The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
ELECTRICITY N BURGLARY.
Devices by Which 1t Is Hoped to Wind
Up the Cracl<sman's Career.

ltIOQSI MdCIllleTN.
The very first intimation that electricity
could be used for the nefarious purpose Of
safe cracking, and used to so much better
advantage than any of the old-time meth
DDS, dynamite. gunpOWder and steel drills,
came from the lips of a convict, who less
than three months ago was. sent to Joliet
from Chicago for a job of burglary. His
words were as he left the Jail on his prison
Yard trip.
Never mind. when 1 get out I'll get a
cool million in five minutes; no noise, no
danger and a sure thing all around. It's
electricity and l learned it from watching
convict was reported to some electricians,
and it set them to thinking. They soon
found out what the fellow meant. and now
the wonder of all the electrical world is that
no one thought of it before.
Professor Monroe spent a year in the
service of the government in testing all the
safes and vaults of different makes in the
United States, with a view to discovering
the particular kinds of receptacle which
were the most impervious to burglars. The
government wanted new safes for it's
Treasury Department and took this means
of finding out which was the best brand.
TIE. government finally decided not to put
in the new vaults, and those who work
upon the tests nave said recently that it
was just as we'll that nothing was done,
for the electric current has placed the safe
costing $4,000 on a level with the one
which costs but $4G0. Professor Monroe,
Mr.. Gage. Mr.. Odell and the score of other
people saw submitted to the electric cur
rent test a spherical gun metal safe, sup
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made. In just one minute and one-half-
ninety Seconds-there was a hole made
through it large enough to admit the inser-
ton of a mans arm. The oritice may be
made from one and a half inches to six
inches in diameter at the will OF the OPERA
tor. To make a hole of the largest diam
eter given it takes q length of time barely
appreciably greater than that needed to
make the smaller opening. The feat is ac-
CCmplished by bringing two ends of a cur
rent and making an arc. The carbon fuses
it's way through at the rate of an inch in
half u minute. The burglar can bring.
a few tools in a hand bag and use the
lighting wires of the bank to m
his purpose.
Where it is desired to protect a vault If
is first lined with steel. then with an cleo
trio lining. which consists of alternate law
erS of insulating material, tinfoil conduct
ing strips, and. finally. with a light steel
lining to protect the inside from mechanical
injury. The vault entrance is protected
provided with electric lining and contacts
for the purpose of conveying electric cur
rent to the door lining when closed.
The alarm box. mechanically strong. is
also electrically lined throughout and con-
nected to the vault or cabinet by means
of a braided cable. consisting of thirteen
dlminutive strands of wire. each separately
insulated and braided together.
The breaking or cutting of any of the
wires, or bringing into contact of any two
or opposite polarity, or those possessing a
different potential. will cause an alarm.
Drilling. cutting or interference of any kind
with vault lining, safe covering or alarm
box will produce an alarm.