Evening star., 1897-03-06
THE OLD DETECTIVE
He Talks About Burglars and Their
Ways.
HITCHING A SAFE TO 4 TRAIN
How the County Post Office Was
Unexpectedly Demolished.
CAUGHT BY TAKING HIS EASE

Some very amusing incidents occur in
the career of burglar said the old de-
tective to a Star reporter a few evenings
ago.
Il am reminded of an incident I learned
in connection with one of the gang of safe
blowers that were sent away from here
a few years ago for the bottling works
burglary in Georgetown. AT least three of
these men had been operating all over the
south. aiming principally a the country
pest offices, whose cast-iron safes dead
easy for even a cracksman still in his ap-
premiership.
Business had not been over-prosperous
with the gang 1t required a great many
two-cent stamps to make a hundred dol
lars and stamps We're about all they found
in the postmasters strong boxes. At the
time of the occurrence 1 have in mind
they were at a small station on the main
line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in
West Virginia. A general store and post
office combined was the point of attack
for the night. A freight train was due to
stop for water shortly after midnight.
and the crowd had planned to do the job
and leave the freight.
Contrary to their expectation ii was
nearly II O'Clock before the proprietor left
the store. and it was necessary to have one
of the party follow him to his home some
little way DdCk IN Int Village, anu itpoit
him safely housed for the night. before
beginning operations. 1t was then half
an hour before midnight. and they had
but little time remaining for the job How
ever, they went to work with a Will, but
the moment they set the drill against the
frame of the safe Cr peter box. in thieves
slang they realized it was of a far better
make than they had been in the habit OF
tackling. and the job would be a tedious
one. Still they worked away. breaking bit
after bit. until the far away signal of the
approaching freight gave warning that they
had not the time to force the safe if they
wished to leave as originally Intended
To Carry or the Safe.
1T was then a brilliant idea occurred to
one of the gang which he hastily impaired
TO his pals, and they Immediately set about
TO put it into action. Upon measuring the
doorway of the building it was found the
safe could be taken through all right, clear
ing the doorjam by about three inches
There was no difficulty in procuring a rope
of necessary strength right there in the
store, and this they passed around the
safe. after previously showing ii up to a
point directly opposite the door OF the
building. They did not dare to open the
door until the last moment. for fear OF
detection. You understand. of course, they
were working all this time almost entirely
in the dark. not knowing what moment a
track hand might he passing and give the
alarm
THE freight train was near at hand.
slowly putting her way up the grade. and
everything being in readiness the gang
WIS waiting for her to stop to take on
water. In a few minutes the engine slow
ly passed. dragging the long line of cars.
the last one stopping scarcely twenty feet
away from the post office building
The Train to Do the Work.
Then the ingenuity of the leader be-
came apparent 1t was his idea to attach
the rope. one end of which he had already
secured to the safe. to the rear car of the
train. and when the engine started the
safe would be dragged along until a point
was reached where they could cut it loose,
and blow it open at their leisure. He also
figured il would be pretty well demolished
during such rough trip. and the final de-
struction. therefore. be comparatively
AS | said before that was the leader :
idea. What occurred was something alto
gether different. There the safe stood be-
fore the door now open The heavy cable
lee ding out and passed around a stout
hitching post to insure perfectly straight
pull, and the other end well fastened tt
the coupling of the car. where the three
rascals sat waiting for the train to pul
out.
The Result.
They had not long to wait. The sigma
was given. the shouts of the trainmel
the usual quiet of the country at midnight
the engineer permitted his engine to Civ
several warning shrieks and then the.
sowly moved ahead. The trio of burglar
watched the slack rope gradually grow
raut the smaller strands breaking an
standing out like the hairs of caterpillar
then a slight crash showed them the hitch
ing post had given away. and before the.
could estimate just what effect this woui'
nave there was a tremendous noise as o
splinteriI wood and cracking glass;
huge puff of dust arose heavenward an
the general store or post ONCE was
wreck
when the hitching post gave way III
direction of the safe was diverted from tn
perfectly straight line necessary for it I
clear the doorway. causing ii TO swerve an
catch endwise in the jambs. The rope be
ing strong. the engine fresh and the build
ing weak the latter was forced TO sue
ouTab which it did completely. and. the ey
witnesses say. gracefully.
Ii Looked Easy.
.'Yes. the crowd tell it a first-clas
Joke on the postmaster. but here is one o
. q member of the gang.
He had been told of plant in Wash
irgton where there was always from ;hre
TO fifteen hundred dollars to be obtained
and as he had Aothing on hand in tn
burglary line. he ran over from Baltimor
one afternoon TO do the job by himself
his intention being TO rob the house an
lea ve for Baltimore on the first train. ~
located the place which was the rcsidenC
of the general agent of a big life insuranc
concern. and il was fact that he usual
carried large sums of money in the house.
As he wished 10 avoid being seen aboU
town. Mr.. Burglar jumped q Belt Line ca
and made the circuit several times. Dut b
tired Of this innocent amusement and ID
Cided 10 vary it by trip the eIectri
cars to the Catholic University, study III
beauties of lexington and then return
the scene of his proposed operations abol
midnight. This he did without NEE tir
With any officers VINO knew him or suspec
ed his calling. and at the hour he had o.
tcrmiued upon he was at the front door
the residence. An entrance easily e
fcctei. and he had no difficulty in locati:
the desk containing the money. which va
in the rear parlOr on the first floor.
"A broad ch!sel quickly forced the jrav
or. revealing the cash lying between II
flaps CT 2 long red pocketbook He hes
tated moment. then closed the draw.
and decided that as his train would N
leave until > o'clock he would be safer
these comfortable parlors than il fouI
roaming about the streets of Washingtt
or lettering around the railroad static
where he might run up against some of o,
people. condition to be avoided under {