Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-07-27
DELEGATES
CHILD-STEALING.

CHILD-S1EALING.
The case Of child-stealing which oc-
CURED in Philadelphia July 1st, is excit-
ing great deal of interest, both from the
fact that such deed was done, and from
the boldness with which the abductors
have sought to extort money from the
parents. The boy whose name is Charles
Brewster Ross, aged about four years,
was playing in a pleasant street in the
suburbs of the city on the afternoon of the
LIST inst. Two strangers in buggy came
along and enticed the Ross boy and an
other into their carriage to take a ride.
After riding short distance the other
and older boy wished to get out of the
carriage, and was allowed to do so the
Ross boy was driven away and thus far
where he is, is unknown to his parents.
When the father was sensible that the
boy was lost or stolen he advertised for
his return. offering $500 to whomsoever
would bring him home. In few days
the kidnappers advertised that the boy
would be restored for 500, 900. Mr.. Ross
is man of small means. with nothing
like that in his possession, but he did not
hesitate to promise the money. A series
of inhuman letters to the disconsolate man
followed, in which the villains have
threatened the child's life if any attempt is
made to find his hiding place, and warned
the father that, if he loves money better
than his child, its blood is on his head.
Meanwhile, the police have been blindly
following imaginary clews, arresting this
man because he is counterfeiter. that
one because he wears green goggles, as
one OF the kidnappers did,-as if such
knave would be fool enough TO wear his
disguise abroad. One suspicious charac-
ter is still in Jail. but without a particle of
evidence to connect him with the crime
The post-office and the newspaper offices
nave been watched, but, though the let
tiers and the advertisements continue. no
traces OF the writers thereof can be found
At length the Mayor of Philadelphia
offered reward of $4,000 for the ras-
Gals, but as yet the Whereabouts of the
child is Undiscovered. In his descriptive
circular the Mayor says of the men who
stole the children Zone was a man of
rather large size, probably five feet eight
or nine inches high He was only seen
sitting; his age is believed to be from
thirty-fve to forty-fve years; has a
moustache and full beard or wbiskers
rather long on the chin, of brown or
SANDY color, and brown hair. He wore a
ring on the little finger of his right hand.
The other was man five feet eiobt or
ten inches high, about twenty-five or
th'rty years of age. of light, or with a ten
dency to sandy, complexion, sandy mons.
'"che ana red nose and face, having the
appearance OF drinking man. One of
'ne men wore a broad-brimmed straw hat
which looked as if it had been worn 600
son or two, and much sunbrowned The
other wore high-crowned, dark colorod
straw hat One wore linen duster and
the other gray alpaca buster. One Of
the men wore large eyeglasses or GOO.
sles' OF dark color, probably as a dis
guise."
IL Is requested that all the newsnanors
III the country publish the facts for
humanity's sake. The condition of tbe
parents minds at the loss OF their bow and
the circumstances attending 1t can be bet
Ter imagined than described. They are
oil course more anxious to obtain their son
'han TO punish the offenders. and wop,d
De quite willing to accept the terms of.
tered by the thieves if they were able to
do SO. The community, however. while
sympathizing with them, will feel the
necessity of foiing and furnishing this
attempt at child-stealing as means of ex-
tortion, in order that failure on the part Of
the villains in their devilish work NAV OBJ
crate to prevent others from following
their example.