The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-07-23
American Bandftti.

The "per5onal' column of the Philadel-
phia Ledger Of Monday contains the fol-
lowing singular advertisement
"ROSS.-I is got it and be willin to pay
for It"
Very few persons would suspect that
behind this brief and ill-spelt message lies
the history of one of the most mysterious
and tragical transactions we have had to
record few days ago two Young bows,
While playing on the streets in Philadel-
phia, were oyertaken by some men in a
carriage, who invited them to ride The
boys We're brothers, sonsof Mr. Christopher
Ross, merChant~-the Younger aged about
tour years and the other several years
older. Alter driving about the streets. on
reaching a secluded place, the older of the
two boys was set down from the carriage.
and the men drove off with the other
Since that time nothing has been seen of
the little fellow, and nothing has been
learned as to his whereabouts. His captors.
however, who have modelled their system
after the Italian banditti, claim a ransom
tor his return, and threaten to take his
life if their demands are not granted.
They have carried on q correspondence
with Mr.. Ross, the father, through the
Personal column of the Ledger, offering to
release the boy for $4,000; and the
advertisement we have quoted, couched in
the ''rogue's English' employed by the
9coundrels is a response from the afflicted
father acqniescing in this extortionate
demand. All this reads like page from
q romance, on a record of crime in the
lawless regions Of Italy or Spain; but it is
the narrative OF an actual occurrence in
Of NH ~ Ii
being accomplished IN the open street in
broad daylight, and the captors actually
making the newspapers the vehicle for
communicating their offers and threats
The distress Of the parents, bereaved Of
their child by such a bold and cruel out
rage, and lett in doubt as to its condition.
and the ingenuity OF the scoundrels, in
wringIng from the parents such an
enormous ransom under the threat of
numbering the child, are not pleasant
things to contemplate, in this land of
fancied security and vigilant police organ
izatlOn.
The end of this strange affair viii be
awaited with the most intense interest by
all who are familiar with the circumstan-
ces Of the case. We cannot f0rbear hoping
that the kidnappers, in their reckless bold
hesS, may nave lett uncovered some clue
which the police will be able to follow up.
1t ought to be possible to track and arrest
these scoundrels, and if arrested their
punishment ought to be as severe as the
law viii admit, and every statute which
hears upon any part of the crime should
secure i separate Indictment and q sepa-
rate penalty 1t is OF the greatest conse-
quenco that this bold attempt ut child
stealing should be followed by the most
aignal punishment; otherwise We can
have no assurance that this innovation in
crime will not become popular, and be
followed by ruthans. who will see in if a
cheap and easy way OF gaining money.
Mr- Ross is merchant whose property
was swept away in the financial crisis
last tall, and who can i'll afford to pay this
heavy ransom We hope he will not be
compelled 10. OF. if he is. that the guilty
parties may be forced to disgorge before
they can make way with the money and
be made to feel the strong hand of justice