The sun., 1902-12-27
PRISONER IN SAFETY VAULTS.
:. & UAS LOCKED ~ THE LINCOLN
DEPOSIT CO.'S STRONG BOX.
saved Through the Eject Of . vibratOry
chorus on the Molecules Of the Steel
I.Oor, and Twas Lucky for Him the
Porter Is Reading lp ON Physics.

John X. van Normer, secretary OF tne
Lincoln Safe Deposit Company in East
Forty-second street, returned 10 his Office
after luncheon on Saturday, instead OF
indulging himself with the half holiday.
His self denial was a lucky thing for one
small depositor, who had fingered too
long over the treasure in his box.
Mr.. Van Wormer's desk II near the great
steel double vault doors on which the time
lock is He got back there little after
I O'Clock Twenty minutes before. those
vault doors had been locked and the time
mechanism adjusted 80 that they could
not be opened without dynamite until .
o'clock on Monday morning,
Presently Mr. Van Wormer heard a faint,
far-away moan. which startled him into
dropping a pen There was a repetition
of the moan, and then the banker thought
he heard faint cry for help,
Just another subway explosion he
said TO himself as he sank back into his
chair. and he sent boy out to get brief
summary Of the dead and wounded and
10 find out what particular hotel had
caught it this time.
Il didn't notice the explosion" said
Mr. Van Wormer to the boy, probably
because we are so used TO it, but hear the
groans down in the earth Peter. Hark!
Peter listened. heard the same creepy
moan that had startled his employer. and
rushed out to get the news from the sub
way. But he returned without any.
That's queer" said Mr., Van Wormer
why that moan is gettlng louder and
louder"
Bu Peter. who was leaning with his
back against the steel door to the vault
heard just a suggestion of many quick taps
such as might be- made by the toe Of boot
agains, wall Of steel.
ITS ia the .ault." ne saio.
Mr.. Van Wormer pressed his ear against
the barricade Of Steel that was locked for
forty-four hours and told Peter he had
guessed right the very first time. Hes
praying now" whispered MIR Van Wormc"
sNo, he's cussing He's running his shoes
kicking at the bolts"
There was no real cause for alarm, for be-
side the door with the time lock there are
opening into the vaults three other doors
which may bc opened at any time pro-
viding there is somebody inside To work in
conjunction with someboi on the out
side On the inside oi each Of ihes. doors
there IL a stcei dog, ar c,utch, which holds
all the bolts in place by falling agains, a
lit UP the dog Willie somebody else out-iic
works the lock. The problem was to sx-
plain Ia the stra ger through several
Inches of steel what dog was and how to
manage II.
As preliminary Mr.. Van Wormer il.
Illuminated the vaults by turning on the
electric light switch outside. Peter who
had his ear at the door when the lights
were turned on. said that he heard some
body about four miles away cxc.aim:
Thank God! I'll read the mortgages
once more, anyhow"
Then Mr.. Van Wormer and Peter and
two clerks who had stayeo overtime began
to pound on one OF the dooi- without a
time lock to attract the captive's attention
and get him away from the door that
couldn't he opened ill Monday ilorninR.
Soon the yell- from inside came nearer
and the four men out side heard respon-
sive kick at the door on which they were
hammering
"Lft up the dog" yelled Mr.. Van Wormeu:
but evidently he wasn't heard Peter
yelled the same thing a little louder, but
there was no response.
Now, then. all together when count
three" said ilr. Van Wormer. One, two,
three-'Liit up the dog"
And the four men. standing shoulder TO
shoulder, with their mouths close to the
steel, cut loose on he cho Us But u.
dog wasn't lifted.
Peter, VINO hopes 10 he an inventor some
day, instead of bank porter, is doing
outside reading IN physics and has jr.t got
TO tho chapter on vibrations He exp aimed
that repeated yells At the steel. given in
perfect time, would make the molecules n
the steel hump themselves and carry the
sound waves through ne door Ivy vibration
Mr.. Van Wormer accepted the theory and
arranged this littl. emergcnc; veil and
the four men rehearsed il az the door with
Peter waving his hand to get the rhyi hm
The dog. the dog. dog. dog dog.
lit the dog, ilft the dog. dog. dog, dog.
He hears us, said the happy Peter. proud
! can just barely hear him whistling. He
thinks he's calling dog, Listen to that,
will you"
The others listened and thought they
heard, very family, "liood Rover, Come,
Fido."
Does the idiot think We keep St Bernard.
in there with food and supplies for people
who don't know enough 10 get out when
closing time come5!T Mr. Van Wormer
want0d 10 know.
The vibration theory was worked again
and the quartet cut loose on thi:
C,ptch. clutch. clutch. clutcn, clutch
Dog is a clutch, dog Is clutch. clutch. clutch
Hes yelling ior help again said Peter.
Now, will you listen 10 that He saws the
dog amt clutch,nc him. bat he wants To get
out, just the same.
Mr. Van Wormer then wrote out these
instructions and had four copies struck of
or the mann folder 10 that each of the quar-
tet could have onc ,,IG all sing il % GET her
MIR. Van Wormer j. a fnU barytone, Peter il
strong on bass. and the clerks are a likely
pair ~ tenors. They obliged with the
following. slow time:
The dog the dog. Oh, the dog
HIS latch. 1t Is a latch.
u looks Just like a " Just Ike "
Turned upside down, turned upside down.
And us IN the mii liz, IN tn, middle OF the door
just turn y up. Just turn II up,
And We viii let you out.
Pe,er was vin,. ed. The man inside
tipped up he cog; the men out side, threw
back the bolts and swung the great door
and the captive emerged.
lie SCENE d TO he vexed, so much 40 hat
he tell upon Peter and tried to claw him
But willing hancs pulled him away and
he departed 70 find lawyer
Mr. Van Wormcr told Of the incident
last night.
There was nothing 10 it he said. "The
man was in there less han two hours, from
80 ~ ai5 Hes been saying hat he was
in tirie five hours and that he's going 10
have damages. He has n small box hero
and says he IN the ca estate business.
He was excited when lac first got out, but
calneG down insde of four minutes and
then went OF 10 find a doctor who would
say that he was enaciated and suffering
from his experience
1T was uniortu unae, but not serious, that
~ INarInnERl u lAn ha .a,,l,