The morning times., 1896-12-30
SAFE ROBBERS BIC HAUL
Metropolitan Insurance Co.'S
Safe Was Blown Open.
THIEVES SECURED $1,5OO
Work Of ''Good People" and Not ANA.
teurs-They Escaped with the
BOoty-Baseball Bats Used for
Rollers Explosion Deadened with
Carpet-Officers Far Away.

Rollers Explosion Deadened with
pet-Officers Far Away.
New York, Dec. 29.-Burglars blew open
the safe III the Metropolitan Life insur-
ance Company's branch office, at No. 216
West Forty-second street, III the night, and
stole its contents. They got away with
nearly 81 800, and a gold watch, belonging
to the manager, Mr.. Weidenfcller. There
is evidence that these were real burglars,
good people,, as the detectives say, and
not amateurs. They knew their business.
There S also evidence that they knew the
business of the office rather better than
the average cracksman might be expected
to, and this is the clew the police are
following, with good hope of catching
up before long.
The Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pauy'S office is on the second floor OF the
three-story building. The store under
meath is vacant. There are inner and
outer doors to the street. The outer door
is never locked. Thus when the burglars
applied their Jimmy to the inner door under
cover OF the darkness they were sheltered
from observation from the street and it
was plain sailing enough. Once inside they
had the choice between two safes, one i'll
"A glass store, on the top floor, the other
in the life insurance company's office. They
went straight to the latter.
Days for Collections.
They evidently knew that on Monday
the agents Of the concern make their col
lections and bring them in too late TO
lie banked. Thus every Monday night the
safe contains from 81 900 to $4,000. All
the other nights in the week 1t is empty.
Because OF this plethorc condition or the
strong box once week the company has
taken the precaution TO insure 1t with its
contents. Today it is pra!sng its fore
sight.
The wood and glass partition fencing
off the office afforded no obstacle to burg
lars bent on safe eblowing. They presently
reached the safe. II stood OH a small
platform by the window. SO as to be in
sight from the street. In corner We're
two baseball bats, left there by the oifice
bows The burglars took these and, using
them as rollers dragged the safe over To
the rear, away from the window. Then
they went at ii with drill and hammer.
They drilled holes enough in a ring, lust
above the combination, to break out q
piece OF the iron as big a fist. Through
the hole thus made they scratched out
the concrete. filling enough to let in plenty
OF explosive. This they put in with "a
fuse. stamped the charge we'll down with
an office coat that was there, ripped a
length of the office carpet and wrapped
it around and around the safe. Then they
touched it off.
The Crash.
There is no janitor in the building, and
the policeman on the post was far away
No one heard the crash, though it must
have been considerable. The safe toppled
| over, its doortornfrom its hinges. The con
tents fell out and all the burglars had to do
was to pick them mp. There was Tin box
containing the days collections, amounting
| to Sl,500, and Manager WeidenfelIer's
gold watch. With these in their posses
| sion, the burglars left as they came
The outer open door shows signs of
having been screwed shut with a screw eye
while they did their work This would
| argue that they did it quickly, perfectly
| familiar with all there was to do and TO
| encounter in the building, for if they had
| been in there too long the policeman on The
post, passing by and trying doors, would
| have had his attention arrested by finding
| the door locked which was always open
before. That is to say, if ne was the right
| kind OF policeman
AS matter of fact, they were clearly
burglars, who made thieving their bust
ness They left behind a sectional Jimmy
as not worth taking along. They could
afford to buy another The police looked
earnestly for a remnant Of the powder. but
found none. They believed that something
stronger than ordinary gunpowder was
used, perhaps melinite or rend-rock There
| was a strong sulphurous smell suggestive
| Of dynamite, in the office TINS morning
when the manager came and found the
| wreck.
| A "Good" Job.
| The carpet around the safe had saved
| windows and partition by deadening the
| sound of the explosion and prevented
| flying pieces from smashing things. The
| police came quickly in response to a call.
| Capt. SClnittberger, who has charge Of
| the precinct, was reinforced by Detectives
| Valleley and Reap from police headquar
| ters.
| They agreed that they had to do with
good people, with which assurance they
| separated to hunt on different trails.
The central office men are looking up
| the expert cracksmen known to be N
town. Capt, Schmittberger, who is him.
| self Il slcuth of no mean ability, is de-
| voting his attention to the immediate
| environment OF the office. He examined
the managers this morning.
| "Oh, yes said they. I'VE discharge
| two or three Of our men every week for
| stealing, knocking down on their collec-
tions, you know. Why, yes. They would
| know our habits, Of course, and the office
arrangements. They all brought their col
| lections in on Monday evening and knew
| they were left in the safe over night
Capt. Schmittberger smiled grimly. He
| got list Of these discharges reaching back
some time, and said nothing more on this
point. He seemed slightly interested when
| told, later on, that the conIpany's man.
| ayers were not fretting.
The safe was insured with its contents.
Capt. Schmttberger' former chief, Thomas
F. Byrnes, is the manager of burglar
insurance concern, a. fact which always
interests the police. 81
1t was ascertaineds supon examination Of
the books that the exact amount of cash
stolen was ST. ,46Sr9S8
|
ALUMNI SOCIETY RECEPTION.