The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-20

time 1 had quarters at Jypur with q govern
ment agent. The bungalow mad Just been
erected and special precautions had been
when the agent had goodly sums In his pos
session and on a dozen different occasions
attempts had been mace TO rob him. In
could be locked. The strong room was in
the middle Of the house. The walls were
bricked up on the inside and The door was of
iron. Chained 10 the floor was an iron chest
and of course the chest had a lock. With
this room between the sitting room and din
ing room II appeared TO be perfectly safe,
especially as our servants were Europeans.
The house was never alone by day and at
night there were four OF us in IL. One morn
ing IL was discovered that an attempt had
cutting a hole through the floor. The bun~
galow was clear OF the ground and but for
the brick and cement floor the fellow would
how he hit off the spot so exactly. He
couldn't have done better with a tapeline
and full liberty to use IL.
CARRYING AWAY A SAFE
THE hole he made was repaired and little
said about the matter. Just a week later he
returned. By climbing a tree he got upon
the roof Of the house. and working his way
along he struck the exact spot from above.
1t was a matched roof. and with his knife
he cut a square hole. The interior Of the
bungalow was ceiled. or, at least, the rafters
were. He cut a hole through this wooden
ceiling without noise, and was then able to
drop down into the strong room. He first
tried to pick the lock Of the chest, but fail
ing in that. he determined to take the chest
out. He had to file through a link of big
chain. and then ascend and 60 for a rope.
The chest weighed 175 pounds. By means of
up and out on the roof. He had to descend
by way OF the tree, but he did it with that
safe on his back. He also got over an iron
fence nine feet high and had carried the safe
a full mile when he was arrested by a patrol.
His slick way of doing business excited my
admiration and / had a long talk with him.
he was a slim, weakly looking chap. and
a wonder TO me. He had no plan of the
house. but guessed at the location of the
strong room. His capture and the fact that
prhson stared him in the face didn't play
any part, but he was cut up over his failure
to realize on his plumber.
After the fellow had been disposed of a
new strong room was built in one corner of
the parlor. 1t was a closet, just large
enough to hold the safe and made entirely
of boiler plate. There were two locks on the
door. n a bell was arranged TO give an
alarm in case a stranger meddled. There
was a bedroom off this parlor, with the door
Always open. and my friend and l slept there
on cots. One night. two months after the
other robbery, two thieves came after the
chest. They entered the room over the top
sash of a window. and, working in the
dark ana WITHIN n1teen 1eet or two sleeping
men, picked both locks with a stout piece
of wire. Before attempting to open the door
they disabled the bell. The chain on the
safe ran through both handles and was Sc
cured to a big eye-bolt screwed to the iron
wall. They unscrewed this bolt n were
then ready to take out the safe. Fearing
to open a door, they cut out the
panels of one. and safe. chain
and eye-bolt. all together, We're passed
through. The dead weight was over 200
pounds. 1t was in getting the safe over the
fence that they made enough noise to
arouse US, and one of them was shot and
killed as he fed. They had worked in tina
parlor for four long hours without disturb
Ing us. 1t would seem as If they must have
made some little noise with the safe and
chairs, especially in passing them outdoors,
but we hadn't been awakened, though both
were light sleepers. II was probably better
so. I asked the captured robber if he knew
we were there, and he smiled blandly as
he replied:
I'VE were bending over you before we
began at the door. Oh, yes, sahib, we knew
that you were there
And did you drug us witt anything?'
mot at all. sahib. There was no need
but suppose we had waked?' 1 asked.
1--WE had our knives-you would have
slept again. he said, as a murderous CLEAN
came to his eyes for a moment"