Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-14
The Philadelphia Abduction.
HISTORY OF A STRANGE CRIME.

The Philadelphia Abduction.
HISTORY OF A STRANGE CRIME.
A Philadelphia letter to the New York Hor-
aid gives the following history of the abduction
of boy in Philadelphia, which has several
times been briefly mentioned 10 dispatches
from that city The letter says:
/ On July |, as two little boys were playing 10
WASHINGTON Iaue at Germantown, two men ap-
nroacbed them ia carriage and invited them
ont 10 tide. No Que save the children and the
men w,re near at the time. For several days
previous these same TWO men had approached
The boys in different ways, aud having during
these conversations given them candies, toys,
&C., the little ones expected them before they
arrived on the day mentioned above, aud 50
readily consented to get into the carriage Al
ter having driven for some distance the Oldest
one Of the two little boys was asked to get out
Of the carriage and bug few packages Of fire.
crackers. Boyke, he most willing complied.
No sooner had he disappeared in the store
than the two men dashed the horse and made
away with the little four year-old, whose name
IS Charlie Brewster Ross, and who has never
since been seen by those who know him.
The father, after searching everywhere 10
the ncighborhood, came 10 the police Office,
where upon his arrival your correspondent
learned the above The police, under the
direction of Captain Helms, made the most
scrutiuizing search everywhere. They con-
,inued their operations INCREASINGLY day and
uirht, aud were determined to leave no stone
uuturped that would restore the lost one and
punish its prosecutors. All in vain. They
iaborcd for three days and for three nights.
There was no clue. After this the following
advertisement appeared in all the newspapers
CoOO REWARD WILL BE PAID
| North SlXrH street, A SM ALL BOY, four
wears DID, having long, curly, daxen hair, hazel
ewes, clear, light skin and round tace dressed
in brown linen suit, short skirt. broad Drlm-
med straw hat and laced shoes. The child Was
lost from Germantown on W ednesdny afternoon
LIST inst between fur and i've o'clock.
This advertisement, too, met with no re-
spouse, and Oh Monday, July 6, another Was
inserted iu the Public Ledger. The next morn
ing in the "persoual column" of this same
Journal, appeared the following:
DOSs-WE BE READY TO NEGOTI-
II ATE.
% the same day the father, Mr.. Ross, re-
ccived an Anonymous letter through the post
Office, in which it was stated that little Charlie
would be returned for 1000. 1t aso went
on 70 say that the boy was IN good hands; that
The treatment given him was careful; that it
had cost the parties great deal OF money to
get him, aud that they could not think OF re-
turDing him for less than $4,000.
The father returned the following answer
through the Ledger personals:
DOSS WILL COME TO TERMS TO THE
LII extent of his ability.
Another anouymus letter at once was receiv-
ed by Mr.. Ross, stating that the parties who
| held the child would not part with with 1t for
smaller SUN than the one already named.
Now, mark how fathers love rises supreme
above everything He had not in his possession
the amount necessary to regain his dear one;
but he answered the villains through the per-
sonals thus:
DOSS Is WILLING; HAVE NOT GOT 1T;
IL am doirg my best TO raise it.
Thus the matter stands. Detectives have
watched the Ledger Building and the Post
Office, day and night; but so carefully do the
kldnappers work that no clue whatever seems
to have been obtained to their Identity or their
whereabouts. The child has now been absent
twelve days, audit is doubtful whether during
this time any of the members of the household
to which it belonged have had an hour of un-
broken rest.
The circumstances of the case are somewhat
remarkable throughout. For five days pre-
vious to July the day upon which the child
was stulep-thesc same nen we're seen around
the neighborhood, aud each day approached
the two children and converscd with them. 1t
is presumed that they would have been off with
the youngest, little Charlie Ross, several days
before the first instant, but at each time there
CHANGED to be some passing along the lane.
| During conversation with the father | asked
him whether he had any enemies who owed
him gruuge and who would be likely to take
revenge 10 such a rare way. The father re-
Il. kl,.,kf hnrn
any one in the world who entertained any
father is Mr. Christian X. Ross, of the firm
of Ross, Shot l. Co., wholesale dry goods
dealers, on Market street The house was
unfortunate during the panic aud hence
Mr. Ross is unable to pay at once the
SUN demanded by the black mailcrs. 1t is hop
ed that he viii DOT be obliged to do so, but that
| it will be the kdnappers who will be obliged to
pay the peualty worthy of their iuhumanlly.
| ii D. m-Sluce writing the above your cor
resp,bdcnt has gained more direct idea Of the
nature of the letters which the kdnappers have
sent to the di<clusoate father. More hcnoish,
cruel or iDhuman epstles human baud never
pcnucd. One of them reads similar to this:
eve know you are not worth much money,
but we are aware that you have rich friends
OF whom you cAu borrow. If you love money
better than your child its blood be on your
own head"
Another letter read to this effect:
Any attempt to ascertain the chlds hiding
place will result in its entire annihiaton. We
will turn the child up on our owu terms
Meaning thar in case the money is not forth
coming they will kill the infant.
No one I'm read the letters without feeling
his blood boil. Four letters in all have been
received, aud each Of them is cool and cruel
I'VE know our business" says one of the
| letters and We are going to fight it out.
| T OST-Satu-day evening last, on King street.
IL between Pitt and Royal, BREASTfIN.
A suitable reward will BE- paid the finder by
calling at police h. adqisrters. jy l4-3t