Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-05-19
Nh. PiNKER1ON ON BURGLARY.

Mr.. william A. Pinkcrton. the world
famous detective, read an address be- |
fore the convention of chiefs of police |
In Cincinnati last week. and incident. |
ally made plain the cause Of number |
Of mysterious safe rObbcrlcs that have |
been p,,zzling police authorities for u |
year or 80 past
In the past ten years." said Mr.. |
Plnkcrton, there has sprung up In the
United States u class of burglars
known among their fellows as John
yeggmcn.' but more frequently called
'yeggs. Their operations nrc not con-
fined to ordinary fire.proof safes: they
frequently attack bank vaults and
safes. and also operate rs 'hOld-ups' and
fence rallcrs.' Originally. the 'yegg-
man was II tramp. or hobo. Through
association with professional criminals.
either In prisons or ON the road he
hns acquired some knowledge OF the
use Of high explosives, ana has utilized
IL to blow open vaults ana safes. FIX
pericnce has made them adopts as vault
and safe burglars.
"Somc few OF these 'ycggs' gained
their first knowledge regarding the use
Of explosives from the report of experts
appointed by the government TO cx-
pertinent with explosives upon so-callcd
burglar-proOf safes. This report was
printed and circulated by the treasury
department. Those who read the re-
port In turn experimental, became cX-
pert In the use of the explosives, ana
taught others how to use II, and In that
way the use Of dynamite and nitro
glycerlne. In connection with safe bur-
glary, has come to be quite well under
stood by the 'ycggs.' They usually OPP
crate In bands Of Ave or six, one or two
of whom understand extracting nitro.
glycerin from dynamite, ana the use II
can he put to In robbing vaults or safes.
The other members of the band watch
outside Of u building, ana will hold
up ana, II their safety requires, kill I'M
Intruder.
"rhe methods of this class of burg
lars. rs compared with those Of the
Old.time. skilled 'cracksmcn.' ARE sim.
pie and labOr-saving. The skillful
uuTktuI Vi tue Olu rVuOOt NSut iOttu
to commit u safe burglary with tools
especially made. including sectional
| immies, cOpper.cOvered sledges. steel
wedges of many sizes, rachets, braces,
pullers, separatOrs, air pumps to eX-
haust the air and draw In the fine pow
der, and many other tools and devices
to aid him In quietly boring his way
int, xh., nj %
vault or safe, ana finally to penetrate
the steel chest. His aim was to do the
work with AZ little noise as possible.
On the other hand, the 'yeggman car
| rles no tools. In bottle or u rubber
| water bag fastened to n belt around his
waist he carries u quantity of nitro
| glycerln, ana In his coat pocket bar
Of cheap brown washing soap. In adj
ditiOn he has fuses ana decorating or
Illuminating caps. The soap Is used to
close up the cracks about the doors of
the safe. On the crack at the. top of
the safe he makes cup of the soap.
into which he pOurs the nitrOglycerin.
which gradually oozes inward about
the safe door. a conclusion cap placed
| III TIE cup ~ tHcu iSuittu VIII " iusV
or exploded with II battery, and the re-
suit Is u general bursting open or rend-
ing of the vault or safe doors. To
open the inner safe doors, u similar at
tack Is made, and In shooting steel
chest drilling ut times has to be done.
In the face OF the loud reports created
by such explosions, which generally
awaken u few citizens, these 'yegg'
burglars will frequently remain about
the scene OF the robbery, even though
they are discovered In their work. 1t is
then the desperate character of the
'yeggman' appears, as they do not hest
tate to stand Nheir ground, and open
fire on whoever disturbs them, Mt times
holding them In check until the rob-
berry Is accomplished. There are nu-
merOus Instances where, In doing this,
i they have committed murder.