The New York herald., 1874-08-08
THE ROSS MYSTERY.
Why Arc tho Letters OF Abuse Not Pub
lished s-Pubiic Feeling Against the
Father Growing Apace.

Why Are tho Letters OF Abuse Not Pub
Hshed s-Pubiic Feeling Against the
Father Growing Apace.
PHILADELPHIA, August I, 1874
For six long dreary weeks Mr.. Ross has, BY his
utterances regarding the dreadful contents OF the
letters in his possession, cast sombre shadow
over every hearth In the land. one million OF
mothers have been so worked up by the
threatened assault OF the kidnapper upon
their homes that their hearts have ached when
ever their little ones were out OF their sight for
one moment The assaults upon the mothers fair
name were said to be 30 cruel and scorching that
they caused the blood OF any upright citizen TO
boil with indignation. The threats OF ven-
geance heaped upon the helpless child made
every father tremble and wonder II he should
be the next victim. The furOre which has been
raised over this case exceeds anything OF the kind
ever before known in the annals or Kidnapping.
The murder Of the bright little boy would have
been forgotten this. But this crime cannot be
forgotten. The people, once aroused In this mat
ter. supplied the ransom money, and now clamor-
ay, demand the child! How do they find mat
tersr
WHO Is TO BLAME'
They are assured by the Ross family that the
whole city would rise In remonstrance against
such outrages as are contained IN the vast bulk OF
correspondence. They are told that nothing re-
lating to . motive other than ransom must be
considered for . moment. Tney are asked
no Sss'e ns whole Un the story es
boy seven or eight years OF age. They asked
TO accept the theories OF detective bureau which
has Jailed to develop even the merest clew in six
weeks time. The representatives OF the news
papers which they read are warned not to say
tlce. The police look at each other and ir0wn
when citizen even begins to doubt that the crime
' shor Mr. anaea ap'eas sae
advice Of the Central once ! hope
ssys n4 s %
cept through the medium OF hall dozen posters
into the trap by SHY promises, and, no matter
what may be the ultimate end Of the great mys-
the same time give their readers the news will be
severely tested
THE DEMANDS OF THE PRESS.
The demand for the publication or these letters
Is becoming more and more general Only few
days can yet intervene before this demand will be
city, In to.day's issue, regards the subject edi-
torialy as follOws:-
When the police first enjoned upon US silence in the
nappers letters n order e be ABLE Judge whether
sqas aaa
altogether srsish This has gained srensS n
siSsn has BEEN e on the the
assumption that it was not dealing with genuine case
S ,s s. s5asson M begins Jock very
chilo stolen from some other motive than that
There appears to be other coorable apology
suppresslng them, and this one should not prevail The
assumption that bold case OF kidnapping
has been committed. We're 1t known thai another mo-
tive existed public interest In the would inevta-
bly, subside, and no one has right to keep this
ere5 other than with the
public welfare MIR. Ross has given those letters the
authorities Let the latter now submit them to the
press.
1t has become matter OF the utmost importance that
the correspondence should be published, trust
there will be no more hesitation about the matter.
The above is q renex Of popular opinion. The
police succeeded In muzzling the press ct the
opening OI this case; but the above clearly shows
newspapers Will be held in silence no longer, while
1t also indicates the key to which ali future utter
ances Will be attuned.
wALTEkS CONTRADICTIONS.
AS the case stands now the people are confused,
perpiexed; nay, dumbtOunded. Yesterday Walter
told one story and to-day he has told another.
What he asserted in his first narrative he contra
dlcts IN his second, while In the third
he repudtates the main facts stated IN
both the other two, and conveys entirely
different impression. FIRST he says the kidnap-
pers did not stop save to let him out OF the car
rtage, and then he says they did. He has related
SO many things so directly contradictory that
were the officers ever snrewd they could ne yer
find any trace to the robbers by means OF Walters
| evidence. Therefore there is only one other me-
dium left, and that Is the medium Of the letters.