The story
“Peter’s collection of minerals was regarded as remarkable. His house was most carefully guarded against thieves and fire. By opening a certain window the police were automatically told that burglars were on the premises, any extra heat in the room (even the heat of a lighted cigar, as Peter found out) being enough to send an alarm to the fire department, while an ingenious attachment to the safe held fast any intruder who might try to open it. Within a very short time Peter had turned in so many false alarms, ‘testing’ the apparatus, that no one paid any attention to him. In fact, the matter became such a joke that the newspapers printed an article about it. This item fell under the eye of a collector who had sold Peter a famous uncut diamond and held Peter’s note for $2,000. He arrived at midnight to find two professional burglars on the job. They had bound Peter in his chair and were trying to blow up the safe. They miscalculated, somehow, and used too much explosive. As a result the entire party was blown through the roof, landing in a police station, where the astute Peter collected a reward of $3,000 for the delivery of three burglars. Then he added insult to injury by paying up his note out of the reward money.”
Summary from Reel Life · 1 April 1916
