The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-10
CHARLEY ROSS.


EFFORTS TO INDUCE wEsTERvELT TO CONFESS
PARDON OFFERED HIM TO TEIL-HE
KNOWS NOTHING, BUT ''sEARcH THE CATH
oLIc INSTITUTION" rs SENTENCED TO
SEVEN YEARS AT HARD LABOR
PHILADELPHIA Oct. O. 1875.
After the conviction OF William H. Westervelt for
completely in the conceament of Charley Ross in not
giving up Mosher and Douglass to justice when he
knew that the police after them, he was taken
to Moyamensing Prison. in this city, whore he has re-
manned since. There to lle delay before he
should be sentenced his counsel having moved for a
new trial, the arguments upon which question it was
necessary hear upon both sides Since his trial lie
has been constantly visited by Mr. Ross and his agents.
who have tried in every way to secure further
information from him-some cew, however vague and
slight, that may lead to the recovery Of the child He
has been told that Mr.. Ross will use his influence
TO obtain him full pardon il ne will tell what
reports credit him with knowing OF the whereabouts
OF the child. 0aicals Of the State ana city govern
ments have ntimatcd 60 him that pardon will surely
be granted if he coniesscs All has been OF little avail
however The prisoner always has tho same answer
to such offers, II know nothing than have told
| do not know where the child is and
If my life depended Il could not tell =
One day not long since however when the jaier was
talking him. he did let fall suggestion that may be
worth following up lie did not speak from positive
knowledge, he said, ''but tell Mr. Ross to
SEARCH cATuoLic ISsTiTUrIoSs.n
Being asked what institutions he referred to- he said
''The orphan asylums and schools"
Did he know Of any such places in particular or any
city where this had best be done9 "No he replied,
search them all The boy may be found in one, "
How did he know2
81 do not KNOW was his pcttish answer. 81 only
hope So How should | know ! only advise it.
have theory; that's all
''What was his reason for suggesting this step p,
His answer showed the shrcwdncss Of the man. 1t
was thought worthy OF the subtlest detective.
'Charley Ross he said, ''mght be in OF those
institutions in public in this very city
and be rs far away II he the other side Of
the globe He would be much out Of the
world If he dead The sister or brother
having charge Of these places might nnocenty have
possession of that chid-hc could be given into their
hands thousand ways-and they be profoundly gnor
ant that the whole world Is looking for him. Every
newspaper proper in the land has published the story
of the abduction and the description Of the child yet
these religious orders would not hear word Of it,
Why? For the simple reason that secular paper
never enters their walls only religious papers are
found there.n
This suggestion which made in language substan
TALLY that given above too valuable TO be passed
unheeded The institutions for the reception OF chill
dren, both Catholic and Protestant, religious and
lar visited at the time the police made domcilary
visits TO every house in this city year. but only
that search not a thorough far as it went
but it did not extend TO any other city than Philade
phia
THE PLAN is ADOPTED
The plan proposed by Westervet Is so admra
bic that every one will naturally wonder why some
body else did not think of II BEFORE which is always
the when bright idea is evolved in emergency.
Perhaps may claim that it has been preached be-
FORE that it has been done in the police search
before alluded to but il cannot be disputed that any
thing approaching thorough investigation in all the
religious institutions Of the United States has never
been attempted.
Catholic journal which crculates in every Roman char
table religious institution in the United States and
Canada IS about to pubhsh.perhaps by THIS time has
published DESCRIPTION of the missing child Whether
anything comes OF it time viii show.
wEsTERvELT's IGNORANCE.
OF one thing think the public may rest assured,
Westerve does not know the hiding place of Charley
Ross If he did he would have saved himself before.
Only a day or two ago a rich man. Western merchant
and man Of influence in public affairs, asked to
Westeryelt in his cell He introduced himself and
said ssIf YOU will tell Mr. Ross or any person you
choose to name whore how Charley Ross can be
found will not only pledge you my word that you
shall have free pardon, but ! will give youa large
sum of money, enough TO take you away from here
and to make you comfortable Is IL likely that a
who has shown that he has affection for hts children
would have refused such offer this when he
the gates Of prison closing on him perhaps for life
and his little ones suffering much as he? 1t is
unreasonable to hope that this man knows any more
than he has told His suggestion was merely that Of an
unusually acute man who has thought much on the
matter
wEsrERvELT SENTENCED
Judge Ecock who presided at the trial Of Westervelt
was also the Judge by absurd law of this State be-
fore whom the prisoners counsel was obliged TO make
the motion for a trial. IL not 10 be expected
that occupant of the Bench would do otherwise than
pass favoraby upon his previous decisions so that
nobody surprised this morning when Judge Elcock
announced after the opening of the Court, that in the
case Of the motion for trial in behalf Of
Westcrvelt he had carefully reviewed the reasons
found them the that he had passed upon during
the trial and therefore overruled tho motion. The
prisoner, who was already in court with batch Of
others awaiting trial, then directed TO stand up
He did SO in what is called the little dock and Judge
Ecock spoke TO him as follows
THE SENTENCE.
Tla pf thp iS hat Won nav in Of
the of prosecution and that you undergo i'm
prsonment solitary confinement at hard labor in the
Eastern PenitentiaTy for the term of years and
that you stand committed until that be
piled with.
& SEVEN YEARS AT HARD LABOR
The prisoner listened with apparently close interest
TO the words Of the Judge When the sentence
was announced and the words ''seven years at hard
labori pronounced he bent his head forward and
shook like leaf AS the tipstaT removed him to the
large dock IL was seen thu he crying like child