The Failed Burglary at Probst's Saloon
A meticulous attempt to breach a saloon safe ended in frustration for thieves who spent hours boring holes into a door only to leave empty-handed.
Burglars attempted to rob George Probst's saloon on Columbia Street, between West and Front streets, early Wednesday morning. Using a gimlet, the thieves bored twenty-six holes into a panel of the side door to reach the latch. Despite their effort, they were apparently scared off before they could gain entry. Even had they succeeded, they would have found no money in the safe, which contained only business papers.
“Directly under the bar a piece of the panel 4x5 inches was taken out by boring twenty-six gimlet holes close together.”
This incident highlights the physical vulnerability of Seattle's early commercial districts. The location mentioned, near Front (now First Avenue) and Columbia, remains the heart of downtown, though the era of saloons with wooden bars and safes has long since vanished.
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