The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-30
SAFE BLOWN BY EXPERTS.
INSURANCE OFFICE ROBBED OF
THE DAYS COLLECTIONS.
Traces Left by the burglars Show How
They Went to Work ana Indicate That
They Knew n Good Deal About the
Onice-They Got R1,A0A and . Watch.

Traces LEFT by tho BurRlars show How
They Went to Work ana IndIcato That
They Knew n Good Deal About the
Omce-They Got S1.Ae4 and = watch.
A clean. old fashioned safe burglary was oom-
mitted come time Monday night In the branch
office OF the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany at 2l6 West Forty.second street. A safe
expert who visited the place yesterday said 10
was one of the cleverest Jobs he had ever seen.
HThe Office is on the second floor OF the three
story building. There is a vacant store on the
ground floor. The safe was Oh n platform under
a big plate-Rlass front window and in plain
sight from the sidewalk.
The windows on the ground floor are Jet out e.
billboards. The men who hang up the theatri.
cal posters have keys to the store. The burglars
got into the store without disturbing the lock
of the front door. Once in they knocked the
lock of q door which led to the hallway. The
glass door OF the insurance office at tho head Of
the stairs was easily opened by smashing the
glass and springing back the lock. Tho burglars
then drew the curtain of the window beside
which the safe stood and cut q half-moon slio
in 1t, which enabled one OF them to keep watch
on the street. The electric light on the street.
gave the burglars light enough.
They rolled the safe away from tho window
on two baseball bats which they found in the
place, and when they got It in the centre of the
floor they bored four holes in the front door.
just over the knob. and punched in q circle
about tho size of q dollar. Then they scooped.
out the filling of the safe door and inserted the
explosive. Itsis thought that nitro-glycerine was
used. Before firing the blast they tore up the
carpet and muffied the safe in 1t.
Manager Charles A. Weidenfeller says there
This box was found broken open and empty,
The safe door was completely blown out and
hung loosely on its hinges when discovered in
Charles Fl. Turno. who has a stained -elass
factory on the top floor of the building. reached
screwed fast with a driven from tho
inside. He summoned the janitor, who lives
next door. and they burst in the door. When
they got up stairs they discovered the burglary.
Patrolman Patrick Crosby was on the post
after midnight. The post extends from Seventh
the relieving point is at Tenth avenue. Capt.
SchmIttberRer thinks tho burglars got into the
place at ~ o'clock when the policemen were
changing posts. The janitor says he heard O
noise like an explosion about l o'clock.
Manager Weidenfeller said the Office was the
headquarters for eighty-six agents and coll
%lectors. Monday is the biggest collection day
of the week. and all the money taken in by the
collectors Is turned over to him for deposit in
the safe. He was personally responsible. aud
would have to shoulder the loss. Besides the
Sl.464, a gold watch. WHICH was presented to
him by Haley Fiske, the Vice President of the
company. was stolen. Mr.. Weidenfeller thought
that somebody who had fun knowledR &c of the
workings of the office was concerned in tho bur
giary.
It does't appear that Mr.. weidenfeller's loss
will be heavy. for the insurance company 10 Sc
cured by a policy on the Fidelity and Casualty
Company against losses from burglary as well
as damage to safes.