The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-05-23
AN INNOCENT ROBBER

AN INNOCENI RUBBER
To the man whose single bears the in
scription, "Safe Expert" and whose little
shop, not far from the great dry goods dis
trict, contains full assortment of nipple
ments for the forcible opening of safes, the
writer said: ''Would you be well qualified
to play the burglary"
eyes" said the little, keen-eyed man,
running his fingers through his scant hair
refectively. II once did play burglar. In
fact, played the star role in safe-crack-
ing enterprise. l was the innocent means
by which wholesale house was robbed of
several thousand dollars which had been
taken in too late in the day to be banked
81 was in business then in another city.
I was sitting smoking at my shop door about
eight o'clock one evening" when messen-
ger boy came with note on the letter paper
of well-known house asking me to come
at once with my tools to the office of the
firm
"The office was lighted up, and portly,
prosperous-looking man sat at a roll-top
desk, while two clerks, perched on stools,
were working at some books.
I am Mr.. -, said the portly one, CIV
ing the name of the head of the firm. Some
thing has gone wrong with the safe, and I
want you to open it. The combination is
6-27-45, but something must have broken
inside, for it won't open, and we have got
to get some books out of the safe tonight
Gas l tried the combination which the
man had given me he explained that he
had locked the safe when he went out to
dinner and was unable to open it when he
came back.
cit was one of those alum filled safes,
and suspected rust had done its work in
side.
"'Nothing to do but drill it open,' said 1.
eco ahead said the portly one,' and
don't keep me here any longer than you can
help
'fWith that he turned to his desk, and l
worked away, unsuspectingly. There was
dead silence, except when the man at the
desk spoke to one or the other of the clerks
about some account, and the tread of the
policeman on the beat could be heard as
he passed the Office.
81 did not realize until afterward that
I was working out of view of the passing
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.
81 got out my bits, adjusted the brace,
and soon steel was biting steel, but the
sound of the rachel was drowned by the
click of the typewriter, for the portly party
began debating to one of the clerks as soon
as l began drilling the safe. When l
thought it all over afterward it occurred
to me that this was to cover the sound of
my operations.
"In half an hour had hole in the
front of the safe, and a little manipulation
got the tumblers into place, and the door
swung open.
"'Here you are, sir, said I, and the portly
man came around to the safe.
every neatly DONE he said. You'd
make good burglar
"'But the sound of the rachel would
bring the Cops said 1.
True remarked the man, and, draw
ing out roll of bills, he handed me $40.
"Ts that right?' he asked.
"'Qnite right replied. Shall I come
in the morning to fix the safe?'
ono said he, 4 will have the makers
of the safe attend to it,
GAS l gathered up my tools, the portly
man directed one of the clerks to get out
the books that were needed and he went
back to his desk.
81 trundled back to my shop, meeting the
policeman at the corner, and while l was
standing chatting with him the trio came
out of the office.
"'You can come down an hour later
than usual in the morning. said the portly
man as he climbed into hanson that had
rolled up to the office, and, shouting the
name of a well-known club to the driver,
ho la1 Il 10 apH Iriu
away.
"Before noon the next day the policeman
whom had talked with and detective
came into my shop.
That was a neat job you did last
night, said the policeman.
"'What? l asked the nature of the work
had done not yet dawning on me.
"'The looting of IS safe, said the po-
liceman. Come along
'The portly person who employed me to
open the safe was a well-known burglar
who had made up to impersonate the
head of the firm, and the two clerks were
confederates one of whom had gotten a
place with the firm to get the lay of the
land.
"They had taken possession of the office
after it was closed for the day, and, not
daring to blow open the safe, because that
would have made the police swoop down on
them, they had boldly sent for me to do
the job neatly possessed themselves of
nearly $4,000 that was in the safe, and
were across the Canadian border before
the robbery was discovered when the office
was opened the next day.
II told my story to the magistrate, and
was released on bonds to appear as wit
ness when the trio were caught.
''The papers called me The Innocent
Burglar the name stuck to me and hurt
my business, and the police were rather at
tentive to me, so came here some years
ago.
"About a year ago in restaurant in
Park row sat face to face with the man
who employed me to break that safe. We
recognized each other the same instant, but
before l could think what to do he seized
his hat and check and darted out of the
place."-N Y. Weekly.
Usually the Way.
The resident of Podunk was going
to the city for couple of days.
ga few purchases to make Z" she ex-