The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-13
OIJOIIUJ uOUU0UO
EASIEST GRAFT
4
Ray Marsden, 'Poor Box Thief" In
Confession to Quincy Police,
says He Was In
keoI<ute.
MARY's ROBBERY
Local Authorities Convinced Mars.
den 10 Man Wanted for Local
Theft-Fourteen Years
1t Work.

Ray Marsden, the self confessed
poor box thief Of national fame, who
was captured the other day in Spring
field, ILL.,, confessed to the chief Of
police at Quincy, where he was taken
yesterday, that he had been in Ke0-
kuk, and there is little doubt in the
minds of local authorities that he Is
the one who robbed the poor boxes in
st. Mary's Catholic church here re-
Gently.
The Quincy Wing Of this mornins
contains the following story of Mars
den's activities:
"r was after easy money and the
robbing OF poor boxes was the easiest
graft OF them all. That's why / took
to robbing these boxes in the Catholic
churches of the country and have
kept busy at the occupation most Of
the time that / have been outside OF
prisons in the last fourteen years.
This was part of the confession
made by Ray Marsden. the self con-
fessed poor box thief. when he was
questioned by Chief Koch and Assis-
tant States Attorney ROLAND Wagner
Wednesday afternoon. Marsden was
brought to Quincy from Spring field by
Detective Fred Scharnhorst Wednes-
day morning and he was bound over
to the grand jury on charge OF
burglary, after making a plea Of guilty
In the court Of Magistrate Reardon.
His bond was fixed at $1,000 and he
was committed to the county jail.
Couldn't Garry Money Hero.
When Marsden told the authorities
OF his visit in Quincy he admitted that
he had made the record haul Of his
career. He got so much money out OF
his first days work that he couldn't
carry it in his pockets and he had to
get suit case for it.
In making his confession he said
that he came to Quincy a week ago
last Friday from Keoluk and stopped
at the St. James hotel. st. Peters
church was the first place visited. He
made several attempts to get into the
church alone and when he finally did
he found more money than he could
carry. He then went to the store of
CHARLES kessell and purchased q small
suit case and took It to get the money.
He carried $98 away from the church.
He then went to st. Boniface church
and got about $40.
Left Money in Saloon.
That evening he left the suit case
containing the money in Maine
street saloon and did not return to
|get it until the next day. Saturday
morning he went to st. Mary's church
and got SO and went from there to-
st. Johns church where he was dis
turbed while in the church by Father
Postner. He then went to st. Rose
of Lima church and admits that he
was the man that was seen In front
OF the Hugh Ernst store and spoke t.
Father Brennan when the latter went
into the store. He entered the church
and took So or SO. His last visit was
to st. Francis church where he found
all the doors locked and he could not
gain entrance.
After leaving st. Francis church he
went to the saloon where he left the
suit case with the money and went
from there to catch the $3.50 train to
Hannibal In Hannibal he visited one
church late In the afternoon and got
30 cents.
On Spree for q Week.
The same evening he caught train
for Jacksonville and although that
town 10 dry ha Save he HAD but little