The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-31

Editor Of The Times:
sir-I was very much interested i'm the
item in The Times OF May 18th in regard
20 skilled labor boo Richmond. and boo the
fact that the Richmond merchants appre-
ciatcd skill in thinking or sending to the
penitentiary i'm order to open Dis safe.
The item referred 90 says The SKID came
under guard clothed in the regulation
ornamental stripes. got the combination
numbers. and before the merchant got
through telling him the movements the
safe door swung OMEN
have no desire 20 bclittie that mans
mechanical ability that opened the safe.
as 30 requires mechanical SKIN AMI ability
OF "a high order in that class Of work.
But ! will say this. that If safe lock
is good for anything. and is properly set
and adjusted. no man living can unlock
it in so short "a time. unless Be- does 10
by accident or I'm possession ~ the COM
binatiOn numbers.
The reason that so many safe locks are
picked is that they are not properly SET
with some locks 10 is only n question "
time II an expert gets at IT, rev
examples may not come amiss and may
he interesting 90 some readers that ape
preciate the skill and ability displayed boz
the picking Of safe locks.
one Sergeant inventor of the Sergeant
magnetic safe and bank lock- also the
time lock bearing his name and % man
named Munger. We're considered IN their
time the best in picking safe locks.
Sergeant and Munger accepted chal-
lenge Of the Yale Lock Company 10 pick
a double dial Yale lock for $1,000 a side.
Each side deposited the amount in a
safe Yale himself setting and adjusting
IA Inf fasft
hours They did II IN eight. and yet these
same experts. after working three and a
half days failed 10 pick "a Laillie three
tumbler slngle-dial lock.
There are various devices employed by
burglars I'm effecting an entrance into
safes and bank vaults.
\ burglar. one Howard by name, was
arrested. tried and sent 20 prison in New
York state His method was screen
painted In imitation of a vault door. be-
hind which ne carried on his operations.
while the Waterman took a look through
A hole i'm the winder shutter 10 see that
everything was all right the watchman
being discharged for neglect OF duty. The
burglar exoneratod the officer after
the trial. and he had been convicted by
his statement that the officer did his duty
But he could not see the man behind the
screen. In sentencing the burglar. the
Judge made the remark 70 the prisoner
that n he had employed his skill and
ability in some legitimate occupation. he
might have commandad a large salary.
and been a respected citizen. The prison.
er replied that he took pride In bis profess
sion. Any fool could be Judge but
il took a man Of brains 10 be a successful
burglar
one Of the most accomplished burglars
was a man by the name -of Mark Shin
born. VI Max the burglar. lie succeeded
I'm opening great many Lailiie safes by
picking the lock with the aid Of an In
vention Of his. known as the burglar s
bed-bug. IL takes its name from its re-
semriance 10 its namesake. and was used
only by him. The manner In which Il was
used was 10 remove the dial and SCOOP
out cavity on the under side Of the
dial. TO hold the bug. replace the dial and
go. When the safe was unlocked the
next day the bug would get I'm its work
Shinborn would go back the next night or
AT the first opportunity. remove the dial
take out the bug. and replace the dial
after he had located the combination
numbers. with the aid OF a magnifylng
glass. open the safe. and II he found