The morning times., 1895-08-25
TAPPING THE CURRENTS
Thieves Who Steal Power and
Light From Electric Wires.
SOME CASES IN THIS CITY
A Reputable Merchant who Went
Into the Robbery of Lightning on
"A Large ScaIe-"Queer" Wire Lead
ing Into an 4 Street Store-StOck
Quotations on the Sly.

NtNdl4ilE llNlAAAtA ~ bAA &c h7Aiei l'Ns'A''
but stealing lightning is newer than the
telephone. Itisonly IN the pasi tenor fifteen
wears that therts OF the electric current
have come TO be noticed or guarded aga inst
at all
or course there have been thclts OF news
and more important uf stock quotations
and trade reports and OF racing returns,
but larceny OF electricity ftseif for COM.
nlercial purposes is a recent discovery.
IN larger citics. where tlere are number
of electric companies furnishing power
for all manner OF machinery, "A wen as arc
and inuandescenJ lights, and IN which the
wires are carried IN and out with very little
regulation 10y The authorizes, are to be
found expert electricians who make
living by putting in wires for secretly
tapping the currents OF the great companies
and getting The use OF their power without
paying Tor lt
This is most conveniently done where
the wire runs near The Eurfaceoi the ground
in hidden corner. The electrician watches
his opportunity and when there is no hkeli-
hood that amy employe oi the company
Owning tha wire. viii be around. lie puts
in his loop.
He doesn't car Tor the ordinary paFscr-
by, nor even the police. ii the one asks
what he rs doing he replies That he Is
repairing the COudut 1n tit wire, ana has
uuastioner aC pts the answer withuutqUes-
tion: ha knows nothing to the contrary, and
H. none uf Lis business 10 inquire more
particularly.
WIRE-TAPPEK'S EXCUSE.
Even il minor employc ol the electric
company happens along, tie wire-tspper
can say thar "a is an eupleyc ul the COM
pauv and las been sant 10 make some
changes in ttat particular Locality.
The other man. not knpwiu- everybody
in the coupany's employ, cannot deny 81.
II there is CanrcT that ne viii 20 60 the
office and report, the time necessary Tor
him to go this viii Zoe ample Tor escape.
SO there is practically little canger Of
capture.
Then the prosecution is no easy matter
The Ia vs. rela-in- 10 larceny doEul exactly
tit such theits as this. they were made
long before such Il Thing was Thought 81.
Accordingly. JAS as many a man has got
rich 10y stealing anothcr's iGogs with inn
punity. SO some men light tE,ir horses "r
run their machinery 10y stealing he cleo
trio current. with little fear of punish
ment. even If found out
The putting in OF the loop is nu very
difficult task. If jhc place for work is con
venicnt il Caa bc done in bali an hour Ia
an hour. An opening is made to the live
wire, and then with thr grca,eat care, by
means Of insulated instruments, the wire
is cut.
Everything is ready. Insuiators are put
in place The ends OF the company wire
and the thieviug wire are Joined, and the
loop is run to where il is wanted II IL is
desired for electric lighting, the apparatus
for making use OF the current has already
heen set in its place. ana 1T is only necessary
10 make the connections.
The efficiency can be tested in a few mo-
meuts and the current cut Off at 4 point
where the change VIII be least likely to give
warning of any interruption 60 The regular
work OF the circuit thus tapped. If AZ
any time the use OF an electric tan or small
electric engine is desired the current can be
turnedintothis swiththesane casetnatacu
rent Of water eau be carried where ii is
wanted
MANAGING THE CURRENT.
IN fact, the electric current is much more
easily ma IA ged than d stream OF water,
except at the critical moment OF cutting
the wire or OF making the new connection.
When the wire is overhead the difficulty
Is considerably Increased, but the electrical
expert finds it as easy TO make the con-
nections for using the current dishonesty
as when his work is legitimate In the
air he must find some means of holding the
wire stretched as well as to take off the
current.
OF course it is also harder TO escape
detection by some one who knows that he
has no business at work on the wires For
this reason he usually chooses the top Of a
bushy tree where the leaves are thickest
in summer He follows the wire till il
passes through such q tree
II necessary, his climbing irons are put
Oh, then be is up among the boughs in a
moment. A U-shaped piece OF steel with
clamps and fnsulatOrs, has been provided
foor the occa sion. He gingerly cuts the
wire, catches the end and fastens them
together with the piece OF steel.
The insulators break the current, and
there is a space OF an inch or two between
the cut extremities, and in this he inserts
tie two ends OF his loop Of copper and slips
Gown. he then carries his wire anywhere
Hepleases, being careful not TO excite fnvesti-
CATION by keeping the line open too long.
STEALING QUOTATIONS.
Such tapping as this is done oftenest foI
the purpose or getting news or reports. Al
instance is known where the stock quota
tions from New York were stolen in this
way for more than year without detec
ton.
Another case is where a man is alleged
20 have tapped the racing wire here as +
crossed Long Bridge. Such circumstance
as this are common. The most remarkabl,
on record probably is that of last year
when one OF the press associations asserts
II found a man taking off its report from
o wire going into its Chicago office.
Some experiments have been made witt
success where the wire was not actual,
cut, but side conductor was simply ap
Piled, by which a sufficient quantity o
electricity was drawn from heavy cur
rent to run small mechanism or to supply
tT-) or three 1ncandescent lights.
ne case OF most frequent larceny Of ths
c.tanercial current is where a customel
a. he company wants more electricity
tdsa ne feels like paying for BE gets al
G jrician TO tap the current in a pIact
81 aeaIed from view before il reaches
tes meter. Then he can use all the current
D. wants, but only pays for so much al
b ses through the meter.
dishonest practices, such as described
az detected in many ways, but usually the
u first indication Of anything wrong is
b. measurement-of the power, generated
and comparison, with the quantity paid
UCfr for 1l,e