davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20


The fact that banks were always
more or less in danger from their own
tenants still survives as one of the
reasons why modern banking Dunulngs
are one-story structures. with no other
tenants than the bank themselves.
The bank buildings erected i'm the
past few years" 10 quote a recent re-
mark of Philip Sawyer of the New
York firm of architects, who originated
the single-story banking structure, ARE
practically impregnable; that is their
construction is such that nothing short
of a wrecking outfit with unlimited
time and al the tools and explosives in
existence could break into the strong
boxes. That any craftsman should
successfully attempt such a feat is
nowadays an utter impossibility. To
begin with, he would have to escape
the outside and inside watchmen, the
patrol and the electric appliances.
And If this could be done there would
still remain the vaults which open
only by time locks. and would be a nut
that no living man or band of men
could crack in a month, much less a
few hours.
Architects do not design the safes
and vaults. OF course. And the chief
safety idea in these new buildings,
aside from their distinctive architec-
tural character, is the one-story struc-
ture occupied by the henk or trust
company alone, thus absolutely doing
away with the time-hopored scheme Of
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

ting on the bank steps with the regu-
lar Waterman. And he was a surpris-
ingly agreeable companion, the new
conner: evening after evening he told
the watchmen stories and sang them
songs that kept the whole party in a
gale of merriment. Meantime the bar
Der and his two brothers" under COW
er Of this outside diversion. were slow
ly cutting their way through the wall
and into the back of the vault that
stood next to it. The job was long and
tedious-noNadays it would have been
impossible, for so important a yaule
would not back up against any parti-
ton whatever; but when il was fin
ished the rogues were many thousand
dollars richer, to say nothing of what
they had made honestly by shaving
their patrons. among them some of the
officials of the very bank against which
their secret labors had been success
fully directed.
IN another famous robbery. con-
Quoted along much the same lines. the
thieves lived, for several of the months
that are spelt with an r, as peaceful
oyster dealers. working up a paying
trade in the harmless bivalves in the
basement Of the banking building and
directly under the vault.
In another case II was a dentist in
stead OF a barber who hired roOl1s
over the bank. and even filed teeth
Tor some Of its unsuspecting officials,
LnuS. ons nnlznt kax- EextoEin& ia ad-
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

was dangerous business to rent them,
however seemingly honest and indus
trious might be the prospective ten
ant.
Some of the stories Of bank robber-
les that may still be remembered by
newspaper readers of hardly more than
two decades ago read like fiction of the
most sensational character. They are
however, actual criminal history and
afford many picturesque examples of
the fact that truth Is sometimes strang-
er than fiction. Take, for example, a
barber shop, which runs I'm this wise:
"A stranger ia town once appeared
before the cashier Of an eastern bank
and announced his intention of OPEN
ing a barber shop. He had noticed
that the institution had a couple OF
rooms 10 let in the second story and
wished 10 hire them, using one as a
shop and living in the other. an ar
rangement that the bank saw no rea-
son 10 object 10. In due time the bar
Der shop was not only opened, but
prospered- The barber felt he could
afford TO invite his two brothers to
como and make him visit, and the
brothers took lodgings near the bank
and spent their evenings regularly in
the industrious BARRIERS company.
About the same time another strang-
er, also friend Of the successful bar
Der, came TO the city and took lodg-
ings ~ q hotel opposite the bank. He
soon formed the habit of crossing the
street OF summer evening and sit
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20
~ INGENIOUS SCHEMES OF BURGLARS
no means epidemic. %
said an old bank Official the other

ffA LTHOUGHby no means epidemic,
said an old bank official the other
day, "the number of safes that
have lately been broken open in stores
and offices in enough to make the old
fellows in the banking business recall
type of criminal who used to occa-
sion US a good many uncomfortable
forebodings for our own strong boxes.
Nowadays. however. the bank. burglar
Is practically ancient history so faI
as the cities and larger towns are
concerned"
The bank burglar, during the period
when ne fiourished most abundantIy
and successfully, was undoubtedly one
or the cleverest OF all criminals-a very
aristocrat of crime. in fact. who had
little personal association with less inn
portant and capable iawbreakers. In
working TO gain dishonesty a large
sum or money at one fell swoop he oft
en- proved his ability 10 make an hon
est living If he had been contented
with slower progress. for many of the
famous bank robberies in the last half
OF the ninteenth century proved that
the perpetrators could not only crack
a crib" very successfully, but could
build up very pretty business in
some legitimate walk OF life simply
as a means of cOncealing their real
purpose. II a bank had rooms TO let.
either above or below the vault, il
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

vance some of the gold which he and
his companions later successfully ex-
tracted from its supposed strong box
eS.
And in yet another instance the
room adjoining the vault was turned
into shoemaker's quarters, where the
disguised cracksmen cheerfulIy cobbled
all day and then spent a portion of
each night slowly worming their way
into the bank.
Despite the great number of success
ful burglaries OF this kind-and from
ABOUT 1850 TO the last decade Of the
century they were almost too numerous
TO mention-the number of unsuccess-
ful attempts was very much greater.
The bank rObber was not always as
smart as he thought himself. and he
by no means invariably succeeded in
opening safe even when he had all
night TO do il in. Sometimes the safe
fofled him, more frequently the gang
was Interrupted before IL had been Civ
en- d fair chance" at the vault at ali:
and at other times the sound OF the ex-
plosion made III blowing a lock off. or
bursting steel doors in, aroused outside
suspicion. The story is told of one
gang of robbers who so completely mis-
judged the amount of explosive neces-
sary TO open a safe that they not only
nearly wrecked the whole bank build
ing itself. but woke up everybody in the
neighbOrhoOd- In the great majority
OF cases, IL TACT the burglars We're I'M
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

successful, although as in other profess
sions the most expert among them
made comparatively few failures
One of the most picturesque Of
American bank robberies occurred in a
good sized eastern city, where, even if
officials were still as gullible. the mod
ern safeguards OF bank vaults TO say
nothing of the practical and moral
value of such Institutions as the Bank
ers' Protective association, would now
adays unquestionably prevent a sim
liar occurrence.
IN this case the cashier was ap-
preached late in the afternoon by a
stalwart policeman, who demanded an
audience in the name of the local chief.
Naturally the audience was granted
and the stalwart officer explained that
the authorities had discovered a pro-
posed attempt TO rob the bank that
very night. The robbers. however, were
unknown. and ii was desirable to catch
them red-handed; to this end the chief
suggested that a detail OF his men be
secretly admitted to the bank just aft
er shutdown, and concealed there until
the robbers entered and began opera
tions. This seemed so good a sugges-
ton that the bank officials agreed TO il
promptly The policemen were quietly
admitted, one after another. by the
regular Waterman; then, having over
col&e and gagged their hosts. they
quietly burst open the vault and made
of with its treasure.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

cracksmen who rent rooms for legiti-
mate business in a bank building and
then put in shifts at night burrowing
INTO the vaults. 1t is one more safe
guard added to number of others"
In addition 10 this isola ton the mod
ern vault depends not only on its own
strength, which the skill OF the old
time expert criminal often proved a
very weak straw indeed TO lean on but
also on various electrical cOntrivances
that make il impossibIe TO approach
within striking distance of the vault
without giving an alarm in several
quarters, among them, of course. the
nearest police station
Probably no criminal ever proved on
society under a greater number of dis
guises or carried on successfully a
greater number of honest occupations
in order to further a dishonest one
than has the expert craftsman. To-
ward the closing years of the civil war
robbers in New Hampshire declared
themselves to be confederate soldiers.
acting under Orders-a disguise which.
10 the honor OF the southern states. was
effectively disposed of by the capture
of the robbers. And in cases too
numerous 10 mention the bank burglar
has been successful IN passing himself
on unsuspecting communities as a
gentleman" OFTEN, IN fact, if he had
not elected 10 be THIEF. he would UNI
doubtedly have made a good living az
an actor-Baltlmore Herald.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20
rS1SRA RIIkEanG- MANC/NrohlARnET5

inside comes from Vermont The
sandstone employed i'm construction is
Utah product. durable material.
The government has been Kept ap-
prised of the progress made by photo
graphs which we have been required to
send to Washington once every month
since work began"
City's New Public Library.
Salt Lake will have in her new IL
brary a building such as few cities in
the west can boast, said Architect f.
A. Hale, supervising the construction
of the public library on State street,
near Brigham.
In the east, structures of this ornate
style are common, nothing is thought
of their erection. In the west. how
ever, generally speaking. examples of
this architecture are rare / expect
that the library will be ready for oc-
cupancy by next September. Certain
ly up TO date we have made as much
progress as had ever been thought pos
sible in our plans.
Steel trusses for the roof structure
were put in place this week, and roof
ing begins at once. The cost of the
new library complete viii be in the
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

Before many months have passed.
Salt Lake will have come into posses
sion of three of the finest buildings yet
designed for erection in this city. They
are, in date Of cOmpletion-the new Y.
NJ. G. A. building the federal and the
new library buildings
The former structure will, it is ex-
pected, be ready to open early next
spring, probably the latter part of
March The federal, or as il is more
generally known, the new pOstOftice
building, will be ready for occupancy,
Contractor Archibald Campbell sprom-
ises, by the middle or latter part Of
July. 1905 The library building will
probably be ready for formal opening
six weeks later.
The three buildings will represent
when completed. nearly $4,000 I'm in
vested capital, not including value Of
sites.
Work on the federal building began
in the spring of 1902. while ground was
broken for the library and Y. NJ c. A.
buildings the early part of this year.
The approximate cost Of the govern
ment building is to be 100000. Of the
Y NJ. c. A. structure 500, 900, and Of the
library $50, 090.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

ing will be by the main entrance on
State street. The doors open into a
large lobby, with the general Offices
just beyond. From his place in the
Office the clerk can see Just where each
person coming into the building goes
The lunch room, which has proved
a popular feature of association work
wherever tried, will be located on the
main floor. Patrons will be served light
luneheons and short orders winter and
summer.
''On the second floor will be ten Of
the bachelor quarters, as we'll as COM
mittee rooms and the first floor of the
auditorium. The gallery Of the audi
forum viii De located on the third
floor. Thirty-two bachelor apartments
will also be on the top story. The hand
bali court will be on the east end di-
rectly over the gymnasium. An i'm
mense sl1ylight and overhead arc Will
furnish light in the court. which is to
be 20X20x12 feet.
There has never been a Y. NJ. C
A. building erected but what outerev
its quarters within FIVE years and.
largely on account Of this fact. the
building was planned for seven sto-
ries-'
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

The late winter has been OF much
aid to the contractors in rushing work
ahead, and all Of the buildings will
meet the first storm with roofs.
Progress of Federal Building.
I'VE are ready 10 begin plastering
and to go AT the interior marble and
woodwork at once" said Contractor
Campbell. who Is putting uD Uncle
Sans structure on lower Main street.
While il is difficult TO say exactly
when the building will be ready to
turn over TO the government, believe
that It Will be about the latter part
OF next July. In fact, if necessary, the
building can be made ready for occu-
pancy. as far as the postal department
is concerned. by June l. the original
time limit provided I'm the contract. The
postofiice will occupy both the lower
floor and the basement, and these
should be completed by the earlier date.
There are about forty men employed
on the building at present Each gang
gives way of course in turn to another
as the work of construction progresses.
We are practically under roof. and in
terror finishings Will be commenced at
once. The marble TO be used on the
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

neighbOrhood Of $4,000.
"Oolite has been used for construc-
ton purposes. This comes from SAN
pete county, and is well adapted to the
architectural design. The library build
ing Will afford adequate space for its
purpose for a long time to come"
New Y. M. c. A. Building.
We expect to go into our new
building about the LIST of April said
Secretary Oscar l.. Cox of the local
branch organization, when asked con-
corning the progress made on the three
story brick and granite strueture at
state and First South streets.
I'VE are practically under roof. hay
ing been given an excellent show by
the good weather to rush work. The
Y. NJ. c. A. building throughout its
three stories and basement will be fire.
proof. In every particular great care
has been used TO employ the latest i'm
provements. The building itself is be-
ing erected on supports capable of sus-
tanning seven stories, and the extra
four may be added at any time by the
mere tearing away of the false roof
and cornice.
In many features the new Y. NJ. c.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

A building will be without an equal
IN the west, and it will be the peer
OF the very latest of its size in the
east. one of the innovations to be
introduced Will be the bachelor apart
ments, of which we viii have forty
two. These quarters win be rented
70 members at moderate rates. The
idea is not new in eastern Y. Nj. G
A. buildings. where it has been tried
with marked success.
Swimming Pool and Gym.
In the basement of the building will
be the swimming pool, 60x20 feet, with
a depth ranging from to feet. The
floor and sides OF the tank will be
tiled. In the basement, also, will be
three big locker rooms containing in
all about 700 lockers. There win be
separate sections for the use of ju-
veniles. adult members and those who
desire lockers in more secluded apart
ment. There will be sixteen showers
in all connected with the different Sec
tons. A Turkish bath department is
to be conducted.
The educational rooms will be
located in the basement. There will be
a seating capacity for $50 persons. A
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20

bread and butter course will best
describe the line of work to be. fol-
lowed out in this association school.
Drawing. the principles of assaying
and engineering VIII be taught with
a course of the fundamentals of
good education.
Running Track to Be Fine.
The gymnasium will be one of the
best equipped in the country. The run
ming track will be Of a pattern such
as no association west of Buffalo pos
sesses. Instead of a straight slant at
the turns, the track Will be of a con-
cave shape. so that the runners feet
will press fiat on the surface as though
he We're on level ground. The degree
of concavity is adjusted so as TO meet
the needs of a runner making indoor
record time of a hundred yards in
10 2-5 seconds. When this speed is
attained, the body is inclined inward
to such degree that on an ordinary
running track the athletes feet could
not possibly strike the floor squarely.
'On the first floor will be the gen.
eral business offices, the social and
reading room and the lunch room. All
abundance TO any part of the build
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-09

Goes 70 His Christian Mother TO Study
the Scriptures, With the Hope That
He May Be Able TO Preach the
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-09
BULL FIGHT STOPPED
Spectators Unable to Get Money
Back Burn the Building.
TRIED TO MOB THE PROJECTORS

Widely Advertised Performance Near
the Worlds Fair Grounds Was Not
Allowed to Take place BY Governor
Dockery.
st. Louis. June G-Incensed over
their failure 10 gee n genuine Spanish
bull fight" which the authorities had
ordered stopped a riot was started In
nm arena near the Worlds Fair grounds
By crowd Of $500 men and boys. who
were unable 10 get their money back,
and the building was burned 10 the
ground The price Of admission charged
was one dollar. -Four men were placed
under arrest by the authorities Of ST..
Louis county charged with destruction
OF property. The crowd thinking these
men were connected with the shoY,
made an attempt 10 mob them, and in
their encounter with the deputy sher-
ms a number were roughly handled
and some received scalp wounds. The
building ls said 10 have cost S2J 900. II
is n total loss
The initial performance Of the com
pany Of Spanish bull fighters had been
advertised widely. but Governor Dock
cry. to whom numerous protests had
been made by humane societies. Or.
dered that II should not De allowed TO
take place
Despite these orders. large crowd
assembled In the arena at the adyer-
tisod time Of opening. Before the reg
Mar performance a number Of cowboys
drove I'm some bulls. which they ran
around the arena in true wild west
style. The crowd soon became tired II
Ibis and called for the bull fight
The announcement was then made
hat the bull fight would be- proceeded
with. As the matadors came into the
ring a county official stepped up to
the announcer and handed him paper
informing him that the proposed show
could not take place. When this be-
came known to the crowd they leaped
into the arena and demanded the re-
turn Of their money Failing TO get
this. the crowd went to the Office. which
was located in small building outside
the arena and began 10 stone the struc-
ture. This was followed by attempts
TO burn the arena. which was an i'm
mense building constructed Of pine.
Bits OF burning paper were thrown at
the woodwork and finally some one
went inside and dropped a lighted
match in a pile Of hay under the arena,
The whole structure was soon on fire
and before long was in ruins.
A call was made for the fire depart
ment. but the single engine that re-
sponded stuck in the mud and there
was nothing to stop the progress OF
the flames. The fire department OF the
Worlds Fair was called ont TO protect
the exposition buildings. should it be
come necessary. but rs the wind blew
in the opposite direction there was no
danger
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-09
OPPRESSION IN RUSSIA
internal Trouble viii Follow the Fall
Of Port Arthur.

OF Port RFNnuf.
London. June G.-That the curtain ~
drawn aeain over he progress Of the
war indicates that important events
are impending or afoot The cXplo-
sions heard ut Port Arthur suggest
that the Russians have renewed their
attempts to remove distractions in tine
mouth Of the hlrbor All kinds Of ru-
nors are current. few OF which appear
20 have any reliable basis
Various special correspondents in St.
Petersburg report increasing depression
in Russia over the prospect of the fall
1f Port Arthur. and say that wild Tee
ports are in circulation as 10 dissen-
sions between the generals and the
highest officials over questions Of POI
icy and strategy. The Daily Mail gives
great prominence so statement from
Russian correspondent" declaring
,hat Russia will stand or fall by Port
Arthur as far as the government
prestige with the lower classes is con-
ocrned.
Internal troubles are inevitable
the correspondent says should the
fortress fall Count IAmsdorfI displays
strong personality, but his position
is prccarious. and he is likely TO be
sacrificed as a scapegoat TO popular
indienation al the way the war has
been conducted. Although II is said
that General Kuropatkin has lost favor
AZ court no change in the cOmman-
dershlp of the army is contemplated.
The ST. Petersburg correspondent OF
Reuters Telegram Agency says that
increasing anxiety is felt over the rest
lessness Of the Chinese troops on III"
Manchurian frontier.
The Morning Posts correspondent
in 81. Petersburg goes so far as To say
that Russia is preparing TO cope with a
serious Chinese invasion.
The Daily Telegraph's Tien Tsin
CORRESPONDENT wires: -Four thousand
Russians belonging To General Stack
elberg's brigade on May 81 attacked
1900 japanese occupying a position five
miles south Of Wafangtien. The Rus
slams were repulsed, losing 200 killed.
and 400 wounded The japanese lost
more than 100 killed
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-09
TWO MILES BETWEEN ARMIES
clq Battle imminent Outside of Port
Arthur.

Chefoo. June 6.-But two miles sep
arated the japanese and Russian
armies on the Lao Tung peninsula on
June 2. according TO hinese who have
arrived here from Dalny.
The japanese are reinforced by those
men who landed at Dalny and occupied
living Ching and also Sanchimpo. sev-
eral miles west Of Dalny. They then
proceeded along the coast toward Port
Arthur On one side of the army are
high mountains and on the other side
Is the sea. from which the japanese
gunboats are supporting the flank OF
the army.
On June the japanese forces were
within five miles of the outer forts OF
Port Arthur, only two miles from the
Russians, which is ready to protest
their further advance. 1t is believed
there will be a big battle at this point.
1t is also stated by the Chinese that
the Japanese have moved their base
from Dalny TO Talienwan. The larger
Japanese ships are anchored outside
the smaller ones inside the harbor.
Troops are being landed they say
from small vessels. apparently coming
from Pitsewo or the Elliott Islands.
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-09
Southern Railway Bulletin.

One fare plus twenty-five cents
from points in Virginia TO Waynes-
vile, n. c., tickets on sale June 9th,
10th and 18th, final limit June 22nd,
1904, account Annual Conference, n.
6. A.
One first class fare plus twenty-five
cents 10 Charlottesville. Va, and re-
turn, from points in State Of Virginia;
tickets on sale June 25th, Goth, eth,
2sth, July 2, 3, II and 70, final limit
August 18th, account Virginia Sum
mer School of Methods.
One fare plus twenty five cents for
the round trip from points in the
State of Virginia to Asheville, n c.,
account Of the annual Conference,
w. G. A.; tickets Oh sale June 9th,
10th, and 18th, final limit ,kIne 99nd,
1904.