Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-22
THE VAULT.
Daring Break into the Post
office at Chicago.
Steel Bottom Of Safe Bored and S74,-
Clio in Stamps Taken.
OF This Amount $67 ago Can Be Converted.
No Clue to Robbers.

Chicago, oct. 2l.-A sensational rob-
hely which n"tted the perpetrators S14.-
oi' in stamps was discovered here. to-
DAY. when the wholesale department
O! tic post office was opened for bust
nc*S. Investigation developed the fact
that the burglars had crawled under
the flooring for about 300 feet. bored a
hole in the bottom of the vault. secured
the stamps and escaped, carrying their
booty III a wagon
Tn" work of forcing an entrance to
The vault had evidently been going for
ward with tn" greatest patience for
many days. II is believed however
that the intention Of the thieves had
been {" enter the cashiers vault. in
which there was S35 1000 in money, and
sands Of dollars.
Thc bottom nf the vault is Of steel
half an inch through. In this. 81 Roles
We're bored until a space IS inches
square had been 50 weakened that il
was possible 10 take out the whole
plate with little difficulty A dry goods
box stood OYER the hole thus made and
concealed The work of the robbers while
il was in progress.
When discovered. today, the finger
marks of one of the burglars were still
dis, ernible on TIE dust Of the box watch
he had pushed 70 one side.
The robbers drove up TO the post
office building in a wagon. the tracks
of which could plainly be- seen. today
To reach the vault it was necessary to
crawl about 500 feet over odds and ends
Of boards which Uttered the Wap.
The deed had evidently been carefully
studied. for a detective who went I'M
der. today. without knowledge of the
location. was lost and was nearly over
come by the foul odors before assist
ance could reach him.
OF the N4610 in stamps taken. $i1l2
We're in postage due stamps and $2O6o
in special delivery stamps. 50 the con
vertible stamps amounted 10 $61 $50
hut Of thes Sc Sass were Pan-American
stamps Of s and 10-cent denomina-
tions.
Post Office Inspector stuart was i'm
medatcIy notified Of the robbery ana
Immediately began an investigation.
After completing the search Inspector
Stuart said:
1T was the largest stamp robbery
ever committed in the history of the
postal service in this country. To get
to the vault the men dug through the
brick foundation wall. and loo feet or
SO further on they encountered an
other wall and this also they dug
through ON the way they met with
a number of pipes. and as the floor is
but two feet and in some places three
feet above the ground, they tunncled
under the pipes.
The wholesale stamp vault. like "A
cashiers vault and the money order
vault. is supported by brick wall In
this the robbers broke two holes. pos
sibly to secure more air. for the place
undoubtedly was very foul, or to have
an extra place of egreSS in case of dis
covery. For light they used dry bat
te,ies. one of which they left behind.
The stamps We're arranged III ~
pound bundles and the weight of the
load they carried Of must have been
200 pounds AS their progress must
have been SLOW carrying even one bun
die through all these tunnels. crawling
on al fourS. ! judge they worked for
hours getting their booty to the
wagon