Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-08
PROS COT 1913 IN 8 MINUTES
Neat Trick Vas Turned at ". r. Frank
Produce Company Warehouse
Last Night
AMATEURS WRECKED THE PLACE
Burton's Safe Was Unlocked but They
Blew it Into Scrap Iron Without
Investigating

Two gangs Of safe crackers are Al
work IN Salt Lake.
one is composed Of greenhons: the
other Of experts or professionals
This much was demonstrated since
last midnight when two safes In this
city were blown open.
From one the robbers got nothing
The safe was unlocked but they l6
not take tho trouble to determln,
whether IL was or not. From the othe,
safe they secured S9Sl5 Both case,
were reported to the police shortly aftel
Z o'clock this morning and detectives
are working on them
ABSOLUTELY WRECKED.
The first cracking job reported oc.
CURED at the Burton Coal company
Office on Fifth South and Third West.
The gates leading to the office building
were prIed open with "a Jimmy" and
entrance to the office was gained by
breaking open rear window. The
robbers drilled a large hole dowr
through the top of the safe. and with
the use Of a tin funnel they filled the
hole with powder and touched II on.
The report OF the explosion was heard
for some distance around and people
residing in the neighborhood Informed
inc police that IL happened about
o'clock. No particular attention was
paid to II, and residents In the neigh
borhooi did not know what Il was UNI
III the Office was opened this morning
about z o'clock, and the safe found "a
be- a complete wreck The door was
blown - pieces and the safe absolute
ly ruined.
SAFE WAS UNLOCKED.
II the cracksmen had only taken tho
trouble to investigate they would have
found the safe unlocked, There was nc
money III Il and nothing else Of value.
50 the robbers got nothing for their
pains. No clues whatever were left be-
hind by the cracksmen.
While the officers We're discussing the
matter az police headquarters, the tele-
phone bell rang, and word came from
the W. +. Frank Produce company, l2-
west First South that their safe had
been blown open and S9S.1j taken.
Sergt Eddngtoa at once made an in
vestigation, and later the premises
were examined by detectives.
This Job was done by pros" They
understood their business aud knew it
thoroughly
MADE A GOOD JOB OF 1T.
They first secured punch. some
chises ana a sledge hammer from
blacksmith shop. Next they pried open
a rear window. after first cutting the
screen. once inside, the back ddor
was unbarred. The men then went
10 the front Office, where the cafe sets
Immediately next 60 the window ana
almost on the sidewalk A dozen or
so sacks and three sacks OF apples were
piled In front Of the safe and on tor
OF It to mufne the sound OF the cx-
plosion. With The slcdge hammer tho
combination dial was Knocked on, and
powder was Inserted IN the hole thus
made, a fuse was attached and the
hole plugged up with soap. The OK
ploson was not heard By any one. The
locks IN the combination were shat
tered and the door swung open. A
typewriter within three feet Of the safe
was not even scratched The inside
money box TO tho safe was then
smashed open, and the contents taken.
II is estimated by the police that tho
fob did not take 1--WE minutes. Tho
tools used by the cracksmen were found
by Sergt Bddington. There were
tho hammer, the soap. the chscls and
the punch The books and pepars were
not touched. The thieves took cash
only.
DONE EALY THIS MORNING.
'Busiress was not very good yoster.
day. said Mr. Frank this morniug
"and our receipts were not az large as
usual. I intended taking the money
60 the bank but was detained, and
when ! went TO the bank / found l
was just a few minutes late. re-
turned the money 20 the SAFE After
the theater last night came back here,
and am satisfied that the Job was done
after midnight"
From the work done on the two safes,
the police are certain that there were
two gangs operating here last night.
The Burton Job was done by men who
did not understand the business, they
say, while the fob AZ Franks place was
the work Of experts