Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-08-01
FIRST EDITION.
philadelphia.
OUR sATuRD LETTER.

PHILADELPHIA, July 81.
We are apparently as far as ever from solu-
ton of the kidnapping mystery. To say that
this is our leading topic-even surprising ''The
Scandal" AZ a sensation-is to give but slight
idea OF the excitement caused by the case, and
which is daily increasing. The suspense yester-
day, after the news came that it was supposed
that the child had been found with band Of
gypsies in Berks county, and until the persons
who left the city could reach the locality indica-
ted for the purpose of identifying "Little Char
ley" was positively painful. Such general ex-
preston OF feeling has been seldom seen. Men
left their work to gather in knots on the street
to discuss the probabilities, and the Mayors Of
fee, and the telegraph and newspaper offices
were surrounded by anxious crowds. When
finally the news was received that the child found
with the gypsies was not Little Charley" the
disappointment WAS deep and universal. 1t
might almost have been thought that
each man had direct personal
and cry seems to have been especially senseless
throughout now that the facts are known. The
gypsy child WAS scarcely more than an infant,
while the published descriptions have made the
fact everywhere known that Charley is over four
years old and well grown boy. The arrest or
at least the flourish and to-do made about
it, seem inexcusable.
SO it appears the work is to be done all over.
The sad feeling grows that the effort will never
come to anything,-that Charley will never be
found. 1t is thought by most people now that
the little fellow has been put out OF the way by
his inhuman captors for the double purpose of
escaping detection (they never dreamed evident
Iy OF the awakening the theft would excite), and
to wreak vengeance for the failure of their
black-mailing scheme. The detectives confess
flamsalyaa w fo fnr
The publication of so-called portraits has been
useless or worse than useless. One of the stu
pids in the gypsy case said he identified the
child from the published picture. Which one,
l wonder? There have been three OF them,-
dissimilar as though intended for three different
persons. 1t would be impossible to exaggerate
the depth OF the feeling in this matter. At
Chester Heights camp meeting, yesterday, when
the first despatch was received announcing the
recovery, it was Thought of sufficient account to
interrupt the services for the sake of giving the
news to the congregation. Thousands Of
people were on their feet in instant singing
the "Doxology." Thus it is everywhere, and pa
pers coming from distance give the subject al
most as much prominence az we do here at home
But cannot unite with the fear that the crime
will become epidemic" Never had thieves such
scare as the kdnappers OF Charley Ross have
experienced Whether caught or not the spec
tacle Of this universal indignation will not be lost
upon other Villains Parents may note this and
we're before Charley was stolen, for every man
has become detective.
An unusual hot weather excitement--or dual
excitement-has been the suspension of Life
Insurance Company and the enforced stoppage
Of new "Trust Company" 30 called, although
no one appears to have trusted it. The lnsur-
ance Co. was "The Peoples Life" on 9th street
near Chestnut 1t seems to have been swndle
right through mot to have been company at all,
but concern run in the interest OF one man, and
a
rascality was about to be defeated, pocketed all
the available portable property and departed on
a tour to Europe. The name OF this General
Manager" was Harrison Prindle-a name which
rhymes most aptly with swindle. Particulars Of
the number of policy holders who have been VIC
timzed cannot be obtained. Probably they we're
not many, but no facts are known. Primdle was
also agent of number Of other companies IN
| New York and elsewhere. all of which lose by
| his operations. Truly, man cannot be TOO care
| full in his choice of Life Insurance policy
Swindle after swindle has put the business undei
| a cloud.
| The other financial breeze referred to was rails
ed by an individual who not long since was dis
| agreeably prominent in business circles. Read
| ers will at once remember the name OF Harr1soI
| Cframbo, "banker" whose affairs were sum
marily wound up by his creditors, whose house
and furniture on West Walnut street were seiz
ed by the same importunate persons, and wh'
it was supposed would definitely leave the city
for the city's good. But we were mistaken II
our man. No hungry generations could
put Grambo down. With an audaclt.
not without its charm drambo come
back to braRe the thing out among the very mel
who know the secret of his former business
career The street did not know what to max,
OF such assurance, but the very boldness of
this being quite in the way of the world-sti
fled criticism Grambo bought up an old and dis
used charter changed its name from the "Robef
Morris to the ''Secuuty,' rented Bailey
old store-the handsome marble from
on Chestnut street above 8th-furnished it il
magnificent style, and announced himself-il
other Words The Security Company'-as read
for ANYTHING in the financial way, from the rent
ing of house to the taking of unlimited sum
of money on deposit. People looked ON th
grand establishment blankly, apparently too col
founded to give their thoughts expression, an
it is just possible that money might have pee
soon flowing over the marble counters, and til
0Secur1ty" on the high road to prosperity-fo
such is man-exceps that some cantankerou
creditor stepped in and closed up the gorgeou
, banking house in a twinkling. But if 1t shoul
, be reopened next week, no one, after what ha
been seen, would be the least surprised.
! The Board of Health has taken action in
, matter of peculiar interest to your citizen
The Board having been informed that Whining
. ton had a system of cleansing cess pools &'
superior to anything in use in Philadeiphia.
, other cities recently set about an investlgatio
! of the merits of the new method. commute
, of the Board visited Wilmington for the purpose
, and appear to have been captured hand and foe
, | by what was shown them. They came hon
] with the most glowing accounts OF the new lde
1 assuring the Board that we were entirely BENIN
the age here and that change after the WI
. mington fashion must be made. III IT'S repol
q the committee says: "We recommend it, (th
/ Wilmington method) "as sanitary measui
I | that Possesses manifest advantages over me OF
a system, and hope that it may be accorded ia
n trial in our city," The report concludes by o
: fering resolution that applications be consi'
\ | cred for license from Responsible partle
a Herein is the precise point. The biggest sort OF
q "iobn is in prospect and people who know .
q not hesitate to say that it was settled aforetn
|. who was to have the license and who should I'd
4 vide" and that ali talk of throwing the matte
a omen to public competition is mere --bin
" Doubtless we need an improved method for d.
q ing this important work but 1t IL question: II
i is the fair thing to allow small pody OF me-
r including city officials, to lay the whole comm
. nitv under contributon-as evidently is to be a
y tempted through this action OF the Board
,e Health. -. =,
a The Jay Cooke business was again before u
~ Raoister this week, but nothing OF important
L was elected, 1t is difficult to see the use OF th
n lengtbened inquiry. Mr.. Cooke and his par
n ners saw nothing OF consequence which is not
be found in the formal report to the creditor
and nearly every question is answered by ne
erence to the report. The object as far as CT
gather is simply to give the creditors connden
r throuph the presence and word of mouth assn
at snca az Mr.. Cooke lin whom they still ha
as Saith). that affairs were not wilfully misma
Q, aged. and that the man who knows the busine
rn of the concern best, yet hopes that ORDER NJ
ia be brought out OF the chaos. MIR. COOKE co
timed belief in "Northern Pacific has been y
leading feature Of this investigation, and L