Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-14

clmr.tr, and one Marks, car.
rar-ar. were engaged, all being
convicted aud sentenced 20 four,
five and seven years, respectively, In the
Wheeling jail. The scheme by which
$4,000 was 20 be extracted from the
treasury O' the Express Company, was
cutie clever, and would have succeeded
in every particular, save for some triG-
ing oversight 90 the part Of the Schem-
erS.
Meredith was running q saloon 81
Petersburg 81 that time, and In con-
rpc-.oD with 10 a gambling room was
maintained, which YVES the resort for
large number OF tough characters.
Weston, the contractor, was doing a
biz business in his line, but was dissat-
i,dsd, as he was not getting rich at the
rate he desired. lie was often at Mer-
e1tlS place, drinking and playing
poker, and there be put Up the scheme
% rob the Express Company with Marks
aud Meredith.
The plan settled upon, Weston went
Gu Cincinnati, where he sent by express
90 his own address a package purport-
ing 10 contain S35, 900, but which was
really worthless, and then fastened
back 70 Parkersburg. On the arrival
o. the supposed valuable package at
ParkersburE, the agent placed it in the
safe, as was usual with such stuff, and
that night, by pre-COnce!yed arrange
uent, Meredith and Marks entered the
express Office, broke open the safe and
stole the package. Then, when Wes-
ton called for his S35, 600, the next day,
10 was not forthcoming, and he put In q
claim for his loss, which was allowed,
but the Company, as a preliminary 70
making payment, demanded OF weston
q detailed sworn statement Of the
transaction. This was furnished, but
under the SuppOsition that 10 was a
mere fOrmailty, Weston was not careful
enough, and the Company picked a
flaw in his statements which led to a
further and more careful Investigation,
and the exposure q the whole plot.
The three men were arrested, tried and
convicted, snd were sent UD 10 this city
TO serve out their sentences in the Eoh
street Jail.
The jail. in 1864 aud 1865, when Wes-
ton, Marks, Meredith, Bidwell, Shelton,
Green, Morgan, Eldridge and scores OF
others, male aud female, were under
going confinement as State conyiets,
was as tough g place a. could be found
on the toOt-stOOi. Those familiar with
1t in later years can have but a faint
conception OF the condition Of the build
ing then. Both in the male department,
down stairs, and in the female ward, on
the second floor, every cell, small as
they are, had from two 20 four inmates,
and as iU was impossible 70 run the IN
stltution under proper regulations, be-
cause OF its Oyer-CrOwded condition,
the prisoners did pretty much as they
pleased. Escapes were frequent, but
owing to the excitement OF the war, at
tracted but little attention. The prs
oners had made many openings between
the stones Of the heavy walls dividing
the cells, and the women in the second
story had dug out the mortar and
cement until they could talk freely, and
even pass small articles up and down, 70
and from the men in the lower cells.
Many prisoners had considerable sums
OF money, and as they were allowed 20
send the jaiIer's children out 10 make
purchases, tobacco, fruit, pies, cakes,
D'ayirg cards, etc, were brought into
tae building and into the hands Of the
prisoners.
During the days the place was veri-
table pandemonium, and must have cor
responded with some Of the prison
pictures drawn by Dickens Of scenes In
the Marshalsea or the Fleet. Laughter,
singing. fighting, gambling, washing OF
clothes, wrangling, cursing and ordinary
conversations made things not only live
~ but interesting. Matters continued
very much IN this condition until the
partial completion Of the penitentary
az Moundsyille permitted the removal
OF the State cOnvicts 10 that place.
The writer Of this remembers the
transfer OF these convicts. They were
marched down the south side OF
Twelfth street, two AMI two, ell being
hlndcufFed, and many Of them shGck,ed
together in couples. At the corner OF
Twelfth street and alley b, 20 the Bank
Of the Ohio Valley, one Of the conylcts
made a rush for liberty, darting down
the alley and into the yards in the rear
Of the srlall two-store buildings which
at that slime faced Market street, oppo-
site the McLure House. Several guards
ran after him, aud shots were tred, but
the convict, hardcutfed as he was, led
them a weary chase before he was re-
captured.