Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-15
FIRST EDITION.
cnarIie no.s,. Ahductorr.

THE SHOOTING OF MosIER AND oLARK-PARTIcU-
LARS OF THE DESPERATE ooNFIIcr-THE CON-
FEssIoN-A CLUE TO THE MISSING CHILD
THOUGHT TO HAVE BEL DISCOVERED.
The late editions of the COMMERCIAL of yester-
day, reprinted on cur third page to-day, gave all
the facts in the shooting Of two burglars who
confessed to the abduction Of Charlie Ross. The
manner Of the disco very OF the burglars and the
desperate encounter with them, however, is of
sufficient interest to justify the publication of
fuller details
The burglars attempted TO enter an unoccuped
dwelling short distance away from the Van
Brunt residence, which was connected with
the inmates Of the latter house of the presence
Of buglars in the former. Soon their lights
were discovered, and the Van Brunt family be.
gan to mature
PLANE FOR THEIR CAPTURE,
which resulted in the deploying OF the male
members. at convenient places Then the bur
glars we're notified of their discovery by the rat
ling of the cellar door, when a slight stir was
heard by Mr.. Van Brunt at the opef cellar dooi
at the rear, through which 1t was evident
that the burglars had effected their en-
trance, and moment after two heads
peered cautiously out together. Mr..
Van Brunt, who stood but few yards
away, Immediately called out "Stand r ~ the
heads appeared. A moment elapsed Just suf-
ficient time, it seemed, to enable the robbers to
discover the outlines OF the waiting men, when
two flashes were seen and the reports OF ps-
tolls followed. Mr.. Van Brunt fired immediate
ly, his shot ahattering several paneH OF window.
glass and probably wounding one of the men,
who cried out 80 loudly that his complaints
were heard next door by the wo-
men, who were anxiously Watching and who
awaited the result of the firing with great soici
tude. Both men
STARTED OFF ON A RUN
around the house, when Mr.. Van Brunt ordered
a pursuit. Scott quickly came to close quar-
ters with one Of the burglars, and discharged
a shotgun close to his body AS the gur
had been loaded for several years il
down by the recoil. When he regained his feet
he found that his antagonist had fallen fatally
wounded, the charge from the shotgun having
entered his bowels, which were mangled in .
frightful manner. The other man kept or
his way through the opening between
the fence and the house, which wa,
not more than fifty or seventy-fye fee
wide. He was met by "Alle" Van Brunt, OF
seeing whom he suddenly turned at bay. WheI
the latter was close upon him the burglar, will
an oath, raised his revolver and fired his wea
pom, almost touching the young mans arm
CLUBBING BIS GUN
Van Brunt rushed at him, striking him violeutl,
on the arm, and breaking the barrel from the
stock by the blow. As the revolver dropped from
his grasp, the desperate robber stopped and pick
ed IL up WIN LnC same mana, anu tnen nIIlDB MI
injured arm with his left hand, again pointed til,
pistol Before he could fire, young Van Brun
sprang past him to one side, and discharged
three shots from revolver into his back. Th,
robber sank to the ground, crying II give up,
and almost instantly expired
THE ooNFEHsIoN
| The wounded man survived, in great agony
| for nearly an hour, and made startling confes
sion. He said that his name was Joseph Doug
lass, and that OF his dead companion William
Mosher. Both, he said were well known to thu
police OF n. y, and he wished information o
their fate to be sent TO the head OF the Police De
partment. Mosher, he declared, was the kidnappe
Of Charlie Ross from Philadelphia, and he was hi
assistant in the theft OF the child. WheI
pressed TO tell where the boy was he asserted
that he did not know, as the secret of his hidinl
place had been kept from him by Mosher. HI
| added that he had led life of crime, and tina
| this was the second time he had been engage
in a robbery at Bay Ridge. He also said that h
siderably older than he, and had wife and 81,
children in New York.
A CLUE THOUGHT TO be FOUND TO THE MIssIN
| The Philadelphia Press is in possession oil III
| formation which prudence forbidB 1t to publish
but which, it thinks, will lead to the finuing O
the missing Charlie Ross. Detectives went ou
late last night in such way as to lead to the be
| lief that the search for the child has been begu
anew, with more encouraging hopes of findin
| it.
New York and Philadelphia detectives hay
| long suspected Mosier and Clark Of the kidnaI
ping Of the Ross child, and since August last
watch has been kept over the two men as well q
was possible. One OF them WAS wanted for
burglary committed on Long Island, but he a
ways managed to elude arrest.