The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

ago me and the gentleman who was al
tnat Tune connected with me In business
me- met with reverses since then, and at
present Isn't able to go out-was looking
around for a job. being at that time rather
| nard up, as you might say. We struck
small country town. amt a-goin' to
give IT away by telling where II was or
what the name of il was. There was one
bank there; the president was a rich old
duHer; owned the mills, owned the bank
owned most of the town. There WASH t
no other oihcer but the cashier, and they
had boy. who used to sweep out and
run of errands.
! me bank was on the main street pre.tv
Wei up onc end of it-nice Snug place
on the corner of a cross street with moth
ing very near it. We took our obserya-
tons. and found there wasn't no trouble
at all about it. There was an old watch-
man that walked up and doyu the stree,
nights. when he didn't fall asleep and far
get it. The vault had two doors; the OUT
side one was chilled iron. and had three
wheel combination lock- the inner door
wasn't no door at ALL you could kick IL
open 1t didn't pretend to be nothing but
nFeproof, and Ii wasn't even that. The
| hrst thing we done. of course was to fit
Key to the outside door. AS the lock
on the outside door was an old shfoned
Bacon lock. any gentleman in my profess
sion who chances to read this article will
I know just how easy that job was and
now We done II. L may say here that the
| gentlemen in my business. having at
times a good deal of leisure on their
| hands. do considerable reading and are
| particularly fond of a neat bit of writing
IN fact, in the way of literature, 1 have
! found among 'em-however this being di-
gression. | drop it, and go on with the
| main job again.
| This was our plan: After the key was
ntted was to go back into the bank.
ana Jlm-that wasn't his name of course
out let 1t pasS-was to keep watch on the
outside When anyone passed he was to
UP me whistle. and then l doused the
gum gum ana lay low; after they got by.
goes ON again. Simple and easy YOU see
Wen, the night we selected the presi-
| dent happened to be out of town; gone
down to the city as he often did I got
inside all right. with a slide lantern, a
breast drili, a small steel Jimmy, a bunch
OF skeleton keys, and a green baize bag,
TO stow the swag. I fixed my light and
rugged my breast drill, and got to work
ON the door right over the lock-
Probably 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 it. and a slot in each wheel. In
order to unlock the door, you have TO get
the three slots opposite to, each other at
the top of the lock OF course IL YOU
Know the number the lock is set on you
can do this, but II you don't you have to
depend on your ingenuity. There is in
each OF these wheels small hole through
whlch you can put a wire through the
BACK OF the lock when you change the
through the door and pick UP those wheels
by running a wire through those holes
why, you can open the door. / hope I
make myself clear. was boring that
mole. The door was chilled iron; about
the neatest stuff | ever worked on.
went on steady enough: only stopped
when Jim-which. as / said wasn't his
real name-whistled outside. and the
d got pretty near through I heard jim
so to speak-whistle again. l stopped.
and pretty soon [ heard footsteps outside. |
and I'm blowed If they didn't come right !
up the bank steps and | heard key in |
the lock. | was so dumfounded when l |
heard that that you could have slipped |
the bracelets right me. / picked up |
my lantern, and I'll be hanged if didn't |
let the slide slip down and throw the |
light onto the door. and there was the I
president Instead Of calling for hem
as ! supposed he would. he took a step
inside the door. and shaded his eyes with
his hand and looked at me- | knoved | |
ought to knock him down and cut out. |
but I'm blest If / could. 1 was that sur |
prised. /
Who are your" says he.
who are you?" says /. thinking that
was an innocent remark as he commenced /
1t, and a-trying all the time to collect my
self. j
I'm president of the bank" saws he.
kinder short; something the matter with
the LOCKE"
BY George, the idea came to me then
les. SIR says 1. tQicninS /
Mr.. Jenkins he teIegraphed this morn
ing as the lock was out of order and he |
couldn't get in and I'm come on to open
il for him.
Il told Jennings a week ago." says he.
that he ought to get that lock fixed. !
Where is he?''
Hes been a-writing letters and he's
gone up TO his house to get another letter
We wanted for to answer"
Well, why don't you go right on?''
says he
i've got almost through" says I. and
didn't want to finish up and 0pen the
vault till there was somebody here"
That's very creditahie to you'' SAYS
he: "a very proper sentiment. my man. |
You can't he goes on. coming round by |
he door, be too particular about avoid
ng the very suspicion of evil
No, sir. says l. kinder modest like
What do you suppose is the matter !
With the lock- says he.
II don't rightly know vet says L; but !
rather think it's a little wore on account i
If not being Ciied enough These ere 1
ocks ought To be oiled about once a I
ear
Well" says he you might as well go |
light on. now I'm here; 1 will stay till 7
Jennings comes. Can't help you-hDid l
our lantern. or something Of that sort"
Tie thought came to me like "A fash and
turned around and says:
How deI know you're the president? I ,
int ever seen you afore. and you may be
-tryin' to crack this bank. for all I
/
That's a very proper enquiry. my man"
avs he. and shows a most remarkable I G
egree of discretion. | confess that /
houId not have thought of the position in
mich | was placing you. However. | can | !
asily convince you that it's all right. Do u
GU know what the presidents name is?'' Q
NO. | don't" says /, sorter surly. r
We'll, you'll find IL ON that bill, said I
e. taking a bill out OF his pocket. and v
on see the same name on these letters U
nd he took some letters from his coat. {
| Supposed ought to have gone right on | n
hen. but | was beginning TO feel inter Is
sted in making him prove who he was. so ~
says: :.
You might have got them letters to put II
y a job me-. i
You're II very honest man says he: o
one among a thousand Don't think I'm l,
I all offended at your persistence No, u
" good fellow. | like 1t; like it,. and III r.
lid his hand my shoulder. Now. ~
ere" says he. taking a bundle out OF his u
1cket. sis "A package of SiGg0 in bonds. II
burglar wouldn't he apt to carry these II
round with him. would he? | bought Z:
lem in the city yesterday, and | stopped / T
ere tonight on my way home to place y
lem in the vault, and. I may add that n
our simple and manly honesty has so "a
,uched me that l would willingly leave n
lem in your hands for safe-keeping. You Y
aednt blush at my praise. n
I suppose | did turn sorter red when l | n
&c them bonds.
Are you satisfied now?" says he p
l told him | was. thoroughly and so |
as. SO | picked up my drill again, and s.
ave him the lantern to hold so that | p
,uld see the door heard Jim. as l call b
i'm, outside once or twice. and | like to u
ave burst out laughing, thinking how he "
iust be wondering what was going on u
side. I worked away. and kept explain n
g to him what / was a-trying to do He e'
as very much interested in mechanics, | ~
e said and he knowed as I was a man | 81