The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-30
Abner Marks, the Express Robber-
More Of his History.

Inc HISTORY Ol t0lS NOTORIOUS lilulNlu
ual, arrested in Richmond, Va, some
days ago by Detective Tyler, is full Of
desperate adventures. We have, how
ever, only space for an account of his
connection with the robbery of Adams
Express Company, committed as fal
back as September l, 1864, which We
find in the Richmond Wkiq. Previous
to the robbery, Arthur Risley, a bosom
friend of Marks, was keeping hotel al
Grafton, at tbs junction of the Balti'
more and Ohio and Parkersburg roads
in this State, and, becoming embarrass
ed, planned the robbery of Adams Ex
press Company. With view to this he
came to Wheeling and sent by express
$l2, 900 in counterfeit money, which he
directed to himself at Grafton. Having
previously procured key to their safe,
the night after his return to Grafton the
safe was opened and the money stolen
He called for it next morning, but his
confused manner and previous straiten.
ed circumstances, induced the agent to
think there was something wrong, and
he, therefore, refused to make the loss
good. Risley at once brought suit for
the recovery of the $4,000.
Pending the proceedings, the safe was
again robbed of SIS, 900 on the night OF
the 9th of October, the money in this
case being genuine. The circumstances
of this last robbery so nearly resembled
those which surrounded the loss of Ris-
ley's $4,000 package, that suspicious
were rife in the hands of the officers of
the company that the two burglaries
were perpetrated by the same individu-
ais, and that the principal was none
other than Rsley. Marks, who was a
boon companion of Risley's, was also
looked upon with suspicion, and the &C
tions of both closely watched.
This surveillance continued for. six
weeks, but no arrests were made, be-
cause positive proof of their guilt could
not be obtained. At the end of that
time they both left Grafton and went to
Canada, whittier they were pursued by
the detectives, who enticed them to De-
troit, where they were arrested and re-
turned to Grafton. While there, and
pending their trial, Risley managed to
escape, but was re-arrested in a day or
two and again imprisoned. The most
of the missing $4,000 was found upon
Marks at the time of his arrest in De.
troit.
On the Doth of May. 1865, Risley,
Marks, and Chas. C. Meredith, who had
been arrested as an accomplice, but
whose part in the theft has not been
fully explained, were tried at Prunty-
town, Taylor county, West Virginia,
and all were convicted. Marks was
sentenced to seven years, and Risley
and Meredith to four years in the Peni-
Tertiary. Shortly after Marks Joined in
successful conspiracy with Others OF
the convicts to break Jail, and escaped.
We have no information of his per-
formances during the time which elaps-
ed between his escape and arrest in
Richmond.
1t will be remembered that Marks
stated after his arrest, that he burned
the spurious $4,000.
Marks was before the Mayor of Rich
mond few days ago, when, in default
of security, he was recommitted. The
Mayor, however, seems to have con-
cluded to put him at work in the chain
gang.
Why does not the Governor of West
Virginia make a requistion upon the
Richmond authorities for him.