his touch and he swung open the door. Reaching in he seized the bag of coin and fn few minutes the professionals were ready to depart
 As Teddy was about to leave one of the firm asked him: Gan safe h" made burglar-proof?''
 ''Yes,'' replied Teddy.
 ''Uow?" the manufacturer asked in a pleading tone.
 If I would tell you that my business would be gone,' replied Teddy, and bidding the party polite good-by he and his companion left the city OH tho next train. The job took just twenty minutes
 New Jsc fer Rubber.
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