Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-07
HAD THE FIGURES
Boy Phenomenon Was Thus Abb,
to Open Vaults of
Bank,
BUT WAS EASILY BAFfLED
Charles Fiebig. the Locksnaith Tells
of Recent Call to Sioux
City.

1narISS FIeDl2. the veteran lock-
smith. has had many queer and inter
esting experiences in the pursuance
of his vocation. dealing as it does. with
the mysterious secrets that guard
wealth from the hand of the despoiler
One of his recent calls was to Sioux
City, Iowa, and he related the story
to an Argus reporter.
Some time ago." said Mr..
Fiebig. the supervisors of Sioux
City, Iowa, decided to build a
new court house and contracted with
eastern safe manufacturers to furnish
them seven vault doors for their court
house. the combination locks TO be of
the latest construction and burglar
proof.
Found the secret.
THE doors were shipped and arrived
in due time and were installed in the
court house. but soon after the factory
received letter that the doors were
refused. not being according to con-
tract and stating that plumbers APP
prentice a boy of 1G years old had
opened all seven of them without any
effort The factory suspecting that
something was wrong. wrote me to 60
there and find the trouble | accord
ingly went to Sioux City and met the
board and they stated that this boy
had opened all the vaults in their pres
ence and had told them that he could
pick any old lock. This was news to
me as | thought that | had the mon
Opoly on this business and as the locks
were of the Yale make. which is 9
nasty lock TO pick.
Il told the beard to send for the boy
ard he came. | asked him if he had
opened the vaults and he said he had
and that he could open any lock by
pairing his nails TO the quick and thus
gaining a very fine touch | did no.
take very much stock in this story. but
suspected where the trouble was. and
told the lad that he was just the boy
| had been looking for and made an APP
pC!ntment with him and the board at
? o'clock at the court house, as l was
from Missouri. 10 show me. ! then in
the meantime. changed the combina.
ton on all the seven doors TO new
ones At the appointed time the boy
and the board were on hand and put
800 as per instruction from the fact
DRY in the first vault, and locked it. |
told the hoy lie could have the money
if he opened the door.
Thought Task Easy.
He went to work with a will, and a
grin on his face but was greatly as
tOnished that the lock did not open. |
noticed that he worked the Old COM
bination but as that was no good. | was
perfectly sure of my ground, and sug-
geSted after repeated trials, that may
be the next vault door would do better
for him. He agreed, and went to the
next one, OF course. with the same re
suit; he then went after the next one.
and failing there also, he tried all sew
en- and then gave it up as bad job,
utterly crestfallen and the sweat run
ing down his face | then said TO him:
Now, my boy, | will tell you how you
opened these doors. You took off the
back plate from the lock and observed
into what position the wheels had to
come, in order to release the dog and
open the lock" He admitted that he
had done this and committed the COM
bination so obtained TO memory. The
new combination, however would spoil
was pretty bright boy, but must not
| sail under false coiors again as his
| little trick had cost the factory con-
siderable money and annoyance. OF
course, the doors after this were &C
| cepted by the board and the incident
closed -