The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
iS1IY

breaker and burglar has caught
the spirit of the times, and in
tL[Tsyl order TO do his work as quickly
- as possible and without trouble
and risk has dispensed with tools. accord
Ing TO statements Of the local detectives.
OF course the burglar of to-day is carrying
a few instruments with which he makes
his way into houses. in the absence of the
occupants or while they are enjoying peace
full slumbers; but to carry the elaborate
sets of tools that he formerly did is at
the present time out of the question for he
would run too great a risk. and if he would
have to leave his work Unexpectedly. as
often happens. the expense would amount
10 something. local detective re-
Gently said that he doubted very much
whether he would recognize full kit OF
burglar tools or not If he saw II. for it had
been a number of years since such thing
had been brought to the police station. One
OF the principal reasons that the burglar is
now planning 10 do his work with few
appliances is that the legislatures of near
~ all the States. recognizing the impossi-
biity Of catching men in the act of burglar
izing houses. have made laws which put
a penalty on those who are caught with
burglar tools in their possession. And
the technical term of serving a sentence in
the penitentiary surely as If he were
caught in the act of robbing.
In the burglars kit he. of course, like all
mechanics. had some tools which to him
seemed indispensable. One of these was
what was called the outsider This was
a tool that was used only by men who
broke into dwelling houses. 1t was on the
o-1ar of ordinary fr of pIfere or
pinchers. and was used TO turn keys in
doors. The ends of these pliers were very
small. so that they could be inserted into
keyhole Then ne had also his skeleton
keys. which TO the present time have not
been done away with. Besides these. he
had an ordinary putty knife. but it was
ground down ut the end until 1t was hardly
thicker than sheet of paper. This neces-
earily took a knife of very fine steel for
on the end OF II was cut a notch. This in
strument was used 10 shove between win
dow sashes and push the fastenings back
from their place The next was the instru-
ment which every story writer who ever
mentioned a burglar always associated him
with No tool has been more often men
toned. No fiction ever speaks of a house
breaker without picturing him with this
instrument-the Jimmy" To be caught
carrying one of these without any other
tools is itself penitentiary offense.
To look at a jimmy II is hard TO realize
that such an demonstrating piece of steel
could be the cause OF so much trouble For
IL IL were possible 10 estimate the amount
OF money that this tool. since II first origi-
mated. has been instrumental in relieving
the rightful owners Of doubt it would
be found 10 amount to millions Also the
number of lives that have been lost while
applying this little piece of iron to its work
Is surprisingly large A jimmy is not more
than twelve or fourteen inches long and is
slightly curved at each end. One end. how
ever. is hattened similar to a crowbar This
is showed under a door or window, and the
other bent end is grasped I'm the hand. The
person operating it has simply TO press
down. and the leverage which is given by
the ends being bent is so great that some
thing has 20 give way. and the entrance is
effected.
ONCE A LEGITIMATE TOOL
There is only one legitimate use for the
Jimmy. II is a very important tool for iron
molders, and they use IL continually in
their work. No doubt it was in this con-
nection that the first burglar came to the
conclusion that It would be a very handy
instrument in his business and adopted it,
accomplishing in doing so the downfall OF
the Jimmy To-day If a man who is caught
carrying one OF these instruments can
prove that he is a moider by trade the law
will not be so severe on him. The jimmy.
however. like everything else that at one
time seemed indispensa bic. has had it's day.
No doubt when the law was enacted against
IL the burglars and eracksmen did a deal
OF thinking TO plan something TO take its
place. and. as local detective said he bet
lots Of them thought OF going out OF the
business" They. however. changed their
minds or were in such minority II they did
quit the business that their absence could
not be noticed. and burglary went on lust
the same. What no doubt hurt the pride of
the jimmy most was that the profession
adopted a common ordinary wood chisel to
take its place. The ehisel is OF a rather
large size. and the sharp end is beveled
back a little further than ordinary. so that
IL can be inserted under a window and by
the bevel being deep the necessary lever
age can be had. With this instrument a man
can very easily get around the law, for a
chisel Is not recognized as burglar tool
and when he is found carrying one it is a
simple matter for him 10 say that he is a
carpenter or mechanic and is simply talk
ing the tool home to do some work on
his own time.
The only tools besides the chisel that are
now carried by what the police call the
''prowlers" or ordinary hOusebreakers are a
set OF skeleton keys. These keys are made
20 ut any kind OF locks. and II il were not
for them the burglar would have a very diff
hcult task 10 get into any house by way OF