The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-15
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CONCERNING HARRY MARKS
Sketch of the Marvellous Career OF
Financial Journalist

Gently pTL6Q IN LONDON uao w.
means of drawing public attention on
both sides of the Atlantic to the remark
able history of a man who less tnan
dozen years ago was q newspaper TO
porter in New York, without means De-
yond his earnings with his pen, ana VINO
Is now enormo usly wealthy and In lntl-
mate business relations with the house
of Rothschild This man Is Harry d.
Marks.
Mr.. Marks father is known always
as Rabbi Professor Marks, both titles
being used in speaking of him. de Is
the leading rabbi of London and ot1cI-
ates in the Berkeley Street synagogue,
and is professor of oriental Languages
in the University college of London.
Among his congregation are the Roths-
childs and the Montefores, as well as
many Of the best known Hebrews OF the
Reformed church in London. The rabbi
also enjoys the curious distinction OF
having been elected vestryman OF St.
Pancras, being the only Jew who holds
such an Office in England.
OF his sons, one Is an officer IN the
Forty-second Highlanders, commonly
called the "Black Watch" One IS an
artist, and was the first person born
deaf and dumb ever taught to speak
One is a well known editor in New York,
and another is a wanderer concerning
whom little is known. Harry h Marks
came to America in 1870, when he lacked
several years Of having attained his ma
l. 20
employed on some newspaper there for
a short time Then, going to New Or
leans. ire obtained q situation on The
Picayune, of that city, but in 1878 he
came to New York, where he soon made
his mark as a capable reporter.
He wrote for The Sun and The Tribune,
and for four OF five years was on the
staff of The World under William Henry
Hurlbert, and was also for time the
New York correspondent Of The Chi
cago Times.
Among other work he did editorials
for The Reformer and Jewish Times, a
small weekly paper owned by a Mr..
Koppel, who died in July, 1873. After
his death Marks purchased the paper
from Koppers widow, and from the ac-
quaintance which began in business be-
tween him and the widow sprang up an
intimacy which led to the libel suit
mentioned above. Tee rupture Of their
relations led to the death Of The Re-
former, and Marks, turning his atten-
ton to Wall street, started The Finan-
cial and Mining News, and became a
member of the old mining board and Of
the oil exchange. He made and lost
some money, and in 1888 he returned to
London.
He was without money, but he ac-
quired capital of experience which be
Immediately proceeded to utilize. He
therefore projected paper to be called
The Financial News, and prepared for
the issue of the first number. There
was trifing difficulty in his way, for
he had neither money nor credit with
which to get the papers from the printer,
and the expedient he adopted was
characteristic of the man. A friend of
his in New York who had been associ-
ated with him in various enterprises,
and who was then as poor as Marks him
a
in London almost as well as in New
York. Marks made draft on him for
$50 and got it cashed, cabling over to his
friend that he had done so, and that he
would take care of the draft" when it
should come back. 1t did go back and
he redeemed it, but in the mean time he
had issued his paper and turned his
t,,o,,bax- nrrav
From then till now his career has
been one of phenomenal success. The
paper proved veritable gold mine, and
he remained chief owner of it. Col. Nc
Murdo, of Delago bay fame, became in
tertested with him and invested $1,000 in
the paper. When, few years later, Nc
Murdo died leaving an enormous estate
In tangled litigation, the only asset
which his widow found available was
This interest in The Financial News, and
this she sold to Marks for $780, 900 in
cash. The paper was then paying an
nual dividends Of 90 per cent. in scrip
and 40 per cent. in cash.
Marks wanted another newspaper. so
he bought The Evening News and Post,
the organ of the leaders Of the Conserva-
tive party. He put his old managing edi-
Tor, J. II. Copleston, formerly of The New
York World, in charge, and is still run
ming the two dailies He wanted town
house, and he bought Loudoun Hall, a
palatial residence, built by a Bond street
money lender at a cost of 100000. He
bought pictures on which he carries an
insurance IF 100000. He set up a rae
ing stable, and on one horse alone has
won mora than his entire stables cost
him. He bought fine estate at Broad
stairs, near Ramsgate, and built coun-
try house to suit himself, investing
$3.50, 900 in this purchase.
He had political aspirations, and got
himself elected a member of the London
county codncil, which is a body some
what rese bling the New York board
of aldermen in its scope, but which has
nore power. He proved a "kicker,"
and speedily showed such executive
ability that he was put on nearly all the
committees, and such eloquence as to
attract the notice of the Conservative
leaders, who put him up for parliament.
He married and has two children, a
boy and girl He enjoys, it is said, an
income of 100000 year. His carriage
stops daily in front of Baron Rothschild's
Office, and he is closeted with the great
magnate while other magnates wait out
AIDE. He seemed TO have reached an al
most unassailable position of prosperity,
when an enemy published story of his
relations with Mrs. Koppel, accusing him
of having betrayed, robbed and deserted
her. He brought a suit for libel, and this