"On Saturday he got an air gun and shot a bullet through my store window."

Locksmiths did not have an easy time of it in the 19th century, as the following trio of stories from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle demonstrates.

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“Objects To Being Shot At” (September 19, 1892): “Frederick Harbold, a locksmith of 741 Flushing avenue, was in the Lee avenue police court to-day to complain of Alexander Betts, 17 years old, of Flushing avenue, whom he says is the bad boy of the neighborhood. ‘This boy,’ said he, ‘takes pleasure in annoying storekeepers. So long as he confined this annoyance to rapping on my windows I did not mind, but on Saturday he got an air gun and shot a bullet through my store window. I heard the bullet whiz past my ear. I thought this was going too far and I want him arrested.’ Harbold was told to apply for a warrant at the Gates avenue police court.”

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"Then he threw the man down, it is alleged, kicked him and pulled his whiskers."

“Fun With A Locksmith” (June 24, 1895): “Patrick McCann, a laborer, 27 years old, had a lot of fun with Joseph Cohn, a poor Hebrew locksmith of 215 Third street, who went to the house at 141 North Ninth street, in which McCann lives last Wednesday. McCann, who is a giant in strength, told the traveling locksmith he wanted a key fitted to his kitchen door and when he got Cohn in the kitchen he locked the door. Then he threw the man down, it is alleged, kicked him and pulled his whiskers and when he tired of this sort of fun he placed the end of a revolver at the unfortunate fellow’s head and demanded 10 cents for beer. As Cohn did not have any money McCann locked him in the room and kept him prisoner for two hours. McCann will pay for his fun, however, as Justice Goetting sent him to jail for five days this morning.”

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“Sudden And Very Remarkable Death” (September 4, 1860): “Joseph Yarkhim, a Bohemian and a locksmith, 60 years of age, and unmarried, was, on Sunday evening, found dead in his room. A neighbor entered and saw the old man apparently alive, sitting nearly upright on a chest, slightly bent forward, but in quite a natural position, and having in one hand a piece of twine. The neighbor walked up and extended a hand to Mr. Yarkhim, but was instantly shocked at the discovery that the open eyes that were fixed upon him were fixed in death. The old man had died with singular suddenness, and apparently without a struggle, as no distortion appeared in his features which wore their usual mild though sudden expression. The Coroner was summoned, and found the deceased retaining the same singularly life-like posture and aspect–the eyes apparently staring at the visitors as if in inquiry at the object of their call. The inquest resulted in a verdict of ‘death from debility and privation.’ Deceased was a friendless and penniless old man, whose life has been a series of hardships and vicissitudes that at last exhausted the last remnant of his vital energy. He often omitted eating, and had no near friend to advise or attend to him.”