The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-19
MILLIONS TO FOIL LOCK PlCKERs.
Woman With Hairpin Makes Trouble
Tor Burglar.

Tor Bur glar.
More then S.. COO, 900 is spent each year
by various safe manufacturers to devise
contriyances which will resist the
Vaccinations of the professional Dur-
slar, relates the Philadelphia Times.
So far has the science of lock picking
advanced that no ordinary lock Will re-
sist the attempts of the gentlemen or
the skeleton key.
Edgar Poe made the statement that
one human intellect could not invent
problem which no other human intellect
could solve So the supposed triumphs
Of the safemakers and lock manufac-
turers are forever meeting with failure
The lock- pickers are as industrious as
the ock-makers.
The elaborate safe of the time-lock
variety is supposed to be the most diff
cult for the expert lock- picker to open.
There are many skilled burglars. how
ever who are able to open the doors OF
these safes without employing dyna-
mite bombs or other explosives.
BY listening attentiveiy to the revolu-
ton of the wheels within the safe door d
skilled mechanic may judge where each
set of tumblers should fall. si.}
Then by pausng and letting each
tumber drop into position. he is enabled
tc manage even the time lock so that it
will yield to his deft manipulations.
That these locks are easily opened is
attested frequently by firms who have
to send for lock smiths to open time
locks which have become deranged.
The opening is done by employing
much patience and quickness of hear
ing possessed by all persons skilled in
lock opening. rr
1t is very seldom necessary to blow
a time-lock open with dynamite. Only
very delicate, careful handling to open
mechanism is necessary. 81
This statement also applies to safes
of the ordinary combinat ION variety.
The skilled locksmith or burglar simply
listens to the falling of the tumblers
into and out of their places. BY as
certaining the position of each tumbler
he may SO adjust the combination as 20
raise the entire set at once. go - 81.
A good locksmth, of course, makes
an excellent professional burglar. Among
professional burglars today are some
skilled locksmiths who once pursued an
honorable calling. They became so
adept in opening locks in the ordinary
way of business that they finally decided
to open those which We're intended to
be opened save the regular way. y.-.
Usually it is much more difficult to
open the lock of ordinary door than
it Is to open a safe. 1t is thought by
many persons that it is difficult for
lock- picker on the outside of a door to
open lock in which the key has been
left on the opposite side.
AS a matter of fact it is more easy
to open lock with the key in it than
;1lH
moved. ~
Burglars and most skilled locksmiths
possess tiny, though powerful pliers.
These pliers-very thin and Iongs-are
inserted in the lock. The end of the key
is tightly clasped and the pliers held
together by thread screw. When. a
sood hold has been obtained the pliers
are turned to the right or left, as the
case may be, and the bolt lies back,
pushed by it's own key. 70
clever device to prevent the OPEN
ing of a door in this manner was IN
vented years ago by Mrs. Hopkins Of
Middleton. Conn. She placed an ortll-
nary harpin over the door handle Just
above the key. The ends of the hair
rim went down through the handle of
the key thus preventing the key from
being turned in the lock.
burglar operating from the outside
would find that his clever pliers were of
no avail against Mrs. Hopkins hairpin
II it We're sufficiently strong the key
could not be turned.
Mrs. Hopkins hairpin ultimately gave
way to patented burglar proof de-
vice, which greatly resembled the Origi-
nal hairpin only it was very much
stronger. This is another instance of
woman conquering through that univer-
sal agent of women-the hairpin.
Cocoa, Cacao and Coca.