CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 138, 22 May 1880, Page 3

CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

ItIMW often happened that a verv small matter gives the clue to tlu> discovery hf a crime. There is no more damningfact against a suspected person than the possession of a lew small wedges of wood. This may seem strange at first sight. To own a "jemmy," a life-preserver, or a crtieihle for boiling- down the precious metals might appear, upon the fiieo of it, suspicious. But wjiat harm can there Le in wedges of wood three or four inches long ? They are among the most trusted implements of the burglar's stock-in-trade. One of them placed ac the bottom of (lie door will close it far moreolfectually than any nuuihor of bolts and bars. Force -from outside, however vigorously uppliod, only tightens the wedge, and thus time is given to the nefarioua workman within to make good his escape by the window. This was the rule in inanV of the recent portico robberies and westend burglaries. The burglar entered t!:o room, wedged the door, threw out a light ladder of ropes, his ultimate means of retreat, and then began his depredations. If disturbed, the delay at the door was sufficient for him to effect his oxit. Possession of two or three of tho wedges betrayed the antecedents of a certain Mr. Davis, otherwise! ".Sausage," who was charged with complicity in the robbing of the .Swiss mail. It was an extremely clcv.T job, as tho van was reached while the train was in motion ; it was opened, bonds and papers of much value were abstracted, and before the next stoppage all looked, at least upon the surface, as sound as before. Every effort to get upon the track of the robbers was fruitless; but later on, "Sausage," in. the most undeniable ''get-up," was found to be in possession of certain of thr bonds, which he was endeavouring to dispose of, and he was arrested at Charing Cross. After committal, his baggage, ii~t a first-class hotel, was searched"! ami tho' wedges, together with a n -nt and extremely handy pocket crowbar, were found at the bottom of his portmanteau. This led to further inquiry,and a reference to the registers divulged Mr. Davis's previous career as an old convict. lie was, however, in funds, and ho appealed against his arrest, earning the case into tho Court of Queen's Bench, where the judges, probably with some reluctance, acknowledged they had no jurisdiction, and Mr. Sausage Davis was discharged. Another instance of detection through wedges may be described here. There hail bean a number of iron-safe robheiie: in certain large warehouses in Southwark, and the perpetrators had long escaped scot-free, The method of exe-uiinn was in all cases probably precisely sin;-! :r. Entrance was made by means if n false key, which is case enough to make by the process known as - squeezing the lock." Tins merely means the insertion of a skeleton key, inclosing a thin sheet of wax. By moving the key gently from side to side, the impression of the wards is easily obtained, and after that it. is all plain sailing. The warehouse entered, the thieves, with thick ft ukings drawn over their boots, proceeded at once lo the c.)Uiitiii"!iou«e, wedged the door as already d'e-eribed, ami attacked the safe. Slips of steel, increasing in si.'.e, were inserted by means of a hammer ingeniously contrived. It was a leaden hammer, and each cud was caveied with a thick layer of leather. The leather.] saturated with water, entirely deadened the sound made by the hammer when struck. As soon as the aperture was large enough to admit a heavy crowbar —brought in several pieces to the scene of action by female accomplices under their shawls strength and leverage were sufficient to prise open the safe. These safe robbers long eluded the police, but at last they were surprieed at. their work, and had only just time to make off, leaving nil their implements behind them. Among them were the wedges. Then followed the search of certain suspected houses, and in one were found two or three chairs from which the wedge-shaped ends hail been recently sawn. The wedges picked up in the warehouse were obviously the ends of the chair; they fitted exactly, and were of the same wood. By this means the robbers were detected ami secured. "Were it not for the possible inconvenience of owning such property, persons who travel much, and lodge in strange hotels, would do well to carry one of these wedges wherever they may go. It is quite a mistake to suppose that locking or bolting will effectually secure a bedroom door. A bolt can be shot from outside by means of a knife or piece of wire, the'lock may be opened by a picklock or skeleton key. It is quite unsafe also to leave the key in the lock inside. Hotel thitives make use of a contrivance I like a. siimll.,.ljanil-viee, which screws on to (he,.eiHl' ,, of the key, visible outside, owl \vhic.h, when tightly fastened, easily makes the key revolve in the lock.— Time, for January.