The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-04-21

when train is in charge OF such q
man as Conductor Blanchard, to whom
Is more due than any other person
that the bank at ST. George was not
robbed, as was testified in court few
days ago. A wide awake conductor
will come near to putting of our job
at any time. Is
''The time of operating Is between
midnight and o'clock in the morn
Ing. We time ourselves to begin work
about IL O'clock. Well. the first thing
we do, upon coming from under cover
and by the way, we don't bother to
diguise ourselves with false heards and
all that sort of thing, usually held in
the public minds to take q stroll
through the streets about the bank or
postoffice. We look carefully. 1t may
be necessary to catch watchman, gag
him and tie him up, but wa Gilman
like to sleep when everything gets
quiet, and things are quiet in the aver
age country town at midnight. We get
the tools, and II our keys do not fit
the locks we then break open the door
and reach the safe or vault. Two men
stay on the outside to watch. while
the other two, with an electric flash
light, or dark lantern, get to work on
the safe. The Importance OF the men
on the outside Is shown by the break.
ers waiting on their signal for the
blowing Of the safe. When the holes
have been drilled and prepared for
blowing it Is the men on the outside
who give the signol for the act,
on the principal that If any su,-
piciOus movement of an officer or
ncighb0r has been ruted, the noise OF
the explosion may be deferred until
things again become quiet. The repor,
Of glycerine is sharp and quick noise
which especially commends its use,
for hardly does it take place than it is
all over and il it should be heard by
anybody In the neighborhood, they
soon turn over in their beds and 20
back to sleep, believing tnat they
dreamt Of the report.
IA safe is pete in the parlance
OF yeggman. The two men on the in.
ide get down on their knees before 1T
and begin work. They thoroughly soap
the creviceS Of the outside door, and
then begin to drill the hole for the
cotton, saturated with the glycerine.
The hole is drilled between the CON-
bination and the handle, close to the
combination, first with quarter. inch
drill, then, with five. eight and next
with a half-inch drill. Into this hole,
Is placed the saturated cotton, con.
nected with cap and fuse, which are
hello in place with soap which also
deadens the sound. Then, everything
is ready for the signal from the out.
side. 1t is given and the explosion
takes place In the lock box on the in-
side, breaking the lock and sometimes
forcing the coor Off the hinges. The
operation OF blowing the safe requires
just certain amount, for q too beav.
ier charge CT gycerine might knock
or the handle and jam the door and
give trouble. Once the outside door
is of then the yeggman turn their at
tention to the inside sheet door, which
is called the 'kelster' in the language
Of the safe blowers. This is the hard.
est door to open, and the blowers are
some times at their wits ends to get
on the inside. A hole Is drilled and
the explosive is inserted. Another ex
plosiOn takes place, and probably only
one sheet Of metal comes Off. A bolt
is loosened or knocked out of place
and into this opening another charge
OF glycerine Is inserted. and this op
Grafton is continued until the door Is
finally down and the cash drawer /,
ftfl ID.
The work of blowing a safe re
quires about an hour and a half, anc
immediately at its conclusion the gans
makes off as soon as possible. W.
strike across country unless con
venient freight train passes, never
however, dividing the booty until day
light On the next morning Some tine.
we have to bury the treasure, or 6
part OF 1T, aud the tools having to b:
hidden some times, too. When We
take the train we never ride more
than about twenty. five miles, when we
then strike across country, putting
further dista nee between US and GU,
pursuers. In burrying the tool bag .,
treasure, we always carefully selec,
'he place, making it easy OF finding
upon our return.
"Dodging bloodhounds is done by
attaching small piece OF cloth, sat
urated with the oil of mustard to the
heels Il our shoes. We used to use
vas cline with dofOrm, but the trouble
about this drug is that we could not
get the smell off our clothes when
we wanted 10 do so, su the OF! O!
mustard is now us d to advantage. In
dodging officers ~e have a merry time
or 1t some times being often forced to
lace the music II all depends upon
the character CT the man or men at
the head OF the p sse.''
Mccarthy could lot help but smile
as he thought Of some town marsYals
who have stood In doorways when
tirei upon, and upon the yeggmen get
ting out OF the way of harm, then
hri'g their guns in the air, making
great profession Of earnestne 8, and
vigilance to hold their jobs. McCar
thy can tell some interesting thir g.
or what town officers have failed to
do, but this Is not his business. or In.
clination at this time.
There are many other interesting
things that Mccarthy can tell and did
tell to a reporter Of TIE Evening Post,
which would make good newspaper
atories, but he is now trying to live
down his past and the story OF his
adventures in many States, with their
ihriliir 6 episn deS aud such sidelights
az he can cast upon them. are left un-
% ri ~ hi ~