The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-06-14
DARING YECCMEN.
Ways of the Most Desperate and
Cunning of Burglars.
BLOWING OPEN A BANK SAFE.
NitrosIycerin Is the Explosive Used,
and Wet Blankets Help to Deaden the
Sound-M akins tho "Soup" is a Per-
ilous Part of the Business.

[
crate In the country the yeggman, or
bank burglar, is the most cunning and
systematic and I'm the majority Of
cases the most desperate. Some people
have an idea that a common tramp
housebreaker Is a yeggman, but that
Is far from the truth. In nine cases
out Of ten yeggmen are intelligent, ed
ucated men. There Is bond between
them as strong as that which unites
any brotherhood or union In the coun-
try.
There are not more than fifty good
yeggs In the United States. To be sue
cessful the yegg must understand ev-
cry little detail Of the work, because
a slip usually means a life. When
man becomes too old or Is disabled or
for any other cause cannot remain an
active member Of his gang he then ~
structs the younger and less expcr
enced members. In all the time that
l have been connected with bank In
vestigations, says yegg hunter In the
New York Sun, have never known
y
BILE crossed another. and | don't think
that can be said Of any other branch OF
thiefdom. | will explain some Of the
methods used by the yeggs, also some
used by the Investigators.
Four or five men usually make up
gang, and these gangs are scattered
over the whole country, each having
tnnN
gang had the territory between Al
bany and Boston on the Boston and
Albany road. 1t that case the mem
bers would be scattered out along the
road between Boston and Albany look
ing for a bank or posto6ice which may
be easily blown. 1t sometimes takes
them six months or even year to 10
cate the Job and get everything In
readiness for the "touch off," as they
call 1t. One successful job with these
men equals great many small hauls
that other thieves make.
When the job is spotted the gang is
called together, and every detail is gone
over and the plans are mapped out.
Each member looks over the bank, and
the discussion OF methods sometimes
lasts a week. | once knew Of gang
operating In Indiana who were In doubt
about Job and who sought advice
from q gang in Maine. That probably
took three or four weeks. / mention
this to show that they absolutely will
not "turn n trick" If there Is the least
doubt about its success.
After the Job Is located and their
plans are settled the next thing they
do Is TO get the tools and make their
preparations. Common yellow soap.
fuse, caps and nitroglycerin are needed.
The soap. fuse and caps are easily OBJ
tanned at any hardware or grocery, but
the nitroglycerin Is not so easy to get.
II no other method Is available IL must
be taken out Of dynamite sticks, and
that IL almost an art in itself, being a
very dangerous process.
For an ordinary shot they take five
6ve-pound sticks OF dynamite to make
enough nitroglycerin, or soup" as they
call II, for the job. The utensils con-
sist OF two lard cans and Il quart whls-
ky bottle. The bottom is knocked out
Of one OF the lard cans and holes made
all around the sides. A charcoal fire is
then built and the lard can Is set on It..
Then the other can is filed half full
OF water and placed on the first. The
water Is allowed TO become lukewarm,
and then the sticks of dynamite are
placed I'm the water. The whole affair
stands about six hours.
After that time the water IL allowed
to cool and IS then strained through
a piece Of chcesecloth, after which II Is
again allowed to stand. In short time
the nitroglycerin rises TO the surface
and is skinned Off and placed In the
bottle. The yeggs call this process
making soup" Several times II ha
resulted seriously. and I'm one instance
when Il blew the operators arm of. !
led to the capture Of two Of the hes
men I'm what was known rs the +. anG
! II. II. gang
1t sometimes takes rs many rs three
| shots to blow Il safe. -Four holes are
drilled around the combination knob,
! and the nitroglycerin is poured In the
holes, soap tunnels being used. A dy.
; Mantle cap and fuse are then attached,
wet blankets are thrown over the safe,
and the shot is touched Off The men
inside throw themselves face down
ward on the floor.
After the smoke has cleared the safe
is sometimes found ready to he rifled.
often there Is strong box which the
first shot does not harm. In that case
second and sometimes third shot
must be fred Off I'm the same manner
as the first.
In case the citizens hear the explo
sion the men who are watching outside
give the inside men the alarm and en-
deavor to hold the town at bay. giving
their inside pals a chance for clean
getaway with the plunder.