Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-12
GETS THOUSANDS
FROM POOR BOXES
Roy Marsden. Fourteen Years n Thief,
Tells Springfield Police of His
Career.
FORTY DOLLARS A DAY AVERAGE
Says He Would Now Be on Easy
Street If He Had Not Squandered
His Loot on Booze.

Springfield. III, July 12.-Roy Mars
den, who says his home is at James
VILE, Wis. told Chief of Police Morris
that for Il years he had made his liv-
ing robbing poor boxes in Catholic
churches.
Further Marsden admitted that he
had made money at the business.
when I left booze alone and at
tended strictly to business IT was an
easy matter TO clean up $40 a day"
said Marsden. During these years l
have visited Is coo Catholic churches
IN the United States. II l had saved
my money would be on easy street "
Marsden came into the tolls Of the
local police department shortly after
I O'Clock yesterday afternoon. Plain
clothesrnen Foster aQd Adams picked
him up as a suspect near Fifth and
Washington streets.
Several days ago, the poor box OF
Catholic church at Quincy was broken
open and it's contents taken. Chief
Morris was advised Of the theft. When
Marsden was brought before him, he
threw down a copy of a Catholic pub
location and the chief charged him
with being implicated in the Quincy
theft After considerable questioning,
in which no definite information was
gained, Marsden was taken TO the Ber-
tillon room on the second floor Of the
station When the officers who made
the arrest and PIaincIothesman Sullt-
van began the making OF a record for
the Bertillon files, Marsden at once
evinced a disposition to talk.
II came TO Springfield this morning
from Jacksonville, he said, where l
had been on a drunk for several days.
Shortly after 9 o'clock this morning |
entered the Catholic church at Seventh
and Monroe streets where l pried open
q poor box and secured little
over 81"
Confronted with the charge OF rob
bling the Quincy church, he admitted
having done the job. Later he reiter-
ated this story 10 newspapermen in the
presence OF officers of the police de-
partment.
AT Quincy I got SOS for my work, "
he said. This, as near as l can re-
member was about ten days ago. l
went 10 Jacksonville to rest and fell
IN with a bunch Of 'punks' and have
spent practically 5000. Five or six
weeks ago l came to Springfield to rob
the church which I robbed today, but
found a mission in progress, and was
unable to carry out my plans. About
four and one-half years ago / robbed
away with over 500
y Sketches Prison Record.
al According to Marsden, who claims
0to be but 81 years Of age, but who
looks to be not less than 40 years, he
began his career Of crime at Nash
Vile, Tenn. when a mere youth, sery-
ing a term in the Tennessee prison
on d charge of stealing from a rail-
road company. To two other prison
records he lays claim. One of these
was term in the state penitentiarv
at WaUpan, Wis, and the other az
Jackson. Mich. from which institu-
ton he says he was released about
four months ago, having served his
time These were for church rob-
berries.
The accused man will probably be
held by the local police, while author
tiles investigate his claims. Quincy
police authorities were notified OF the
arrest and the statements made by
Marsden, by Chief of Police Morris.
Prosecution will likely be made for the
alleged robbery in this city.