Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-10-22

uuCllOu WtIt uldut pupiiNs Oh AhN pth VI
July Mr.. Ross offered a reward of $500 for
the child's recovery, and developments In
the case we're anxiously awaited. The mi
nutest particulars Ct the case were present.
ed, and the appearance aud dress OF Char
ley Ross described in detail. The little tel-
low had long flaxcn hair, which he wore in
curs hazel eyes, a clear skin, round
plump face, and was a very well-formed
boy, decidedly prepossessing in appearance.
1t was not long after the abduction, and
some time before the case was made public,
that Mr.. Ross received an anonymous let
Ter, evidently written by the abductors, or
in their interest. This missive stated that
the child was stolen for ransom, and would
be returned if the money asked was paid.
Al first, as if to indicate that the captors
were English, the sum of G5000 was asked.
In subseqent letter, the amount was re-
duced TO $4,000. This amount was ALTO
gelher more than Mr.. Ross could raise, In
his straightened financial condition; but
nevertheless, he continued his negotiations
with the kidnappers, inserting his COM
munications in the personal" column oil
the Philadelphia Ledger The fact of Mr..
Rosss lack of means was not generally
known, and the capture of the child was of
course itself proof that the father was
held to be man Of property. The anony'
nous letters which he received contained
phrases which he was instructed to use, If
he agreed to the terms proposed and, in
accordance with the advice of detectives,
he tacitly accepted the exorbitant terms Of
fered. On the 7th of July he inserted the
following:
"Ros. We be ready to negotiate"
The day following:
"Ros will come 10 terms 10 the extent of
his ability"
And on July 8:
'Ros is willing. Have not got il. Am
doing my best TO raise it,"
II was hoped by the police that the thieves
could he trapped in some way, and the ut
most efforts were made TO track the abduc-
tors. But the men who had captured Char
lie Ross were not TO be lured, aud the in
sertion of personals to the effect that he had
the money and was willing TO pay II and
anxiously asked for an answer proved ut
terly futile In obtaining any clue to the
kidnappers.
A REWARD OF $4,000 OFFERED FOR THE
CAPTURE OF TIE KIDNAPPERs.
The Lubiic, Notwithstanding that these
advertisements were inserted merely to en-
trap the thieves and not with any intent to
pay the ransom demanded, became greatly
excited over the conduct of the case. The
Ross family, the police and the detectives
were arragned for acts tending TO directly
encourage the establishment of brigandage
in the United States. The thieves knew
b etter than The public; and, rightly iudg-
ing of the intentions of the advertisements,
declined TO answer them. In the meantime,
the story of the abduction was spread
broadcast over the land. In Philadelphia,
a mass meeting ofthe citizens was held, and
leading gentlemen pledged a reward as
large as the ransom asked by the thieves.
Mayor Stokely, on the 22d of July, issued
a proclamation declaring that "at the in
stance of the citizens Of Philadelphia l
hereby offer a reward of $40, 900 for the ar
rest and conviction OF the abductors of
Charles Brewster Ross Of Philadelphia, and
the rest oration of the child TO his parents"
Now, for the first time, description of the
abduciors was given, founded on the un-
certain memory of Waller Ross. The bug
gy was of the falling top, yacht-bodied de-
scription, so far AS one could judge from
the lads story, as aflerw ards corroborated
aud substantiaied, painted black, and drawn
by dark brown horse. One of the men
6ra OlH of laru
build, with full face, wearing mouslache
and full ueard. On the third finger of the
righ; hand he wore ring. The other was
described as a man of lighter build, not
more than thirty years old, with sandy
complexion aud mOustache and a rather
red, full face. Both the men wore busters,
one woollen, the other gray; and one ol
them wore goggles as disguise. One of
the men wore a we'll worn broad brimmed,
brown straw hat, aud the other a light
straw hat, somewhat newer. The action Of
the Philadelphia people, once evoked, was
| energetic enough. Photographs of the cap.
tured child, with a full description of his
dress and appearance and the marks" OF
the kidnappers, we're scattered all over the
country. Hardly village In the United
States or Dominion of Canada was left in
ignorai ce in regard TO The abduction, and
| the amateur detective force in every s ate
set 10 work to help the regular officers of
justice in their search for Charlie Ross aud
his kidnappers.
THE THIEVES AND THEIRPLANs-FAILURE
OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
%
listed in the work. By careful study the
fact was brought to lis ht that the men had
been seen in the neighbolhood of Mr..
Ross's house for three or four days, in
which lime the children had come to reck-
| on them among their casual acquaintances.
But nothing could be learned in regard to
the route of the kidnappers from Kensing-
ton. Some supposed that they crossed the
Delaware river. The day after the abduc-
tion a man appeared at Trenton, N. j., aud
sold horse and buggy which tailed with
the description given; but nothing was set
tied as to the absolute identity. Mr.. Ross
continued toreceive anonymous letters I'M
] Ill the first Of November. These were
twenty-five in all, written on foolscap pa
per, aud enclosed in an envelope of the
same, nothing but the postmark indicating
their origin. They were all penned in a
curious scrawl, like that Of a right-handed
man who should try TO write lelt-handed
From first TO last, the statement was made
that he child, who was secreted in a safe
hidlng-place, was stolen for money, and
for that alone. He was well cared for
but would certainly be killed unless the
$4,000 ransom was paid. That done he
would be returned to his parents, safe and
sound. ofcourse, OCCASIONALLY negotiations
came to a crisis; but the utmost ingenuity
| Of tho dafaofi,yag oou1d NOT daviSa ann t,la