The Charleston Daily News

The Philadelphia Burglars Giving the New York Operators Lessons--A Dazzling Howard.

The robbery of over a million dollars' worth of bonds and greenbacks, which was executed on Sunday morning in Philadelphia, and which was successfully perpetrated in a building situated at the thoroughfare of the southwest corner of Twelfth and Chestnut streets, goes far to prove that the burglar's trade is fast approximating to the rank and class of a science.

The robbery was discovered by the keeper of a billiard table saloon, who, on going home, saw that the window belonging to the Saving Fund Society was open. A short examination soon disclosed the fact that the window had been forced open, and that the large Lillie fire-proof safe had been burst and robbed. A small safe within the large one, having four locks, and which contained papers of the greatest value, had been lifted out into the floor, and the lock having been picked, every paper was taken from it.

THE BURGLARS TAKING THEIR OWN TIME.

The carpet of the room was torn up in different places, and torn envelopes that contained valuable bonds, &c., were strewn around in all directions. The robbers had evidently been at work several hours, for it was found that a large piece of timber, evidently prepared for the purpose, had been fastened in an upright position on the floor, near the safe door, by means of iron hinges screwed to the floor, and behind this was a prop, securely planted against this upright post. This contrivance was used to afford a sort of support to the drill used to drill a hole into the safe door, by which the burglars were enabled to pick the lock.

The combination lock of the safe was knocked off, and a hole drilled through the chilled steel forming the panels of the safe door, about three inches to the right of the place where the combination lock was. This hole was drilled to the depth of about three inches. A paper containing powder, and different sized "bits," a large brace and a bottle of alcohol, were found in the room, which had been left behind.

A TEMPTING REWARD.

Of the securities stolen from the St. John Beneficial Saving Fund, about $400,000 were registered bonds, not convertible. The coupon bonds amounted to $150,000, of which $93,000 were 5-20's. Mortgages to the amount of $250,000 were not disturbed, so that, including registered bonds, securities and real estate, the society will have $780,000 to meet the claims of 8,000 depositors. The society offer a reward of $25,000 for the arrest of the burglars and the recovery of the assets. The managers have suspended payments to depositors for the present.

In addition to the bonds belonging to the society, there were a large amount of boxes belonging to private parties deposited for safety. Valuables were in the vault with a Lillie combination lock, which, as well as a smaller safe inside, were bored into with apparent ease.