The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-01
Safe Robbers Ahead of Makers.

TO lSUo, INCLUSIVE, Iue SatSS IL 1i,'o'
spostofices throughout the United
States were blown or forced and con-
tents stolen.
This was an average of more than
-four safes a day in postofices alone.
If the umerou burglaries in stores
and business houses in general were
added to the list, it would represent
AN alarming toll, an epidemic, as 1t
were.
J. The figures suggest comparison Of
the relative skill of the expert safe
builder and the expert craftsman.
One wonders in bordering over the
harvest cited whether the safe blower
,or the safe builder is the superior at
the present time.
ksaiThe record of p~ostofice "breaks,"
as compiled by the Government au-
liberties, appears to be the best criti-
cisms. Figures don't lie," says an
old adage.
Men versed in the history and hab-
pts of criminals agree that up to date
the safe blower has the better Of the
argument; that he is still master OF
the situation, so far as the tapping"
Of safes go. The craftsman will tell
you so, too, with a grin that denotes
absolute confidence in his art, and
mot a few manufacturers Of safes pri-
svately share his opinion, although
some point with pride to certain high
grade, specially equipped models Of
their art which they term impreg-
hable.
The fact remains, however, that
1ootings are being constantly regis
tered and that frequently among the
heavy losers are banks whose treas
lures boosted of the protection of the
very latest and most formidable types
of safes that money could buy.
J. The most recent example Of this
was the Pepperell bank robbery, when
"a splendid specimen of the up-to-date
portable safe was blown and lore
than $4,000 in cash stolen. Re-
ports that vaults have been broken
into are invariable erroneous. Lar
eenies have been committed in vaults,
fbut not by means of explosives.
|Ceacksmen don't waste time in at
tempting to blow such security
fGibralters. but they have on rare oc-
casions gone into them in the guise
pf sneak thieves.
Burglars who crack safes are men
pf brains, and they proceed with eau
tion. Their methods are scientific.
The major part of their work is real
ly disposed Of before they resort to
drill and explosives. For weeks and
months they study their ground, the
approaches Of marked quarters, the
habits of said establishments, and
even send observing agents in to talk
with officials of banks to get a close
LAY of the surroundings and the in
}terior construction Of safes and COM
binations, too, if possible. A swift
Sglance is sufficient for the "spotter."
Summer is devoted to this study Of
the various zones" which radiate for
bne hundred miles around great
cities, where the culprits are always
Swallowed up until they have spent
the 'swag." the term they apply to
the cash or valuables which their OPP
CREATIONS yield. Winter, with its
storms and long nights, is set apart
6or the active work.
Many cases are on record where
burglars have compelled bank at
.taches to open safes or vaults at the
point of pistols, but the Introduction
of complicated time locks has dis
posed Of this phase of bank burglary
land has added another strong pro-
lection to the now invulnerable safety
vault.
It appears, however, that the COM
gineers and skilled mechanics in fash
looming steel into secret combinations
lof locks and bars and wonderfully
CONSTRUCTED strong boxes Of all sizes,
weights, and grades have been only
partly successful in reducing the num-
der Of burglaries, and have by no
means defeated the professional
cracksman or broken his nerve. Sta
ttistics show that there was an in
crease of 221 postofice burglaries in
1905 yer the previous year. and,
while the other years show slight fluc-
Mutations, the tendency has been to
multiply.
It has been a sharp conflict Of in
tellect for decades between the bur-
glar and the man who makes safes
IA mental warfare which has brought
the safe and the vault to a high plane
of perfection, but the manufacturer
hasn't yet fully solved the problem
that inspired his trade, so far as the
merchantable safe goes.
The shoemaker has, however, thor
pughly conquered the burglar in his
construction of vaults. He has been
able to accomplish this by reason of
the far wider. latitude enjoyed in the
shape Of almost unlimited expendi-
ture and the adding of masonry which
defy both burglars and fire.
, Vaults vary in price according to
their size and the quantity and quail
ty of their reinforcements. Their
cost frequently amounts to $500, 900.
IA contract for n which will cost
lS250,OO0 was recently awarded by a
Boston bank.
The 1857 postofice safes broken
into during the period of seven years
mentioned represented many thou
sands of dollars in cash and stamps