The San Francisco call., 1896-02-29

their vigilance in guarding against any
designs that the desperate gang of bank
robbers operating in this City may have
against the treasury, but on the contrary
are redoubling their precautions.
The matter was discussed on all sides
yesterday and the opinion was unanimous
that had the warnings not reached official
ears and preparations been made. few
cool-headed robbers might have had an
easy time il capturing thousands of dol
lars in gold, even though they did not sue
ceed in making their escape from the hall.
The Finance Committee of the Board of
Supervisors evidently thought the matter
of very serious nature, for Chairman
Taylor instructed Clerk Russell 10 draft a
resolution directing the Chief of Police to
detail policeman to guard the treasury
door from the hour of opening in the
morning until the vault is locked up for
the night. The coin IS considered safe
after the vault doors are closed, as the de.
pository is of steel and so strongly con-
structed as to be calculated TO resist any
attack that safe-crackers might make on it.
A similar resolution was passed several
years ago when the authorities had reason
TO believe that coyetous eyes were on the
coin sacks, but as the danger passed the
patrolman was Withdrawn and for some
time past the corridor has been without a
police guard over the hundreds of thou
sands of dollars carried by the treasury.
Nor has Treasurer Wild Der been idle. A
system OF electric wires connects the office
with the headquarters of the Police De-
partment, and for fear that they NAV have
lost their efficacy through lack of use a
thorough overhauling has been ordered,
and it is not improbable that the appli-
ances will be improved by putting in the
most modern discoveries in that line.
Another change was noticed by those
who passed the treasury after closing
hours yesterday. For years past the fact
that no more coin would be paid out for
the day was at once apparent to those who
called at the office after o'clock from the
fac5 that curtains inscribed with the word
''closed" obscured the glass portion of the
doors and prevented view of the treasury
being obtained. Yesterday the curtains
were not in evidence after o. clock, though
the doors were locked and view of the
counters and upper portion of the safe was
obtainable. .s
Supervisor Taylor said yesterday that
he was very glad that preparations had
been made for an attack.
"Soon after the robbery of the Market.
street bank he said, "the treasury officials
spoke to me about properly arming the
place, saying that all the weapons they
had were their own pocket pistols, that
were not particularly efficient weapons.
81 told them to buy whatever was neces-
sary for the defense, for it seemed very
plausible to me that such gang as did the
Market-street job would not stop for a
moment if it thought it could safely get
away with the money. l told them to go
ahead and get guns and be prepared for
the robbers when they came.
The treasury is certainly very favorably
situated for such an attempt, and without
preparations having been made before
hand the chances of success would be
good. Now, however, the robbers would
probably only go out to the Morgue.'
AT the treasury the officials were the
object OF much attention all day yesterday
from their friends and curiosity-seekers,
who peered through the doors and specu.
lated on where the deadly guns were
hidden.
Louis Jacobs, the chief deputy, was kept
ousy answering questions regarding the
preparations that had been made and ex-
hlblted the sawed-off shotguns with their