Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-09-18
HOW THE VAULT
WAS ENTERED
BY EDWIN r. STONE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.
BY EDWIN r. STONE.

A policeman stepped INTO tue once
Of Messrs Weller ana Stone. importers.
and asked 10 see a member OF the hrn.
Having been shown into Mr.. Weller's
private room, he said:
II have hit on some information to-
day, sir that is very important 10 your
firm. II didn't come TO me in the line
OF duty. sir so haven't turned 1t In.
l lust thought Ia come TO you with It.
We'll what is il? ! won't buy
pig in Il poke. but If your Information
turns out TO be correct I'll pay you
what il is worth.
Your vault is to be entered tonight,
sir"
by burglars"
"Wel. sir. they be professional, but
the story | got sir was that they was
10 be helped by some one in your en-
ploy'
I'm that case we must not appear TO
expect anything. but be on the watch.
How did you get this informationT
zone of 'em blowed on the rest"
"What time is the work TO be doneT
"Along o. l o'clock. SIR
"All right. What's your name"
"Tom Murphy. sir"
well. Murphy, come in tomorrow
and If our safe has been robbed III
give you good tip"
"You mean If it hasn't been robbed?'
yes"
Would you mind lettin' me look
over the ground, sirf"
"No."
He tapped bell. and clerk appear
ed.
Jenkins" said Mr.. Weller. 'let this
policeman see the vault and its sur
roundings."
The clerk led Mr. Murphy to the
vault. and while the cop was examin-
ing the approaches. looking up at the
ceiling to sse how burglar could come
down. and down at the floor to see
how a burglar could come up, he bus
led himself shutting up, for 1t was
after ) o'clock in the evening, and the
employees were going home
When Mr.. jenkins was ready TO 20
away himself he looked about for the
policeman. Murphy was nowhere TO
be seen, but the clerk noticed that the
vault door which he thought was shut.
was standing ajar He pushed it in
until il clicked and then continued his
search for Murphy. Not finding him,
jenkins concluded that he had gone
down in the cellar to investigate
whether the vault could be approached
from that direction. 1t was rather
dark, and Jenkins called. No answer.
Returning. he looked over the Office in
all its departments, but as there were
no signs Of Murphy he concluded that
he had finished his examination and
gone away.
About l. o'clock Mr.. Weller met sew
eral Of the employees at the office and
after telling them that he expected the
vault to be entered placed them in po-
sitions where they could watch with
out being seen. Then the lights were
put out. and the watch began
Mr.. Weller had sofa in his private
room. ON this he laid himself TO wait
He fell asleep. When he awOke ii was
broad day II the vault had been en-
tered during the night he had not been
awake to see. Fearful of having been
robbed without knowing it. he went
out to observe the condition OF his
watchers He found every man sound
asleep. and one OF them was snoring
loud enough TO waken the dead Mr.
Weller glanced toward the vault
There was no evidence that the door
had been drilled or opened He awak-
encd the s!eepers. and each man as be
rubbed his eyes looked heartily asham-
ed Of himself.
-You're pretty lot said Mr.. Wei
Ter an=rily. Il WAS Informed that the
burglars were TO he assisted by one or
our office force. 1t looks very much
as though they had been assisted by
every one Of you. There's no easier
way to assist burglar than 10 go TO
sleep when he's burgling- The door
hasn't been drilled or blown open. and
there isn't any necessity for opening
IL that way when the man who wishes
TO get in knows the combination"
While Mr.. Weller was thus deliver
ing himself he was shaking up his
watchers. When they were all thor
oughly awake he went MP to the safe.
examined IL critically. then. applying
the combination. turned the knob sna
pulled open the door.
rr-t.r. nae sssrrrssa On the face OF
Mr.. Weller and on the faces 81 All his
watchers \ scattered brazen glitter
was first visible. filing the interior OF
the vault. then IL developed into a
uniformed policeman. But surprise
was converted into amazement when
the fgure q Thsmas Murphy. Police-
man. stepped from the Enclosure. lie
was pale from an al night contne-
meut without sufficient air aud had a