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  1. #1
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    Apr 2015
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    Country: United States

    Default Early 1850s "Burglar-proof" safe designed by Auburn prison inmate

    I'm researching a notable 1850s-1870s American bank robber and forger, James Buchanan Cross. In 1852, he was imprisoned at Auburn State Penitentiary (New York), but was freed after forging his own pardon papers. Years later, in 1857, an article about him claimed: "When in Auburn he made a burglar-proof safe, and gave it to one of the keepers, who brought it to New York and obtained a thousand dollars for the patent."

    Those are the only known details. Can anyone point me to some possibilities for the safe brand or model? Cross's fame came as a forger, but the National Police Gazette says he started out as the best "screwsman" in the USA and England.

    Jerry Kuntz
    Warwick NY

  2. #2
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    Oct 2009
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    I have done a considerable amount of patent research including the decade of the 1850's and the name does not ring a bell. Linus Yale Jr. did patent a burglar chest around 1856? There certainly was a fair amount of activity in the 1850's but I need a bit more to go on. And then again it could have been embellishment in the story. That has been known to happen happen. I will look through the patent index to see if anything jumps out. Doug

  3. #3
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    Apr 2015
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    Thank you, Doug. Yes, it could be an embellishment. While in Auburn Prison, Cross did work in the "hame shop" (carriage hardware), so he might have been given access to some tools. The only other clue I've come across is that shortly after one of Cross's bank robberies in 1856, an ad appeared for Lillie's Patent Chiseled Iron Safes and Bank Locks. All news reports of the robbery said $9000 was taken, but only Cross's own account and this ad claimed that $11,000 was taken.

  4. #4
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    Oct 2009
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    Lillie's patent is too early as was Yales. What I have found in safe burglary patents are a Blake NY 1852 patent, Goffin NY 1854 and Holmes and Butler NY 1856. Do you know when Cross got out because that would narrow it down, if this happened when he still in prison?

  5. #5
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    Apr 2015
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    Cross was in Auburn from November, 1852 to August, 1853 (under the unlikely name "Francis B. Edymoin"). So I think any patent dated 1852 or earlier would not be a candidate for Cross' alleged invention. Jerry

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