The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-08-03
LITTLE CHARLEY ROSS.
Additional Perplexity of the
Wooden Police.
THE MYSTERY OF THE WAGON
The Allentown Route Fur.
Their Verified.
AQUESTION OF REVENGE OR MONEY.

PHILADELPHIA, August 2, 1874.
Despite the promises of the police, tie prayers
of all the mothers IN the land, and the hopes OF
every citizen of the nation, there is 10 news OF
the missing child As usual, groups OF anxious,
sympatnizing faces pass the store OF Ross. Shott &
Co., but seeing within the same sad shadow,
move on with heavy hearts. The poor father, Tor
whom there are thousand sympathlzers to each
one who speaks Ill Of him, goes about the streets
with the look of o broken hearted man. saw him
to-day, and ielt thai whoever was 10 blame for
this sad calamity he could have had no hand in
the transaction. He now visits Police Headquar-
ters but seldom, as he has had nothing to encour-
age such visits alter months anxiety.
l have made two visits to the Central Office
this afternoon, and now see no more hope OF find
lug the child, in anything that the detectives are
doing, than did two weeks ago. have heard so
much about "running out Gle VS." and ''shauowing'
this al that man that am getting tired or
the slang OF this political machine. l have
not yet been able TO discover that the
who can carry his district for certain candidate
is the most discreet and knowing police captain
who can be found Such may be true Of Phila-
delphia, out am sure 1t is not SO in New York.
MORE ABOUT THE ALLENTOWN ROUTE.
The Allentown theory daily receives urther cor
roboration. The following letter, purportlng to
come from reliable gentleman Mauch Chunk,
SIR-0n the 9th OF July weli-dressed stranger
registered himself at one OF our principal hotels.
he stopped over night anu acted IN suca strange
manner That he attracted the attention OF tne
guests of the house. lie had with nun little
curly -headed ringe ted youngster, VINO was uu-
like the gentleman that boarder appi cached the
latter on the suDJec. In repy to inquiries the
man said he had come 1000 miles, ana Chat when
about starting he had made ~ his mind TO bring
the cnlld with him. and that he had not time
to change his clio hes or to pack others for nm.
The htte ones appearance spoke for tue truth OF
WIS
have travelled 5000 miles SINCE ne was washed
and dressed. On the l6th tue man and chld
returned, but the latter was scarcely seen by the
puolc. They lett in short time and have not
Ueen heard On. o, since. ., Last week one Of
IN Philadelphia, thinking That possibly the
little fellow might nave been Charley Ross.
The detective aC once wrOle to gentleman acre,
inqulrlng as to the mlnutest particulars IN reier-
ence to the strange gentleman ana MS charge.
s Was sem s w al 1--WE Tue
lives cew to the missing boy, do not know, but
there are good many people IN Mauch Caunk who
cannot, Tor the lie OF them, Imagine why man
should bring O child 2 900 miles from home without
change OF clothing, and not be able to explain
his business when ne got to mis- destination. Your
detectives are IN POSSESSION OF every TACT, and
suppose will "wOrk up the case.
MAUCH CHUNK, Pa, July 80, 1874.
THE BOYS STORY CoRRECTs
The apparent doubt which seems to possess the
mind of the elder boy, Waiter Ross as to whether
the buggy which carried HIM away from his home
was driven in q northern southern direction
on Washington lane puts new phase upon
the story Of that trip. 1t viii be remem-
bered that the route, as described by
the family and the detectives, was north
ward from the Ross mansion along Washington
| lane to the LimeKiln pike. This seemed to me to
have been very unnecessary part of the plot of
the kidnappers to cover up Their tracks and I so
stated 1t, after careful inspection OF the whole
! route, The statement which Mr.. Peacock makes
regarding the route as described by the boy Is so
| strangely at variance with the story as 1t
! came to my ears from Mr.. Frank Lewis
and other persons, that am now in
great. doubt as to whether any part
OF the line travelled by the kldpsppers IS known
save the start and the finish. SO sure did little
Walter appeir to be that he was traversing part
OF the route followed BY the kidnappers in the
morning that ne several times remarked to Mr..
Peacock who was taking him home up along Ger
mantown avenue, II remember this place very
weilD II the boys statement to MIR. Peacock be
true, why was this other story ever starteds
down to Rising sun might readily have
had the same objective point as the trip
y the e Is
Ross. Such being the case, with no que to give
the alarm except nurses, why should the men
north Why should they not have driven the
children to the nearest railroad station and have
used buggy at all II the boys knew themG The
theories and suggestions to oe conjured up out of
these two diane trically dlfereut stores Of THAT
memorable ride are numberess.
THR WAGON.
begin to think that even the story about the
frequent appearance OF the wagon IN Germantown
is Incorrect IL Will be remembered that the car
riage was described as having "yacht body"
seen in the nelgbborhood for 1--WE or
six consecutive days. ,,. Some time ago
| I II twn
sneak thieves had been made in Germantown, and
chat the parties arraignea HAD used a cal rage to
| remove their "swag." These two men driving in
| q wagon were seen repeatedly upon the road. 1t
has subsequently turned out that TINS vehicle had
description gwen OF the wagon in winch the kid
| nappers carried of Charley ROSS.
Now, here is point Of interest. The sneak
thieves were seen several days in succession, aud
1t was during the time they were tIaversing the
neiahborhood that the abduction took place. AS
soon as little walters story OF the wagon was re-
| peated great many parties rememDer red having
seen IL. But is it not highly probable that they
saw the carriage of the "sneak thieves" aud
| not that in which the boy was taken orr Presum-
! ing at this moment that the boy was stolen Ior a
| ransom. Is ii probable that parties manfestIy
| playing dangerous game would shadow q neigh
borhood day after day in the same carriage. wien
there were 80 many who could watch their move
cIous persons No. Therefore | thlnk all
the circumstances warrant the conclusion that the
| wagon which carried OF Charley Ross was not seen
frequently in the neighDOrhOOd, ana that the resi-
dens OF Germantown, WINE they believed they
|
| made away, were really describing the wagon or
| the sneak thieves now in prison.
A NEW THEORY
! Now, after expressing this presumption, what Is
| the natural sequence Walter says he had seen
the men several times before they carried his
| given him candies, toys and other tri1ing things.
| THIS, OF course, seens to favor the gen.
| eral theory That the kidnappers came day
! after day. But IL must be remembered that Walter
! is q very young lad, hardly OF sufficient age to
| either hold or express clear ideas. 1t may have
! been the sneak thieves who gave him the candies
that they might fulfil some unknown aesIgn
| of their own. consider this hlghly PROBABLE,
| since the men who gave Walter the sweesmeats
ana those who abducted MS brother, according to
Walters own story. did not "wear the same
! cIothes,r and, very probably, not the same Tea.
| lures l am Inclined to think that the real alb
| ductors came only once What need was there Of
| their coming ofenerY believe that the men who
| kidnapped the little one laid their plans anu
| secured their prize Within twenty-tour hours.