BURGLAR'S HAND-BOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14103, 3 July 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

BURGLAR'S HAND-BOOK.

CRIME AS A FINE ART., Th* American police have discovered a vade-mecum for ambitious young burglars, in which" safe-cracking is treated as a fine art by James ; Hunter, a veritable master of the craft,' in wtiose possession' the remarkable document was found. Hunter,: for! the •greater part of his lifetime, has been in gaol, but, like the ruined/owners of gambling systems one finds at Monte Carlo, he lias prepared a small book Which not only describes: the easiest way /to; open vaults, but also the be way for burglars to escape detection., This work, which is now retained at the police headquarters in New York, shows an artistic spirit throughout. .It has illustrated diagrams, of safes and ; doors and combination desks. In a careful preface, Hunter declares/..." the profession must keep, jiace with the times as regards methods,' 'and,,.he summarisps with loving y.eai all that, is .required in order that' «; fir- : ing youmc bank robbers /may achieve emin- ! ence in their chosen occupation. '-'". .// Courage, sobriety, perseverance, / and, above "'I, earnestness, should form part if the modern burglar's equipment, according ! to Mr. Hunter, and to these things should' j be added a sound knowledge of mechanics I and explosives. . '. : '. I"'.".' This amazing document/is partly written in the lingo of the thieves' fraternity, but mOst of it is in well-chosen English, find almost entirely devoid of terms likely to .puzzle novices. According to the author, "there are no burglar-proof safes, and yet the kinds that are drill-proof are called so by the courtesy of the profession." Hunter chats pleasantly and learnedly about safes and their construction and the various kinds of locks, with i long description of how to . get into ■ safes and ;what powder-, to! use. He concludes that smokeless pow- I der is the best, even better than ■■ dynamite. The only .■burglar-proof safe made, he avers, j is the one placed right up ' in the shop ' window, with licrht flooding it all night. . "Once get a. drill throusrh the safe, then a j little explosive, and nothing can resist us," ..he. wrifes4'^:''>;;:!';!v^ ■ / -.' :; ";'; ■:;;■...'-, Hunter discusses all kinds of safes, fireproof and the so-called burglar-proof, their ! locks, and how! the weak * spots are; to be found. He winds up by giving a formula for sm-'i vless powder. /.;:. At -..present Hunter i:; in prison on a. ; charge if ..dolent assault, but he. says he can prove an alibi.