The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-03
s.;t:lc Charley Ross Mystery. :;

tervclt trial, every BODY supposed the
painful mystery shrouding Charley Ross
fate was virtually at an end, and that the
detectives, like, tho, good father III the
drama, were merely waiting to get the
fore scenes cleared away to change, the
piteous tragedy into the apotheosis ofrccs-
toration. Three weeks have gone since
the opcply.avowed abductor was sen.
fenced. Ills hints and suggestions have
presumably been followed. The Roman
Catholic religious retreats where the
child might be secrctcd unknown to the
good sisters, who never read the public
prints. have been carefully examined.
The priests have ided in the work bv
announcing from the affairs that any un-
known boy in the religious institutes
should be carefully questioned, to see if
mayhap the unfortunate child might not
be thus immured. There are no indica-
tons that the bungling detectives are a
step nearer the recovery than they were
the dismal day Of his disappearance.
Meantime, a curious phase of the inquiry
has been brought to light. Mr.. Ross,
the father Of the boy. found on his table
recently singular scrawl, mysteriously
to the effect that the writer could put
the father on the track of the lost boy,
If he would follow certain directions.
Stranger than all, no money was demand
ed-indced it was specially disclaimed.
The writer simply acknowledged compile
ity in carrying off the boy and desire to
get cut Of the business, now that it has
become dangerous. He. directed the
father to put ':pusnel'' . in the
paper for one VIM. Baker, who had
at one tiino lived in South Carolina, and
that through him he should recover his
son. Mr. Ross did so. In response, sure
enough. Baker appeared, and on being
shown the handwriting identified it as
that OF wandering circus man and
tramp, who mad worked with him in the
south. Baker had seen nothing of him
for months, and thought him just the
sort of person to be up to such Job as
kidnapping. at Mr.. Ross suggestion he
addressed personal to Mr.. Ross CORES
pondent, known to Baker as "Nelse
Booth 10 the surprise Of the father it
brought al instant response, showing
that man confessins himself one Of the
party in the kidnapping despised the de-
tcctives so much that he remained in
their very teeth. He made long state
ment, evidently: written with great effort,
stating that the child had been sent to
f1neland it's hair cut close, it's front teeth
extracted, and its complexion so Drowned
that it would be impossible to recognize
it without the clue.
It had been proposed, the self:possessed
villain wrote. to kill the boy when the
country became so hot in pursuit. but he,
Booth, or 81 Of the A. as he signed him
self, declined to make himself guilty Of
any crime. He therefore put the child in
the care of English gyp<ies returning
home, and told them that it was his own
son, whom they were to preserve, or death
would be their reward. This he told
Baker because he had been kind to him,
and he wanted him to have the honor of
restoring the boy to his family. Mysti.
fled still more by the knowledge and cam
dor the fellow displayed, Mr.. Ross tried
TO entrap him, and put personal in the
regular column, signed by Baker, asking
an interview. 70 this there came re.
spouse, also, the writer declaring the no.
tice to be "a put-up job to catch him,
and refusing to make the appointment.
lie reiterated his information about the
boy, and suggested where he was to be
found, between Liverpool and York. Eng.
land, in charge of a band whose chief is
named ''Gusto,' and ends by asseverating
that he alone knows the story as told Mr..
Ross and Baker.
The Baker who thus came to the front
made known to Mr. Ross that frequently
during the last four months he had been
met III the streets of Philadelphia by
strangers VINO would ask him: ''Is your
name Baker? g and on his responding in
the affirmative, ask if he was from South
Carolina! When answered they would
make some incoherent reply and hasten
OIL. The last note Of the villaan Booth
seemed to end the business. Mr.. Ross
was at the end Of his resources. 1t was
evident that he could not get sight cf
this fellow who confessed himself one of
the four who had appeared in the buggy
and carried the children off to ride, let
ting one escape and: carrying the other
away captive.
Baker returned from his interview with
Ross late on the same evening, and was
met in the street by man accompanied
by woman, both strangers. The man
stopped him and repeated the formula,
now strongly impressed on Bakers mind.
*'This is Mr.. Baker, formerly of South
Carolina, l belicve?'' Baker asscnted
and asked the name Of the couple in re-
turn. They responded that it made no
difference, they merely had message to
deliver. "!Somebody wishes to see you at
the West Philadelphia station tomorrow
will you please make it convenient to be
thcrc?' Asserting, Baker Immediately
went home, got his supper, and .w,otc Il
note to Mr. Ross ststinr the fats &c