The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-14
LAUREL HAS
A SENSATION
SAFE OF PosroFFlcE ROBBED
BY cRAcksMEN.
GOOD PAY FOR EASY JOB
Jimmy Men Secure About $50 in
Cash-Work Similar to That
Done Here Recently.

DFither the fellows who did the two
jobs here few weeks ago have
doubled on their trail and propose
working the route a second time, or
else graduates from the same school
are following them up and taking
care of the places they overlooked.
Whichever it may be, the people OF
Laurel now know that safe crackers
are about and mean business. The
strong box OF the postOffice there
was robbed sometime during Saturday
night, and for small piece of work
paid fairly well1
The news 0R the robbery was re-
ceived here Sunday morning, when
Postmaster Babcock received tele-
phone message from Postmaster Fen
ton, requesting him to send a man
up to assist in checking the accounts
Df the office, as the safe had been
robbed during the night and Mr.. Fen
ton said he was anxious to know how
much had been taken from the govern
ment and how much from himself, as
money belonging to both had been
in the safe. In response Captain
Babcock and Clerk Booker went to
Laurel and spent the greater part OF
the day in going over books and ac-
counts.
Primitive But Effective.
From Captain Babcock The Gazette
learned the manner in which the rob-
berry was committed. The tools used
were few and decidedly simple, con.
sisting of spike maui and handle
less pick. both the property of the
Northern Pacific company.
BY means OF the pick the screen
door attached to the rear entrance
to the postofice was pried open. Next
the pick was forced between the door
proper and the frame and the hasp
of the lock torn off, Once inside, the
burglars, for there were supposedly
a couple of them, used the maui to
knock off the knob of the combina.
tion lock of the safe. The pick was
again brought into use and the dial
punched in. Then a charge of nitro
glycerine was poured into the hole
and exploded by means of fuse.
To deaden the noise of the explo.
sion lot of paper sacks, tied in pack.
ages, were placed against the safe,
forming a pad, which muffled the
sound of the detonation. AS the safe
was a single door arrangement, moth
ing stood between the robbers and
the money they were after and they
were soon in possession of it.
r The Amount Taken.
AS near as could be made out the
eracksmen secured about $3.50. or
this amount 30 belonged to the
money order department and s$25 to
the postal account, being for the sale
of stamps, etc. The balance was the
personal property of Mr.. Fenton and
money of which he was the custodian,
belonging to fund raised by the cit
liens for the purpose of a iFourth-of-
July celebration.
1t was evidently no part of the plans
of the fellows to take anything that
might possibly lead to their arrest
and Identification. Not a postage
stamp was touched, nor did they take
anything from the stock of goods be-
longing to Mr.. Fenton, who conducts
a small store in connection with the
postoffice. Hanging so close to the
safe that it was almost within touch
been ordered for one of the customers
of Mr.. Fenton. Tempting as it prob
ably was, it was permitted to remain
undisturbed.
No Clue to the Robbers.
Seemingly there is no clue to the
perpetrators of the robbery. At what
hour it was committed is not known.
! Mrs. Westbrook, who lives in the
adjoining building, said that she was
awakened during the night by the
sound of shot she did not pay
particular attention to the occurrence,
but remembers that the clock struck
two before she fell asleep again.
It is possible that two strangers