The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-27
SAFE BLOWN OPEN
Bold Work of Burglars in
Southern Express Office.
No Money Secured, as the Wrong Safe Was
Dynamlted. Three Men Did the
Work,

Burglars made an unsuccessful at
tempt upon the safe in the office of the
Southern Express Company last night.
They blew open safe but were fright
ened by the noise made by the expIo-
sion, and left without attempting to take
any of the safes contents. The safe they
blew open had less than SIS in money in
1t, so that their reward would have been
slight IL they had looted it.
The attempt took place at 1915 O'Clock
last night and was one of the DoIdest
ever made in this State. Ths burglars
there we're three of them-effec. ed an en-
trance at the rear door, cutting out
enough of the panel to slip the arm
through and slip back the wooden bar
placed across it. They then forced the
door open as the broken clasp to the
lock shows.
The explosive used was dynamite and
SO large a quantity was used that the
door to the safe was demolished and the
windows to the building were shivered.
The explosion shook all the houses for
two blocks on Fayetteville street, and the
noise was heard at grea: distance. $
soon as the burglars saw that the noise
had attracted attention they ran ont The
back way, down Salisbury street and then
down Hargett.
Mr.. Mark w. Croker, salesman at
Mr.. Hicks drug store, nearly opposite
the express office heard the noise, aid
saw the smoke pouring through the shat
tered window. He ran across the street
and looked in the window and saw three
men. He heard one say, Come on, come
on and then they jumped over the
kI1~ hna1r xxynrr
room was full of smoke, and Mr.. Croker
could not tell if the men were white or
negroes. Mr.. Croker and Mr.. George
Badger, who was with him, ran the back
way and saw the men running down Sails
bury street. They followed but lost sight
of the men after they had turned on Har-
gett street. They then notified the police
and sheriffs.
In few minutes after it had happened.
Mr.. Poe reached the office and after max
ing an examination, stated that nothing
had been touched BY this time Deputy
Sheriff Riddick and Chief Mullins had ar
rived and were examining the grounds.
Telephone messages were sent to the PEN
itentiary for bloodhounds, but the pair
there were on one of the State farms, and
the only other pair in the county are at
the county workhouse, but these are
unframed and too young to be Of SER
vice.
An examination of the premises brought
to light the means used in gaining en-
trance to the building. The door mad
been cut as above stated and near the
safe were found two chisels and a brace
and bit. The edges of these tools were
bent as If used on iron.
Mr.. Poe says there was no speclally
large amount of money in the office, and
he has no idea why this time should
have been chosen for such an attempt.
The burglars are evidently familiar with
the habits of the employees at the ofhce
as is indicated by the fact that the at
tempt was made in he earlier part OF
the night instead of later. The eXplo-
sion took place at 10:45. Mr.. Poe, who
was the last one to leave the office, says
he left at 9:40 o'clock. Mr.. r. J. Thomas
sleeps at the office, but had not yet
come in when the explosion took place
The work of drilling for the blast was
accomplished in about an hour.
The police were given the facts, and
all the officers on the force were sent
out or the search, but at a late hour last
night they had learned nothing more The
affair has caused the greatest excitement
and apprehensions are felt that SAFE
crackers who have been at work in the
western part of the State, have come
here