Year: 1868

the manager of the bank entered
the building, but discovered moth
ing unusual until he attempted to
open the iron door of the vault,
which was secured by large pad
lock of such intricate construc-
ton that a few years before, at
the Worlds Fair in London, it
had defied the skill of Hobbs, the
celebrated lock-picker. The bur-
glars had picked the lock, and
locked it again with such ingenui-
ty that it could not be opened.


After various attempts to un-
fasten the door, mason was sent
for and a hole made in the side
of vault sufficiently large to ad-
NIT a mans body. The bank Of
ficer still supposed the lock had
been accidentally broken; but as
the manager entered the vault, a
burnt match upon the floor aroused
his suspicion. Immediately be-
meath the safe he discovered a
quantity of plaster, and, on turn
ing the key, the door swung open,
and lol the safe was empty. Not
solitary penny was left as a
sign of the treasure it had SO re-
Gently contained. The desperate
fellows had first unscrewed the
brass doorplate bearing the name
of the manufacturer, and had then
bored directly through the chilled
iron platings and plaster smooth
round hole about four inches in
diameter, through which the spe-
Gle and notes were easily extracted.


Officers were Immediately dis
patched throughout the country;
but were all unable to ascertain
even the course the thieves had
taken; and despite the skill of the
detectives who were employed to
work up the case; no trace of the
fugitive villains could be discov-
cred.


AS I entered the coach one
morning l was agreeably surpris-
ed to find that it contained the
manager of the bank, who, like
myself, was starting on a journey.
Taking the train at Bilson, we
continued our journey.


AS the train stopped at Crewe
two we'll dressed men came in,
and took a seat Immediately in
front of the one we occupied. In
few moments one of them slightly
changed his position and rested
his arm upon the back of the seat.
His hand was strikingly white
and delicate, and en- the little fin
ger cleaned a chased ring of
peculiar pattern and exquisite
workmanship.


/ observed that my companion
had watched them closely since
they entered the train; and as his
eyes rested on the ring, his face
lit up with an expression of nerv-
Gus satisfaction. Whispering to
me that those fellows were the
bank burglars, he hurried to OBJ
tain assistance from the guard,
and the strangers were arrested
without the slightest resistance.
Before returning home with
the prisoners the manager related
the manner of their detection
Beneath the window, through
which they had effected an en-.
trance, stood a large table, upon
which the dust had been allowed
to accumulate, and in creeping a.
cross it, one of them had left, in
several places, perfect impress
ion of his left hand and a chased
ring, bearing the initials I'D. P"
which he wore upon the little fin
ger. The prints were carefully
preserved and on applying to them
the burglars hand and ring, they
were found to exactly fit the i'm
ppwsion.


Ii is scarcely necessary to add
that they proved to be the identi.
cal companions of the lecturer on
elocution.


In their baggage and upon their
persons were found full sets OF
burglars instruments, and nearly
a thousand pounds.


No trace of the travelling elo.
cutionist has yet been discovered.
but the unfortunate I'D. p" and
his sporting companion are serv.
ing ten years apprenticeship at
making locks instead of picking
them, in the sepulchre of the