The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-26
SAFE WORKERS ARE
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Attempt Made to Work COmbi-
nation While Saloon Man
Serves Drinks.
PARTNER DOES DELAY
ACT TO PERFECTION
Sergeant Hempel Nabs Chief
Offender, but the Other
Gets Away.

While his partner engaged the atten-
tlon of tho man behind the bar In Matt
Rumph's saloon Wednesday evening.
Thomas Mcdonald. supposed to be an ALI
! around crook attempted 10 work tho
combination of a large snfe which occu-
pies Il position I'm n wneroom just of
caught In the act by Mr. Rumph, and Il
few moments later was occupying place
In the city jail
Both Men Were Smooth.
Both of the men operated MS though
old-timcrs at the business. Mr.. Rumph
generally keeps several hundred dollars
In the safc. TO be used Tor cashlng checks
OF patrons OF his place. and there was
the usual amount on hand Wednesday
evening. Ordinarily he shuts the safe
and turns the combination around q short
distance. so that when he again wishes
TO open II he Will not be compelled to
turn the dial around more than once.
While waiting on customers Wednesday
evening Mr.. Rumph noticed that the door
OF the wineroom was closed. and started
10 sec II all was right As he did 80 the
partner OF the man who was attempting
TO work the combination called ''all
hands up for drink. and not sus-
pecting that anything was wrong. Mr..
Rumph waited to serve them before GO
ing to the room.
Partner Again Takes n Hand.
After waiting on tho customers Mr.
Rumph again started for the door, and
as he passed the fellow who was doing
the delay net, he was grabbed and turned
he had started ir.
Say said the follow, rs that man
standing at the end OF the bar Ger
man or an lrlshman?'
Mr.. Rumph said something about tell
ing him when he got back. and bolted
for the door In time to sec the safe
worker raise up from a STOPPING position
and attempt TO get busy at something
else Running to the door and calling to
Policeman Moore. Rumph returned to tho
saloon to await operations Oh1cer
Moore In turn called Sergts. Roberts
and Hempel, and then entered tho
saloon. AS he did so the man who
had been at work on the combination of
the safe ran out the back door into
Sergt. Hempers arms.
Other Man Gets Away.
The second accomplce. In the mean
time, had mingled with the crowd of
patrons who had been in the saloon, and
got away but the police have good de-
scrlpuon OF him and expect to land him
ms well. AT tho station Mcdonald pre-
tended that he was so intoxicated he
didn't know what he was doing, but he
was booked on the charge of attempted
and Will have TO explain matters
this afternoon before Judge Diehl.
Men Are Old-Timers.
It is thought that the men arc old
timers. The manner In which McDonald's
partner did the delay act. together with
the attempt to work the combination by
Mcdonald shows that both have been
there before. and probably have been sIz-
Ing up the proposition for several
days Both men have been seen in
the saloon several times before, and
w ednesdny evening they lost no time in
edging their way TO the wtneroom. A de-
scriptlon of Mcdonald will probably be
sent to the larger cities In an effort 10
find out just who he Is