Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-03-30
RATHER A NEAT JOB.


Ny profession. isn't a popular one.
There is considerable prejudice about it.
I don't myself think it's much worse
than good MANY others However,
that's nothing to do with my story Some
years ago me and the gentleman who
was ut that time connected with nae in
business-he's met with reverses since
then, and at present isn't able to 90 out
was looking around for a job. being at
that time rather hard UP, as y@I might
say. We struck a small country town
| amt a-going to give it away by telling
where it was, or what the name of it
was. There was one bank there; the
president was a rich old duffer; owned
the mills, owned the bank. owned most
Of the town. There wasn't no other Off
Ger but the cashier, and they had boy.
who used to sweep out and run errands.
The bank was on the main street pref
ty well up one end of it-nice snug place,
on the corner of cross street, with moth
ing very near it. We took our observa-
tions, and found there wasn't no trouble
at all about it. There was an old watch
man that walked up and down the street
nights, when he didn't fall asleep and for
get it. The vault had two doors; the
outside one was chilled iron, and had a
three-wheel combination lock; the inner
door wasn't no door at all: you could
kick it open. 1t didn't pretend to be
nothing but tirepro0f, and it wasn't even
that. The first thing we done, of course
was to fit a key to the outside door. As
the lock on the outside door was an old
fashioned Bacon lock, any gentleman in
my profession who chances to read this
article will know just how easy that job
was, and how we done it. | may say
here that the gentlemen in my line of
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, | have found among EN-
however, this being DEPRESSION, | drop it,
and go on with the main job again.
This was our plan: After the key was
fitted | was to go into the bank, and
Jim-that wasn't his name. of course,
but let it paSs-was to keep watch on
the outside. When any one passed he
vas TO tip me a whistle and then |
doused the glim and lay low; after they
got by, | goes on again. Simple and
easy, you see. Well, the night as we
selected the president happened to be
out Of town; gone down TO the city, al
he often did. | got inside all right, with
a slide lantern, breast drill, n small
steel jimmy, bunch of skeleton keys
and a green baize bag, to stow the swag.
| fixed my light and rugged my breast
drill, and got TO 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 l may say for them that Il
tlGce-Wheel combination lock has three
wheels in it. and slot in each wheel.
In order to unlock the door, You have to
get the three slots opposite 10 each other
at the top of the lock OF course if
You know the number the lock is set on
you can do this. but if you don't you
have to depend on your ingenuity. There
IS IN each of these wheels a small hole.
through which you can put wire
through the back of the lock when you
change the combination Now. if You
can bore hole through the door and
plck up those holes, why, you can open
me door. | hope / make myself clear
was boring that hole. 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 namc-whistled
outside. and the Waterman toddlcd by
by and by. when I'd got pretty near
1lfough, l heard Jim-So to speak
whistle again. | stopped, and pretty
S%oh / heard footsteps outside and I'm
#"Ned II they didn't come right up the
4ahh steps aud | heard a key in the lock
was so dumfounded when | heard that
lllt you could have slipped the bracelets
a,-4' r. on ne l picked up my lantern.
@l5 Il be hanged if [ didn't let the
S.ue SIP down and throw the light right
g g9 the door. and there was the presi-
Lit instead of calling for help. az
5foSed he would, he took Il step in
Lee me door, and shaded his eyes with
''' mana and looked at me. | knowed
4'4ht to knock him down and cut out
pfSed. : vas mat '"i
Who are you?" says he.
7gas +" no are youE says |, thinking thai
~"s an innocent remark as ne com
TIi[stu IT, and a-trying all the time 20
e"Hett myself
t;r5 m president Of the bank" says he.
YIN the lock?''
ny ny George. the idea came to me then.
Ms SIR, says |. touching my cap:
nv rI, Jennings. he telegraphed this morn
@ ~ a. me lock was out Of order and he
f get in and I'm come on to open
- tod Jennings a week ago" says he.
Mere is he?"
-a.- ne been a-writing letters, and he's
ba vi. 1b 10 his house TO get another letter
W ~ MED for to answer
sars he. '0i 'ou ~ i'7H' "H
7 5il Ee got almost through" says I. "and
$50 want TO finish up and open the
..~ u. there was somebody here"
h.. ~ very creditable to you" says
Ia, very proper sentiment my man.
-ea SdA T. ne goes GA, coming round BY
\ r. LIT De too particular about avoid
ae very suspicion of evil
w Slr' says [. kin,ier modest like.
v+ nat do You suppose is the matter
n The lpck:' says he.
N Tim. 1ion I rightly know yet" says I:
a.eS,1 rather think its little worn on
p-s 4-il OF not being oiled enough. These
va. -'cks ought to be oiled about once a
r.sY d" e.i,' says he, you might as well %
"a IN now I'm here: / will stay till
III yrr- ~ comes. Can't help you-hold
ia .a1ltern; or something of that sort =
"a srf thought came to me like a fash.
~ turned around ana says:
"a Az" GO / know you're the president
ever seen you afore, and you may