The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-08-13
Heartless Abduction OF a Child A
Ransom Of $4,000 Asked.
Correspondence New York Herald.l

lsuhSOui VI YSVsVVO hshCus
Correspondence New York Herald.l
PHILADELPHIA, July 20.
AS two little boys were playing in
Washington lane, Germantown, two men
approached them in a carriage and in.
vited them out to ride. No one save the
children and the men was near at the
time. For several days previous these
same two men had approached the boys
in different ways, and having, during
these conversations, given them candies
toys. ETC., the little ones expected them
before they arrived, and SO readily con.
sented tOg get into the carriage.
After haying driven for some distance
the oldest one of the two little ones was
asked to get out of the carriage and buy
few packages of fre-crackers. Boy-like
he most willingly complied. No sooner
had he disappeared in the store than the
with the little four-year-old, whose name
is Charlie Brewster Ross, and who has
never since been seen by those who knew
him.
The father, after searching everywhere
i'm the neighborhood, came to the police
office, where, upon his arrival, your cor
respondent learned the above. The po-
lice, under the direction of Captain
Helms, made the most scrutinizing search
everywhere. They continued their op-
erations increasingly day and night, and
were determined to leave no stone I'M
turned that would restore the lost one
and punish its prosecutors. All in vain.
They labored to no purpose for three days
and three nights. There was no clue.
After this the following advertisement
appeared in all the newspapers:
$3OOpnsTTswsaArHeDa rearvns T Re PAR A11 TS TH
street, A SMALL BOY, four years old, having long,
curly, haxen hair, hazel eyes, clear light skin and
round face dressed In brown linen suit with short
skirt, broad-brimmed straw hat and l,ced shoes.
The child was lost from Germantown on Wednesday
afternoon list inst) between four and five o'clock.
This advertisement, too, met with no
response, and on Monday, July 6, another
was inserted in the Public Ledger. The
next morning, in the "personal column
of this same journal, appeared the fol
lowing:
ID Oss-wE ARE READY TO NEGOTIATE.
On the same day the father, Mr.. Ross,
received an anonymous letter through
the postoflicc, in which it was stated that
little Charlie would be returned for $780,
600. 1t also went on to say that the boy
was in good hands; that the treatment
given him was careful that it had cost
the parties great deal of money to get
him, and that they could not think of re-
turning him for less than $4,000.
The father returned the following an
swer through the Ledger personals:
ID OSS WILL COME TO TERMS TO THE EX-
Ii tent of his ability.
Another anonymous letter was at once
received by Mr.. Ross, stating that the
parties who held the child would not
part with it for smaller sum than the
one already named. Now, mark how a
fathers love rises supreme above every
thing He had not in hispossession the
amount necessary to regain his dear one,
but he answered the villains through the
personals thus:
ID OSS Is WILLING; HAVE NOT GOT 1T
Ii am doing my best to raise it.
Thus the matter stands. Detectives
have watched the Ledger building and
the postofffce day and night but so care
fully do the kidnappers work that no
clue whatever seems to have been OBJ
tained to their identity or their where
abouts. The child has now been absent
twelve days, and it is doubtful whether,
during this time, any of the members OF
the household to which it belonged have
had an hour of unbrOken rest.
The circumstances of the case are
somewhat remarkable throughout. For
five days these same men were seen
around the neighborhood, and each day
approached the two children and con-
versed with them. 1t is presumed that
they would have made off with the young
est, little Charlie Ross, several days be-
fore, but at each time there chanced To
be some one passing along the lane. Dur
ing conversation with the father,
asked him whether he had any enemies
who owed him grudge, and who would
be likely to take revenge in such rare
way.
The father replied that he was unaware
that there was any one in the world who
entertained any bitterness against him
The name of the father is Mr.. Christian
X. Ross, of the firm of Ross Shott u Co.
wholesale dry goods dealers on Market
street. The house was unfortunate dur
ing the panic, and hence Mr.. Ross is un
dDic w pay dt oiiCc Vic suni uShahuc'
by the blackmailers. 1t is hoped that ht
will not be obliged to do so, but that il
will be the kidnappers who will b'
obliged to pay the penalty worthy o
their inhumanity.
THE LETTERS OF THE BLACKMAILERS
Since writing the above, your CORES
pondent has gained little more direc
idea of the nature of the letters which
the kidnappers have sent to the disconso
late father. More fiendish, cruel, or in
human epistles human hand never pen
ned. One of them reads similar to this
"We know that you are not wortl
much money, but we are aware that yo'
have rich friends, of whom you can Dor
row. IF you love money better than you
child, its blood be on your own head"
Another letter reads to this effect:
"Any attempt to ascertain the child
hiding-place will result in its entire ami
hilatiOn. We will turn the child up
on our own terms"
Meaning that in case the money is no
forthcoming they will kill the infant.
No one can read the letters withou
feeling his blood boil. Four letters in al
have been received, and each of them
cool and cruel.
awe know our business" says one G
the letters, "and we are going to fight
out"
A Cat Whipped by Robins.
An exciting contest was witnessed i
the Court House yard, says the Genese
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