The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1903-12-12
Bank.Saies and Burglars.

1
stories, M. DuBoisgobey, the French
novelist, matches an intricate plot
which turns on an attempt to break
into a bankers safe in Paris. One
of the burglars was a lady, who, on
touching a piece of the machinery Sc.
curing the safe, caused it to operate
and hold her in its vice-likc grasp,
Her comrade in crime cut off her
hand rather than let her be caught
in the act of robbery; and so the tale
takes its name from the main point
of interest, and is known as la
Main eoupee" (The Severed Hand. ]
1t is long way off from the com
pick and powerful mechanism of the
modern safes, which are constructed
to defy alike burglars and fire, to the
times when man could not trust his
fellow-man, but must needs hide his
possessions for safety in secret places.
There is no surer test of civilization
than the measure of pecuniary con-
fidence which members of commun-
ity repose in one another. With half
civilized peoples like the Hindus gold
is either buried or worked into orna-
ments.
The Emperor of AMMAN has hit on
a peculiar device for keeping the roy
al reserve secure against burglars,
and even against himself. This is
the plan of the uncivilized potentate:
he causes his treasure to be placed in
the hollowed-out trunks of trees,
which are thrown into pool of wa
ter within his palace walls. In the
water are kept a number ofabsolute-
ly incorruptible guardians in the
shape of croeodiles, which will eat
alive any person who attempts to
NEEDLE with the submerged treasure.
When it becomes indispensable to
draw on this novel style of bank, the
crocodiles have to be killed; but this
can only be done with the Emperor's
permission, and after the matter has
been duly approved by the Minister
of Finance.
In the past days in Scotland, when
the "Old Bank" as it was termed,
was located in Gourlay's House, Old
Bank Close, Edinburgh, precautions
were evidently adopted to secure the
safetvef the cash in the bank S strong
chest. When the '''Old Bank house
was taken down in the first quar-
ter of the century, it was found that
all the shutters communicated by
wire with a row of bells in an attic,
which was assumed to be plan put
in practice long ago of sounding an
alarm i'll the event of burglary. This
bank had also a guard armed with
flint-locks and bayonets as an out
side protection.
The Bank of England is watched
nightly by guard of about fifty
men from the Household troops, UNI
der the command of an officer, who
usually march from Wellington to
St. Georges Barracks. They patrol
the spacious quadrangles of the
bank, and do sentry-duty over allot-
ted spaces till the morning, when
they are relieved on the arrival OF
some members of the banks staff.
The officer in command is allowed
dinner for himself and friend, inclu-
ding the provision of a bottle of the
banks special old port. The men
are also supplied with the needful re-
fiction. Besides this military guard,
two clerks, remain on duty all night
at the bank, as well as all day on
Sunday, and these Watch Clerks
must not go to sleep. Their duty is
to move about from building to
building inspecting the various
rooms, to see that all goes well.
Several of the higher officials also
sleep on the premises, ready to be
summoned at moments notice.