February 21, 1858

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Joel Byers

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1858, the first electric burglar alarm was installed in Boston, MA by the innovative firm of Rube, Gold, and Berg, Inc. This new technology was attached to all the windows in the house. When a window was lifted from the outside, a small metal arm attached to the top of the window would push a switch up to the on position. This would cause an electric fan to turn on and blow a paper airplane across the room to a table where an egg was place vicariously in a fragile and lightweight candlestick. The paper airplane would strike the candlestick causing it and the egg to fall to the floor, shattering both and creating a mess. The downstairs maid would hear the crash and hurry into the room to investigate. Finding the mess on the floor, she’d blame the cat and kick it. Angry for being kicked for no reason, the cat would slap the dog, which would be a mistake, as the dog would be bigger than the cat. The much larger dog would then chase the cat, who of course would run toward the now open window and bring the snarling dog face to face with the burglar, who the dog would attack instead of the cat. This loud commotion would alert the master of the house to run downstairs with his loaded shotgun and he would then capture the burglar. Rube, Gold, and Berg, Inc., wanted to include an additional three firecrackers, one guillotine, a pendulum, one inebriated duck, two toy spinning tops and one random, wandering gypsy who had the power of the evil eye, but the home owner was not willing to pay for the Platinum Club upgrade.

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About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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