Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 160, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 July 1920 — SEATS ANY BURGLAR ALARM [ARTICLE]

SEATS ANY BURGLAR ALARM

Exceedingly Unlikely That Thieves Will Ever Rifle the National r T Treasury ot, Annam. A Frenchman returned with an account of a singular national treasury Iff Annam. If the story is true—and It presents no essential improbability—the treasury is in no danger of robbery and Is destined to become famous. Now, in Annam iron safes of good resisting power are for the most part unknown, and, unfortunately, 1 adroit thieves are not. To defend bra most costly treasures the native ruler had to resort to some means In harmony with the natural circumstances of the country. Armed guards he could not fully trust. Animals do not steal money, and nature had supplied the ruler with a creature that could not be wheedled nor killed except with a great deal of trouble. The crocodile is such an animal. The ruler would have the crocodile guard his specie reserve. Yet to avail himself of the services of the crocodile he must keep his money in p place where crocodiles are at home. Nothing was more simple. In the Interior of his palace the ruler caused to be constructed a large tank or basin, which he kept filled with water. Then he took several teak logs, whtcb he bad bored with holes, and into these ne put his specie reserve of gold and ffilyer. The holes were closed up and, thelogs put Into the tank. . Then some crocodiles of the largest and fiercest description were installed In the tank and maintained there —not being fed, however, with such a superfluity as to Interfere with their natural ferocity. Any person who should undertake to reach the treasure-laden logs would surely be eaten by the crocodiles. And any one who should undertake to put the saurians out of the way would have to make noise enough to attract the attention of the human guards and of the ruler himself, for he, by Annam custom, Is required to remain very closely In his palace. At any rate the royal crocodile treasury has never been robbed —and it cannot burn.