The San Francisco call., 1909-06-05
CRACKSMFN FELL 2
AND BLOW SAFE
Burglars Thought Winehaven
Pirates TerrOrize Employees
at GuanO Works
Robbers Burst Safe With Nitro
glycerin, but Are Scared
OF Without Loot

. ana sasgimg the night Watchman and
telling a laborer who came TO his aid
with heavy blows from the butts of
their revolvers. safe crackers. believed
70 be the Winehaven pirates. who have
= terrorized the hay shore in the vicinity
q West Berkeley and Richmond. blew
open the safe Of the Office of the Pacific
Gnano and Fertilizer works. Second
and Bristol streets. at o'clock this
morning, after holding the employees at
bay with revolver and bludgeon for
more than three hours
Two charges OF nitroglycerin were
used in wrecking the safe. which was
almost blown to pieces. the doors being
lurled- through the walls of the Office
in the yard Of the works. and one piece
Of steel being shot through the wall
like a bullet and hurled through the
air distance Of more than SO feet.
Not cent was secured by the trio
OF crac&smen. who scurried TO their
launch for safety, after vainIy trying
10 open the strong cash drawer. which
mad become jammed IN the fearful ex-
plosions in the safe.
SO heavy were the explosions that
tne entire west end was aroused and
Miss Julia Everding, daughter of John
Everding, proprietor of the West Berke-
ley grist and mill company. who lives
AZ 1901 Second street gave the alarm
10 the police.
POLICE on SCENE
Policeman Kelley arrived on the
scene shortly after > o'clock and found
ernest Rohde, a laborer ged 90 years.
lying almost unconscious near the gate
the main nrrra~r .r-l,ora
peen telled by the blows OF the safe
crackers He also released from the
box car Night Watchman Rasmussen
Johnson, who had almost cholxed 10
eeath by a heavy wooden gag project
lng from his mouth
The Office OF the con1panv vas -
tie widest disorder, wreckage being
= scattered every where. The safe door
had been blown of by the hinges and
the strongboX ruined. Papers. sacks
used for muffiing the sound and pri-
Nate vouchers were scattered where
they had been hurled by the charge.
one desk was completely reduced TO
klndling wood and other Office fur
nlture was wrecked.
The first explosion broke the bolts
OF the doors OF the safe and loosened
- the hinges, but did not completely
wreck IL. In anger at their Intellectual
attempt the burglars set of an enor-
nous charge, wrecking the Office ana
running the safe, the doors OF which
were blown open.
IN the wreckage. however. the small
cash drawer containing about $50 was
1ammed and resisted all efforts 10 dis
lodge fl. The pirates were just placing
z third fuse when, a. whistle from their
companion outside frightened them
away and they fed for the launch
just before the arrival of the police.
LEAVE CLEWS BEHIND
A light hat. cowboy style. and
small black hat were left behind which
the police are holding as important
Johnson, the watchman, are the only
things on which the police have TO
work except finger prints secured by
Detective Sergeant Floyd.
Rohde caught a good look at the
men with whom he fought and has
given a good description TO the police
The tall man was about 40 years of
age and was s feet in height and
weighed about 200 pounds. He wore
a mask. automobile cap of leather and
a long dark overcoat. The smaller
man had a brown sack suit and dark
soft hat. His complexion was ruddy
and weather beaten, as II he was used
70 2 seafaring life. He carried a small
satchel in which were the tools OF
the cracksmen.
The other cracksman was about five
feet seven inches in height and was
apparently about 35 years of age and
weighed about 1z5 pounds. He wore
nustache and had protruding lips. His
suit was OF light gray material, with
hat TO match.
The Winehaven pirates. whom the
police believe are guilty Of the safe
cracking this morning, attacked the
: Winehaven warehouse month ago to-
day. and In a running battle seriously
injured Fire Chief Mahnkee and made
their escape. Since then the police Of
the bay cities have been searching for
them and only two weeks ago the po-
lice boat Patrol Of San Francisco came
20 the West Berkeley wharf in search
Of them
Johnson is badly bruised. but viii be
able t. work in few days, and Rohde
thought at first 10 be suffering from
fractured skull. was able to leave his
bed this afternoon. The former lives
with his family at s37 Page street and
Rohdes home is at 61o Harrison street