The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17

the doors. the majority or skeleton keys
are doubled; that is, there are two distinct
keys in one. They are filed on a piece of
steel about four or five inches long, each
end being made into a separate key and
turn in opposite directions. that the man
who has four of these practically has eight
keys These are used to open ordinary
locks The thorough-going burglar has,
besides these. another set of keys that are
made very true and have a number of little
complicated notches at the end; these are
used to open all of the most improved
locks. Besides these he also carries a
small pick. This is made similar to a key
only at the end there is a small hook in
stead of the regular end that key has
This can be inserted into a lock and can
throw the tumbler with little difficulty.
is A LOCKSMITH.
"a professional housebreaker,' said
local detective, lis forever studying new
locks and how suitable keys can be made
for them. and those who take pride in their
work can make as neat key as any turned
out by locksmith. There is a set of these
keys here at the police station which in
mechanism is perfect However, to the
burglar, doors the most difficult things
that he has to go against. for often after
the door is held fast by bolt or lock that
is impossible for him to reach and that he
cannot Jimmy it open with his chisel
He then goes TO the window, and If the out
side shutters are not shut his work is easy;
and even If these are closed it will only
tend to delay him a little in his work
The next instant he puts the chiseI I'M
der the window sash; with one or two
quick. hard pressures window slides
up and the burglar is in the room.
His first object is then to open the door, so
that IL discovered he will have an easy
exit. II such thing is possible he will
open the front and back door so that he
can get out either way. If the weather is
warm he will leave the windows and both
doors open. but IL 1t be in the winter
he will close all of them, for nothing
will wake family quicker than to have
draught through the house. After he has
fixed everything so that he can easily es-
cape he will next begin what is known as
prowlng. That is. he will drop on his
hands and knees and commence work. The
burglars idea in not standing up while
going through a bedroom is that If the
sleeper hears noise and wakes up in a
half drowsy state and cannot see anyone
he will think that he has imagined the
noise. After the burglar has gone carefully
over the house he will creep out stealthily
with his plumber
In the days gone by II was the cracksmen
or safeblowers who carried the handsome
and fine tools with which to do their work
This class OF criminals has always been
looked upon as being at the top of the pro-
passion. and 10 do their work they neces-
sarily had TO have a well-equipped kit of
tools. These were often made by the best
mechanics. whom the criminal employed
for the purpose.
NEEDS FEW TOOLS
But the safeblower. like the prowler"
said the detective lis done with tools. We
have had fourteen safes blown here lately.
and all of the tools that We have got from
them ere a hammer. three or four drills and
a brace. This class OF criminals to-day
does not need anything but the implement
that the housebreaker uses and sometimes
a brace and drill. If he finds il necessary
TO use more tools, why he will break into a
blacksmith or carpenter shop and steal
them"
The principal tools of the safeblowers
of course. were their drills, and these were
made OF very fine and hard steel. that
they could go through any safe door. These
drills worked similar to the ones used by
the street railroad company with which
they drill the rails. The way the safe
blower used them that he hal clamp
shaped something like a horseshoe, and this
ut over the combination of the safe and
made fast by n couple of setscrews.
|, Extending from this was a steel rod about
six or eight inches long which called
by the profession the ''old man." On the
other end of this was a short fiat piece of
; steel about four inches long On the inner
side of this piece number of small
, holes into which the ratchet drill was set.
This completed a frame. that the drill
had something firm TO brace II.
The day of the cracksman and his drills
is thing of the past" said the detective.
for now all he has 10 have are his skele-
ton keys and chisel. so that he can get into
, the building. and the rest of his work is
much faster than IL formerly was. for he
now soup nitroglycerin. And all
/ this requires is little putty and beeswax
with which to make cup. The manner in
which the modern craftsman blows a safe
is that he runs line of putty along the
bottom OF a safe door. and at one corner
of this he fastens on a beeswax cup in
L which he puts the soup The rest of it. of
4 course. is very easy, for he simply applies
a match. there is pun and dull thud.
and the job Is done.
Some of these safeblowers use black
. powder or dynamite and n fuse. When they
D use this II is necessary for them 10 have
l a drill. so that they can bore hole right
2 above the combination OF the safe. The
dynamite is put into this. and long rub
Der fuse is also inserted; the outer end
Of the fuse il fixed a cap. which is lighted,