The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-08-20
JOB OF AMATEURS
WAS SAFE BLOWING
The Big Box at Mr.. Henry Brad
ley's Blown.
Four Of the Thieves and They Did
Not Get Into the Safe, Which
Contained no Money.
ALL MADE THEIR ESCAPE

An unsuccessful attempt to blow open
and rob the safe of the Bradley Coal
a Grain Co., on Harrison street between
Eighth and Ninth, was made about !
O'Clock this morning by amateurs. The
Job was very badly performed as far
as it went, and from every indication
the burglars, who escaped in the weeds
at the foot Of Trimble street, were no
vices in the art of safe blowing.
About ! O'Clock this morning City
Electrician Keebler was passing the
Bradley building when he noticed
flashes Of light in the Office. Thinking
the electric light wires were out Of order
he started 10 investigate and learned
the flashes Of light came from dark Ian
terms.
.Keebler FASTENED 10 the nearest phone
and notified the police department and
shortly afterward officers Hessian and
Wallace arrived ON the scene just in
time TO see the burglars make an exit
through a grain door in the alley. They
gave chase but lost the men in the
weeds and darkness at the foot of Trim
BILE street.
Mrs. Harrigan, who resides next TO the
building. heard voices and saw men
walking in the alley. She suspected
they were there for no good purpose
and tried to phone TO the police station
but was unsuccessful in getting con
nections. II was only short time af-
ter she made her discovery until the po-
lice arrived and as the three burglars
who were in the building made their
escape she was able 20 see them leave
the building, but could not see plainly
enough to recognize them.
The police think there were four men
working on the job, one being stationed
on the outside. The fourth who stood
watch, ran from Ninth street after cry
ing out TO IN men inside that he would
meet them somewhere on Sixth street
After the officers lost track of the
safe blowers, they returned to the build
ing and with Mr.. Bradley, who had been
summoned, made an investigation. On
the floor lay large steel railroad pick
and heavy spike maui with half the
handle broken off, The burglars had
placed corn sacks about the hugh safe
and knocked off the door with the maui.
In the holes left where the knobs had
been, black gun powder and nitro glyce'
rine were poured, the men using a hol-
lowed wedge as funnel. The force of
the explosion simply blew the front cas-
ing of the door and left the lock in
tact II was here that the burglars were
interrupted it is thought, as they had
gotten no further with their work of
gaining entrance to the safe. g,
One of the proprie'ors of the company
stated this morning that only three
cents in money was inside the safe and
that only books locked in it, so il would
have been little profit to the safe blow
ers had they been successful in gaining
entrance TO the safe.
Chief of Police James Collins says ii
was the worst job he ever saw and
thinks the men were in the primary
grade Of the profession. He is conduct
ing a thorough search for any clue that
may lead to the identity of the men
but no developments were reported to-
day.
The safe is wrecked as far as the
combination lock is concerned and the
door will be drilled open and u pad
lock substituted. the safe being too bad.
ly wrecked to send TO the factory. The
damage TO the safe will amount TO ser.
eral hundred dollars,