Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-25
WATCHING THE YEGGMEN.
These Criminals Are Especially Ac'
tive In South Carolina.

The activity Of the yeggmen in this
state awakens much interest from a
local standpoint; this interest being
brought about because Of the capture
and sensational escape of Tennessee
Dutch" and George Barton from the
local Jail.
When Barton was convicted and
given five years in the Federal prison
in Atlanta, it was thought that the
action Of the gang Of which he and
Tennessee Dutch" were members
would be temporarily stopped, but the
safe-cracking business has kept up.
Then when the news reached here of
the tragic" death Of Dutch" 1t
seemed reasonable that the biggest
link in the chain was broken.
But the postoffice officials and de-
tectives have found out that there are
others working away and are giving
just as much trouble as the famous
crook killed down in Florida a few
days ago.
It is quite interesting to talk to
postoffice inspector about the opera
tions of these criminals, and 1t is in
deed marvellous how these officers can
keep trace and track Of the safe crack
ers as they do.
Inspector Brown, who has charge
of this district, has in his possession
numerous articles employed by safe
crackers in their work. When he re-
turned from Walhalla the other day
he brought with him a little bottle
containing a spoonful Of nitro-glyce-
rine, which the robbers Of the post
office safe in that town had left in
their hurry to get away after bursting
open the safe. He also found big
bar of common soap that they used
In, safe
and several pieces of fuse they had
with them.
In explaining how a cracker uses
nitro glycerine in blowing a safe, Mr..
Brown said that first they take an or
dinary piece Of washing soap and stop
up all the cracks in a safe, excepting
one little place. In this place they
pour in few drops of itro-glycerine,
and then stick in piece of fuse. At
ter lighting the fuse they step aside,
and when the door is blown from its
| hinges they hurriedly rifle the safe of
| it's valuables and get away.
At Walhalla, however, Mr.. Brown
says, the crackers used too much Of
the explosive and the door Of the safe
was blown completely across the
building, and in their excitement they
overlooked over a hundred dollars In
little thread box in one Of the pigeon
holes of the safe.
He has been working on this case
and has figured out the descriptions
of the men he thinks guilty Of the
work. He says there Is some proba-
bility Of the robbers Of the Due West
and Hartsville postofflces being the
ones who blew the safe at Walhalla,
and he hopes to land them soon.
In talking Of the safe crackers, Mr..
Brown says the most dangerous man
is the Taper" A "tapper" Is man
who understands the construction Of
q safe, and by powerful tools can
manage to bore through the heavy
doors and force the finger on the in
| side to unlatch the bolts that hold
the door His work is practically noise-
less, and he usually gets away with
more booty than the robber who uses
nitroglycerine and other explosives.
About twenty yeggmen have been
landed in prison during the past seven
or eight years of operation in South
Carolina, the greater part Of the num-
Der being tried in the Federal court
at Charleston.
Increased activity Of the crackers
in this state may mean that the gov
arnment will have to send some men
to this state to assist Inspectors Greg
ory and Brown in their work in get
ting 1t under control.-GreenVille
News.