The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-30

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nothing TO do with my story. Some years
ago me and the gentleman who was at
that time connected With me In business
hes met with reverses since then, and
at present isn't able to 10 out--was look
ing around FOR job, being AT thst time
rather hard up, as you might say we
struck a small country town-I ain't ago
an TO give Il away by telling where 1t
was, or what the name OF Il was. There
was one bank there: the president was
rich old duffer: owned the mills, owned
the bank. owned most OF the town. There
wasnt m other officer tut tho cashier
and they had boy. who used 70 sweep
out and run OF crrands.
The bank was on the main street, pretty
well up one end cf it-nice, snug place,
on the corner of cross street. with
nothing very near IL. We took our OBJ
servations and found there WASH no
trouble az All about Il. There was an
old watchman that walked mp and down
the street nights. when he didn't iaH
asleep and forget t. The vault had Two
doors: the outside one was chilled iron,
snd had three wheel combination lock;
the inner door wasn't no door at all;
you could kick IL open II didn't pretend
10 be nothing but fireproof. and II WASH
even that. The FIRST thing we done, OF
course was 20 az a key TO the outside
door As the lock on tne outside coor was
an old fashioned Bacon lock. any gentle
man in my profession who chances 10
read this article will know lust how easy
that job war. ana bow we done A.
may say here that the gentlemen IN my
line az business, having az times good
deal of leisure on their hands. DO consid-
erable reading. and are particularly fond
Of neat bit of writing In fact, in the
way OF litera ture. / have found among
'em--however. this being digression- l
drop IL, and go ON with the main job
again.
This was our plap: After tho key was
fitted I wss To so into The bank. and Jim
that wasnt his name. of course. hut let
81 pass-was 20 keep watch on the out
side When any one passed he was 10
Tip me whistle. and then | dcused the
glim and lay Tow; after they got by.
goes on again Simple and easy. You see.
Well, The night as W selected the presi-
dent happened to be out OF town; gone
down 10 the city az he often did. ] got
inside all right. with a slide lantern. a
breast drill n small steel jimmy a bunch
OF skeleton Keys and green haize bag,
TO stow the swag. fixed my light and
rugged my breast drill and got 10 work
on the door right over the lock.
Probably "A great many OF your readers
are not SO well posted as me about bank
locks, and | may say for them that a
three wheel combination lock has three
wheels in IL. and a slot In each wheel
in order TO unlock the door. you have
no get the three slots opposite each other
nt the top OF the lock. OF course II you
KNOW the number the lock IL set on you
can do this: but II YOU don't you have to
depend on your ingenuity. There Is I'm
each OF these wheels small hole, through
which you can put wire through the
back Of the lock when you change the
combination Now. II you can bore
hole through the door and pick
mp those wheels by running wire
Through those holes. why. you can open
the door. ! hope | make myself clear.
WAS boring that hole The door was
chilled iron: about the neatest stun
ever worked on. / went on steady enough.
only stopped when Jim which. as J said.
/, wasn't his real name-whistled outside;
0nd the watchman toddled by. BY and
ny. when Ia got pretty near through.
heard Jim-so 10 spcak-whistle again. l
stopped. and soon | heard footsteps out
ride and I'm blowed IL they didn't come
right up the bank steps and / heard the
when heard that that you could have
slipped the bracelets right on me. ! picked
up my lantern. and I'll be hanged If |
didn't let the slide slip down and throw
she Light right onto the door. and there
was the president. Instead Of calling for
help. as | supposed he would, he took n
Wep inside the door and shaded his
eyes with his hands and looked at me. [
knowed oiight 20 knock him down and
al r i 4
that surprised.
';Nho are your says he.
..Who are your says 7. thinking that
MAS an innocent remark as he commenced
II. and a-trying All the time TO collect
myself.
"rn preslden, OF the bank SAYS he
kinder short something the matter with
the lock-"
Bx George the idea came 10 me then
''Yes sir. says. touching my cap;
mir. Jennings. he iclcgraphcd this morn
4ng as the lock was out ~ order and he
couldn't get IN and I'm come on 10 open
81 for him
Il told senniDgs week ago" says he
''tha, nc ought to gel that lock GScd
Where iS hc."
Hes been a-writlng letters. and he's
gone np 20 his house 10 got another let
Ter ne wanted for TO answer"
-Nel, why don't you SO right on
Gays he
'rrc got almost through says 7. and
difi't want 20 tinish up arc open the
vault till there was somebody here
That's vcrs cfedi.ablc ~ You" SAYS
hc; "a very proper senHraeut. my man.
You can't. hc goes on. cnming round by
sho door, "be too particular about avoid
sne the very suspicion ~ evil.
No sir" says 7, kinder modest ike.
s.Vhat do You siippusc Is The matter
With tho lock SAYS hc.
II dpn' rightly know yct' says nut
! rather think its little wore ON &C.
count OF moi being 'iird enough ThcSc
'ere locks ought 70 o. oiled about once a
Welt SAYS he "yon might as well 90
right nn now m hero. b VIII stay tul
Iennlugs rOmes Can't I help you-hOd
,oim lantern. or something 90 that sort
Tile Thought came 60 mc Ike Hash.
and turned around ana SAYS.
How 10 know you rc tle president y
7 ain ever seen you aforc. snd You may
be a.trting 60 crack th!s bank. lor all 1
know -
That's very proper inquiry my
man. rnys he. and shows - most re-
rnarkatie degree ~ diecr ton 4 cOnfSsg
that ! should noi have tnought az the
pcr'uon in whith was piacinc you.
foucver can easily convince ynl that
80. Ill .I.I.