Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1874-12-19
ISETRIBUTION.

IS 4 IIoN.
Killing of the Abductors of Charley
Ross---Desperate Conhict---Ccnfes-
sion.
More than five months have elapsed since
little Charlie Brewster Ross was Kidnapped by
two men while playing in the street near bis
fathers residence. 10 Germantown, Philadel-
pLia. Occasionally a report would come from
some near or remote locality that the missing
child had been recovered, but investigation
proved each case simply one Of mistaken iden-
thy. The case was one Of such great social
interest that the mayor of PhiiaialeIpbia Of
fered reward Of S2O, 900 for the recovery Of
the child and his abductors, aud though de-
tectiyes in every quarter were set upon the
search, no decisive clue 20 the mystery WAS
obtained, at least as far as the public could
know. At length, however, the band OF
Providence, it would seem, has overtasen the
kidnappers, successful as they were in eyading
human ingenuity aud pursuit. BY the con-
fession Of a dying burglar who, with another,
was shot at au early hour Monday morning
while attempting 10 enter a dwelling near
New York, the end Of the sad mystery is, it
is hoped, at hand The annexed dispatches
contain the details of the tragedy by which
this result appears about to be obtained.
New York. December l4.-This morning
Superintendent Waliue, Of the police, receiy-
ed a dispatch from Fort Hamilton, stating that
two men. named William Mosier aud Joseph
Douglass. alias Clark were shot aud killed
while attempting to commit burglary.
Douglass. before dying. declared that Mosisr
knew all about Charlie r IS, stolen from Phil
aedlphia. A detective was at once dispatched
from the central office to indeutiy the bar
glars. AoSier is supposed % be the man who
wore goggles aud induced the missing boy to
go with him in the buggy. The burglary
was attempted 81 the Teideuce of ex-Judgs
Ruett Van Brunt on the Coney Island plank
road. at Bay Ridge. Long Island.
Il appears in affecting an entrance the
thieves sprung burglar s-alarm. which con-
uectel with the adjacent residence and aroused
the inmates, who turned out The burglars
discovering that they were liable to be cap
tured. left cautiously, fred at two Of the pur-
suing party and ran. They were then fred
upon with the effect mentioned.
Judge Van Bruut's house was empty, and
the burglars alarm was connected with his
brothers. dwelling. Hence the assistance
came from that quarter The judges brother,
his son, and farm laboTsr named Scott did
the shooting. Albert Van Brunt, the young
man, killed MoSieT, and Douglass was killed
by the aborer with shot gun, his bowels
being frightfully mangled. He survived only
half an hour.
In his confession he said he and Mosier were
well known 10 the police. While he declared
that Mosier was the kidnapper of Charlie
Ross, he admitted that he was an assistant in
the theft of the child. He asserted that the
hiding place Of the child had been kept from
him by Muster lie was unmarried, and Mo-
Sier had wife aud six children. None but
the robbers were wounded in the conflict
though five barrels of their rcvolvers were
found discharged. The police now entertain
hopes Of finding the missing boy. The police
had been hunting for the men sometime.
HOW TIE STATEMENT OF DOUGLASS WAS MADE.
An extra reporting the shooting Of the two
burglars at Bay Ridge says: Among the per-
sons attracted to the spot was Richard Her
ken, sailor whose house was little distance
from Judge Van Brunt's residence. Between
him and the wounded men the following re-
markab,e conversation took place:
" The dying man. says HerkeD, " was
L., .- Al, .,r | him,
lie said il was Joseph Douglass aud that he
resided in New York. The name Of tie
man who was killed he told me was Nlosjor,
also of New York lie then voluntarily
made the following statement without any
suggestion having been made by any one pres
eut: and Mo,er were the men whoablncted
Charlie Ross ! said to him, Do you know
where be is now p he said No. lie said
Moser had him concealed somewhere but
where be did not tell the. lie also stated that
Mosicr was married man, and had SIX chill
dreu, but whether he had Charlie Ross with
them he could not tell me
lie begged God to forgive him, and asked
for minister lie was quite sensible when
he made that statement, and several persons
were present aud heard what he said.
The bodies Of the men were covered up and
LEFT in the place whore they were shot on the
grass. In the custody of constables until the
coroner should give permission for their re-
moyal The men are believed to have been
river pirates \ boat was found moorcd 20
the shore about half a mile from Judge Van
Brunt's residence.
THE BURGLARS UNIDENTIFIED.
Silleck. of the central Office, who was sent
70 Fort Hamilton to iniently the burglars
killed there, returned shortly after two o'clock
and reported to the superintendent that they
.rnrn tie mon MLn stnIn lie R.ss nLiIl NJ