Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-08-06
Brigands Of the Quaker City.

THEY tell of q curious case of kidnap-
ing in Germantown, near Philadelphia.
Two little boys were in the habit OF
playing in the lane in front of their resi-
dence which nestled back among the
trees almost hidden from the road. A
great many citizens of Philadelphia have
country seats at Germantown and occupy
them in summer There are several long
lanes lined with these beautiful summer
cottages and the occupants form quite
sociable community. The gentlemen
continue to conduct their business in the
city and have only few minutes rail-
road ride to and from their counting
houses, while their families are as much
In the country as If they were a hundred
miles away in the woods. There is
great deal of riding and driving In these
long lanes of Germantown, and carriages
containing strangers TO the residents are
as common as they are in the streets of
the city. Being in the country, however,
strangers naturally treat each other with
more freedom when they meet. 1t is not
unusual for children playing in the lanes
to be accosted by strangers They take
no particular notice Of it and do not think
such incidents worth reporting TO their
parents That was the reason why two
little fellows in Washington lane thought
it was all right 10 take candies and toys
from two men who drove past them in a
carriage for several days in succession.
The men talked pleasantly to them as
they passed, and the children began to
look for their unknown friends who al
ways gave them candy about the same
time every day. They were sure TO be
in the lane and the carriage was sure to
come. On the LIST of July the men asked
the little boys to get into their carriage
and take short ride. 1t was only step
from receiving presents to accepting
ride, and they got in, minimizing OF inn
propriety or danger. They drove, and
were delighted. The carriage came to
country store. One of the men asked
the Oldest boy to get out and buy him
self some fire-crackers for the Fourth,
and boy-like he eagerly accepted this
proposition, and the money to carry it
out. He had scarcely disappeared in
the store when the men whipped up the
horses and galloped away with the little
four-year old, Neither he nor the car
riage nor the men have been seen since
by anybody who knows them.
The father of the Disqualification X
Ross, of the firm of Ross, Shott 81 Co,
wholesale dry. goods dealers, Market
street, Philadelphia-pu the case in the
hands of detectives and kept quiet SO as
not to alarm the child-stealers. This
brought no result, and he became anx-
ious. He then advertised that little
Charlie Ross was worth $500, which sum
he offered TO pay for the boys safe re.
turn to the bosom of his family. That
brought no answer. Probably the figure
was not high enough to require any at
tention from the party in power. He
then advertised that he was ready to ne
gotiate, and he got an answer through
the Postoiiice that $4,000 was the figure.
He answered in print that he had not the
money but would do his best 10 raise 1t.
Another letter which he received in re-
ply informed him that he had to raise IL
If he wanted to see his child again alive.
The letter suggested to Mr.. Ross that he
had rich friends who would lend him the
money-that they knew their business
and would not come down cent. The
letter closedr :" If you love money better
than your child his blood be on your
head" They say they are perfectly safe,
but If the police run them down they
will kill the boy before he shall be Sc
cured So that father will probably be
obliged to call upon his friends to aid
him in raising $4,000 to ransom his boy
held by brigands in Philadelphia. If the
money Is paid and the boy obtained safe
and sound, and the kidnapers manage it
to remain concealed and ready to under
take some other profitable Job of this
kind, it will make a nice story to admon-
ish Philadelphia children to stay indoors.
-Philadetphia Ledger.