The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-19

companions were. The dying man was In
formed that his partner in crime was dead
when he said that his name was William
Mosher, and that his own name was ,josepl
Douglas. He expressed some sorrow
when informed that Mosher had died, anC
remarked, That's a pity, for he coulc
tell where little Charlie Ross is, or word
to that effect. He wanted those arounc
him to send to Supt. Walling, that h,
might know Of his trouble and added
Il have brother and a sister whom
have not seen for twelve years. | have
$40 in my pocket, which | wish used I,
give me decent burial, Mosher and
abducted the boy Charlie Ross from Ger
maptown. Supt. Walling would have Civ
en- great deal to have got us. If Moshe
were alive he could tell where the boy il
now. Mosher has wife and children liv
ing in New York.
After making this statement, the mar
| died in great pain, and as they were botl
spectacle.
ACTION OF THE AUTHORITIES.
The first official intelligence was sent tc
Supt. Waling, of this city, aud to Supt,
Folk, of Brooklyn, in the following telo
gram dispatched by Judge Church of For,
Hamilton:
sapt. waiting, Police Headquarters, Netc Yor1
tfy:
Two burglars, William Mosher and Joseph Doug
las, were killed here last night Do you know them
Douglas declared when dying that Mosher kne"
about Charlie Ross. CIV. CHURCH
In answer to this, Supt, Walling re-
Piled:
HEApQuARTER Police DEPARTMENT,
Judge Harch, Fort HdntiitoR.
Douglas told the truth. l have been lookn. for
them ever since the boy was stolen. W III rrhd an
In very short time Capt, Irving aud
Detective Sellick received instructions to
start for Bay Ridge, and reached there
early in the morning, with Supt. Folk, Of
Brooklyn, with two detectives from the
Central Office They were quickly shown
the dead bodies of the men by Constable
Holland, of Bay Ridge, who had taken
charge of them until the coroner should
issue his instructions. Sellck at once iden-
titled the men as being well known
thieves. and said that he had been on the
look out for Mosher long time past in con
nection with the Charlie Ross abduction
1t was known that one of Mosier's fingers
had been injured during previous burg
larry, and that he had a well-known mark
Immediately under the nostril of his nose.
These marks were found upon the body OF
Mosher, and identified by the detective.
Sellick seemed much chagrined at the
death of the man who is supposed to be
the real abductor of young Ross, or at
least one of the principals. Douglas was
also well known to the officers having been
engaged for years past in various burglar
les in this city and other places. Coroner
Whitehill also arrived, and took charge Of
the bodies. After hearing the statement .
of Mr. Van Brunt and his son, he ordered
the constable at Bay Ridge to take the
bodies to the Brooklyn morgue to await his
further orders, No complaint was made
against Mr. Van Brunt or any of those who
took part in The deadly affray, as oil prom
iscd to attend the inquest and subject them
selves to the order of the court, if it was
thought necessary they should 60 before
any other tribunal. They claim that they
merely acted in self defense and in the pro-
lection of their property, and did not at
tempt to fire until they were attacked.
The men, as they emerged from the house.
were called upon to surrender themselves,
but this they refused to do, and their death
resulted from the shots fired at them.
While the bodies were lying outside the
house of Mr.. Van Brunt they were looked
at by colored nurse in the employ of
Judge Church of Bay Ridge. Here an
extraordinary statement was made by the
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