The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-05
POLLING THE THIEF.
How Electricity Is Employed to Pre-
vent BurgIaries.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.


great cities. and It is said that there have
been fewer burglaries in Pittsburg than
in any other city of its size 1t is one of
the most deeply-studied of the profess
sions, and the up-tO-date rogue. although
little can be said of his honesty, IS pos
sessed OF no mean amount of mental abil-
ity and ingenuity.
The daring robberies that were accom-
plished by force are laid upon the shelf
among the crudities OF the past, and skill
now lies In the getting possession Of the
contents of safes and jewelry cases with
out disturbing the slumbers of anyone. Nor
do the perils of his undertakings blind the
lawless thief to the humors of the situa-
ton. 1t was facetous set OF men who
n few weeks ago took charge or the con.
tents Of five safes In Dennetts restaurant
on Park Row. New York.
Owing to the religious principles or the
proprietor the place is always closed on
Sunday. one Monday morning, when u
was opened, above a broken safe IN gilt
letters were the words. THE Lord giveth
and the thief taketh away" do your
work well and you viii be rewarded by
the Lord" was the Inscription placed upon
another part OF the wreck. and on the re-
mains of another safe was a small contri-
button bank for the relief of sick chill
dren. Ii stood Just beneath the motto,
Remember the Poor
But while II is affirmed that the prop
ErIN trained burglar can open any SAFE III
existance with a set OF tools that he can
carry in his pocket. Nature has provided
"a guard that can neither be gagged or
bound and man has discovered that cleo
tricity can be employed as a Waterman;
Three years ago Uncle Sam investigated
the device, and has since had this master
Waterman stationed In the treasury
Maiden Lane, New York. the great jew
elry district Of that city Is under its care,
and for ten years not q burglary OF note
found
into all the large cities of the country.
and for nine years the system has been
in operation In Pittsburg. lie who viii
wend his way to the headquarters OF this
all-powerful guardian Of the public veal
will find II all that Carlisle, Secretary OF
the Treasury, said when. after careful
official investigation, he pronounced Il the
most interesting, ingenious and reliable
method of protection that could be con-
ceived.
The sightseer Is always a welcome
guest at the watchmans headquarters, and
the most careless observer could not fail
to find the unique system most inviting
There are two electricians at the Office,
one for the day and the other for the
night When one OF the business houses
under the care of this lightning watch
man is about to be closed a prearranged
signal is sent. which Is responded to. From
that moment until the safe or vault
is opened In the morning the eye OF the
guards upon II. At the end of the week
report IS made showing the exact time
OF every opening and closing.
The wires extend from the batteries in
the office to the safe, vault of other body
TO be protected. This is surmounted by
a cabinet that has very peculiar inter-
Inning. II Is two layers of brown PASTE
board with layer Of tinfoil between them.
Through this center layer runs a network
or wires, and even the sticking of a pin
into this case will send I'm an alarm which
Is responded to by the prompt appearance
of squad OF officers at the place from
whence the notice comes.
The current affects a needle-indcator
under the eye of the watch at the office
making IL drop back to zero. and also
rings an alarm bell. but as the message
makes no sound until Il reaches the office
the burglars work on in Ignorance Of the
fact that they have called some one 70
come and catch them.
Besides the force OF men on duty In
room back of the Office sleep number or
emergency men, and should there be an
alarm OF an unlawful nature they are
aroused by an electric call hardly less
perfect IN its walking powers than Ga
BRIEFS trumpet.
The system is opposed not alone to the
burglar but also to the misconduct of
employees. and does a man even attempt
to put his latch key into the door the
alarm that Is heard only at headquarters
calls out in few seconds uniformed or
hcers, who require him to sign q printed
slip stating that 1t was he who attempted
to enter; also the hour of his visit
The signature of all who are authorized
to open or close the establishment is
kept at the office, and should the sigma
ture given by the man not harmonize
with that he is held TO give an account
or himSelf. IL the signature is all right
he Is not molested, but simply watched
until his employer can be notified.
Nearly every large jewelry store in
PittSburg is supplied with electric pro-
lection, and large number Of the mer-
chants leave their business at night to
the care of this incorruptible, ever alert
The banks of the city have beeen more
conservative about adopting the system,
but four of them-the Merchants and
Manufacturers, the Metropolitan Nation
al, the National Bank OF Western Penn
sylvania and the Third National-are us
ing 1t. 1t is singular fact that there
has never been an attempt at robbery In
a building where this strange Waterman
has been placed on guard.
Holmes. the inventor of the system,
was by birth farmer and a native Of
when In the prime of life, he went to
New York with his original electric burg
lar alarm. In staid old New England rob-
berries were little known, but Gotham had
a well-established reputation for all
around wickedness, and there the en-
terprising inventor established himself
The germ Of his scheme that ne took TO
New York was nothing more than an cleo
trio alarm bell in the sleeping room of the
householder, a galVanic battery kept in
some closet, with wires extending to all
the doors and windows Of the house The
alarm, when set for the night, would To-
cate any window or door that had been
thougthlessly left open, and give imme-
date warning of any attempt to force an
entrance.
But one who tries to offer a new idea
usually finds that the world is old and a
little deaf. Holmes discovered that even
electricity would frequently fail to ar
rest the attention of busy men, and IL be-
came necessary for him to follow the plan
of Jack of nursery, rhyme fame and build
house.. This curious toy complete in
every detail, the inventor carried about
with him to explain his system
Bank robberies, however, called the at
tention of Holmes to a broader field, and
after a year spent in experiment he de-
vised the present method of protection
for business houses. August Belmont e.
Co, and the Atlantic bank were the first
TO place this Waterman on guard. Now no
bank in New York city Is without it and
the professional burglar has had to seek
new fields of conquest.
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