The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-06
HE PLAYED BURGLAR
BUT he DID IT iNNocENTLY AND
Old IT ARTlSTIcAIlY AS WELL
The Plausible seheme by Which =
Safe Expert Was Fooled and Used
BY . Trfe of Notorious Crscksmca
to Get 1t Their

: to Get at Their und
To the man whose shingle bears tho
inscription Safe Expert" and whose
little shop. not far from the great dry
goods district. contains 4 full assert
ment or implements for the forcible
opening OF safes. the writer said.
Would you be well qualified { play
the bur~larT'
Yes" said the little keen eyed man.
running his fingers through his scani
hair refectively- Il once did play
burglar. In fact, l played the star role
fn a safe cracking enterprise. was
the innocent means by which a whole
sale house was robbed of several thou
sand dollars which had eel taken in
too late in the day TO be banked.
Il was in business then in another
city. ! was sitting smoking at my
shop door about 8 O'Clock one evening
when a messenger boy came with 4
note on the letter paper OF a well
known house asking me to come at
once with my tools to the office Of the
| firm.
The Office was lighted up, and q
portly. prosperous looking man sat at
n roll top desk, while two clerks,
! perched on stools. were working at
some books.
II am Mr.. - said the portly one.
] giving the name of the head of the
! firm. Something has gone wrong with
l. - --- -1,, " ~-2- sc
The combination is G-2745. but some
thing must have broken inside. for ii
won't open. and we have got to get
some books out OF the safe tonight
las / tried the combination which the
man had given me be explained that he
had locked the safe when he went out
to dinner and was unable to open it
when he came back.
ut was one of those alum filled
safes. and l suspected rust had done its
| work inside.
Nothing to do but drill it open.
said l..
"'Go ahead said the portly one, and
don't keep me here any longer than you
can help
with that he turned to his desk, and
] worked away unsuspectingly. There
was dead silence except when the man
at the desk spoke to n or he other
of the clerks about some account, and
the tread of the policeman on that beat
could be heard as he passed the office.
II did not realize until afterward that
] was working u of view of the pass
ing policeman. for the safe was behind
the ~bookkeeper's desk, but the shades
were up and the man at the roll top
desk and the bookkeepers could be
plainly seen from the street.
Il got out my bits. adjusted the
braca. and soon steel was biting steel.
bur the sound of the ratchet was drown
cd Inv the click Of the typewriter. for
the portly party began debating to one
o. the clerks as soon as / began drilling
the safe. When I thought it all over
| aftcrward. it occurred to me that this
wac to cover the sound of my opera
lions.
In half an hour | had a hole in the
front OF the safe. and a little manipu-
lation got the tumblers into place, and
the door swung open.
Here Won are. sir said /, and the
portly man came around to the safe.
Very neatly done be said. You'd
make a good burglar
But the sound Of the ratchet would
bring the cops said l.
True. remarked the man. and,
drawing out a roll Of bills. he handed
me 500.
lis that rightp he asked.
"'Quite right 1 replied. Shall I come
in the morning to fix the safeY
No said he. 4 will have the max
ers of the safe attend to it
"As I gathered I'D my tools the port
" mar directed one of the clerks to
get out the books that were needed.
anG he went back TO the desk.
- trundled back to my shop. meet
ing he policeman at the corner. and
white | was standing chatting with
hin the trio came out of the office.
'Vou can come down an hour later
thH" usrai ~ the morning. said the
Doriiv man as he climbed into q han
sou ihrt hTd rolled up 70 the Office,
AMI shouting the name of q well
hhON FiuD W iut Nllhtl hS puttCo
the donr~ to and was driven away.
BEFORE noon the mex day the po-
Eceman whom | had talked with and
a detective came into my shop.
That was II neat job you did last
night said the policeman.
WHAT | asked. the nature OF the
work | had done not yet dawning on
me.
The footing OF IS safe said the
policeman. Come along
The portly person who employed
me { O open the safe was q well known
burglar who had made up to imper-
senate the head Of the firm, and the
two clerks were c~onfederates, one of
whom had got q place with the firm
to get the lay Of the land
They had taken possession Of the
Office after it vas closed for the day.
and. not daring to blow open the safe,
because that would have made the Do
Goo Suoon doup nm I<ha- %har "a