Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-26
ARE SAFES UNSAFE?
Electricity the Newest Tool OF the
Bank Burglar.
Chicago Daily Trlbune.)

Chicago Daily Tribune)
Safe cracking has been made easy.
There is not a vault in the city Of Chi
cago which cannot be entered in thirty
minutes by the modern burglar, provided
the only safeguards supplied be the en-
closing walls. Take away the Waterman,
and the masses Of iron and steel will
give but little more than momentary pro-
lection to the millions represented by the
more precious metals which they enclose.
The safes of the smaller business-house
are absolutely at the mercy of the thief.
Every municipality which supplies its
own electrlc-light, and every trolley-cGr
company in the land, has got into the
hands Of the cracksman a means of at
tack, safe silent, and certain-the cleo
trio current. The day Of nitro-glycerine.
dynamite and drills Of tempered steel is
gone. There need be no more wrecking
Of safes, with its accompanying noise,
nor will II ever again be necessary for
the midnight worker 10 force off layer
by layer. with explosives and Jimmy, the
iron doors of the treasure chest. Give
him a carbon stick a bunch OF wire, and
thirty minutes Zee from interruption, and
the hoard IS his
Samuel Rodman, Jr.. Of Chicago. who
a
every construction extant, and who, If
he should choose to drop his work as
an expert in high explosives, could pro-
badly earn as large an income as any
bank president in the country by turn
ing bank craftsman, has been expert
menting recently with the electric cur
rent and now, after years spent I'm
showing how easy IL was 10 get into
the Golfers of banking Institutions by
means of nitro-glycerine. drills, and the
like. he says that those methods are
things OF the past. Mr.. Rodman IS a
graduate of West Point, and was a
student while still in the United States
army at the Engineers School of April
cation, Wilett's Point, n. Y; at the
United States Torpedo Station, Newport.
r. l.. and at the Artillery School, Fort
Monroe. The United States Government
came to- the conclusion some time ago
that the Treasury vaults at Washington
were in a lamentable condition. II was
decided 10 have the matter authoritative
~ settled by competent and disintercsted
experts commission was appointed.
consisting of Robert VI. Thurston, Of
New York. Theodore y. Ely. of Pennsyl-
vania, and Francis a. Pratt, Of Con
necticut. Mr. Rodman was the expert
chosen TO conduct experiments for the
commission. sample Of nearly every
known safe was sent 10 the commission.
and they were all speedily and quietly
opened by the army officer expert. He
used ultro-glycerine when occasion de-
manded H. and the noise OF the eXplO-
sion was not heard thirty feet. When
the high explosive was necessary, Mr..
Rodman bored through the containing
walls In many cases the more frequent
~ the words burglar proof appeared
upon the surface Of the safe. the more
easily was the supposed strong box
opened.
The government never did anything 10
improve the condition Of It's vaults, and
depends now. as II always has depended
upon the fidelity OF watchmen for the
preservation Of its treasures. II Is, per-
haps. just as well for the safety Of Uncle
Sans money that this IS so, for within
the last week. after a final experiment
with the electric current, Mr.. Rodman,
whom the government chose as its ex-
pert, has declared that I'm the future any
large amount OF money expended upon
the construction Of vaults and safes Will
be money thrown away.
SAFES and vaults" he said SHOULD
be built hereafter just strongly enough
TO withstand a sudden and quick at
tack. If they are OF temper and thick
ness 10 stand on the burglars for ten
minutes, II should be all-sufflclent-
other means Of protection than thick
walls and time-locks must be had. Masses
OF metal which seem to defy explo-
sions, or which. from their position and
surroundings, seem 10 render an attack
by these methods inpracticable, are now
exposed 10 the new element Of danger
the silent electric current. The develop
ment IN the use Of such a method of
attack presents new problems I'm the ques-
ton Of bank security. Ponderous, ex
pensive constructions must give way TO
lighter and cheaper ones. giving sufficient
security against sudden attacks and sup
plemented by some satisfactory system
Of electric-alarm protection. There is a
big field opening Just now for some one
who will perfect an alarm system which
burglars cannot tamper with without
bringing officers TO the scene. I sup
pose IL should take the form OF a series
Of wires about the vaults and safes"
Within q week a workman In this city
using a carbon stick melted his way
through five inches of wrought iron in
less than thirty minutes. The hole made
was big enough to allow the insertion Of
the hand and arm OF a man of medium
size. All that is necessary for a burglar
to 10 now Is to connect wires with
terminal. whore the main wires of an
electric-light plant turn under the side
walk. At this point he can get the full
current generated at the central station
He can trail these wires along the gut
ter under the cover of darkness and into
the building where he has safe 10
crack. He attaches his carbon to the
wire and burns his way TO the treasure
which he covets. Detection. as far as
the act OF connecting with the main
wires Is concerned. would not be likely
for men from the electric-lght plant
are constantly removing tho conduit
covers and working under the sidewalk.
and the bank burglar might readily pass
as such a workman. In the smaller
cities the troley-wire can be used I'm
the same way. and with tho same result
The Increase In the amount Of electricity
used would not be noticeable enough at
the central station to cause comment
because similar variations In consumption
are constantly occurring When the
burglar gets his supply of electricity from
the trolley. all that would be necessary