The New York herald., 1876-10-29
CHARLEY ROSS.
Mysterious Letters Obtained from an
Intelligent Negro"
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS.
A Graphic Story, as Told by the
Detectives.

plcity in the abduction of little Charley Ross, ~ re-
cited in this mornings HERALD, is attracting mucn
attention here The letters which the ponce
have captured, referred TO In your columns
this morning, fagmentary and vague as most OF 'nem
are, certainly establish two things, namely:-Inas
Samuel Benners, alias George Youshlng. alias
Funny Sam, with James Pigatt aud Sarah Brown, the
lhree prisoners we're associates OF Aosner anu
Douglass, the men who are known to have done the
kidnapping, and that wesservelt has becn justly De-
aeved to have been partcipator in the knowledge OF
he cr,mo and that no now knows all about IT. These
etters, II genuine would also seem to imply that the
shlld is still alive-a hopo which many have given up
There are about of these letters, the moro I'M
portant OF which arc gwen below.
Nelson Parker alias John Williams an intelligent
negro who"peaches on the gang, surrendered TO the
police most of them. The first letter Of importance
written by the prisoner Youshhng and was as fol-
lows the jewe referred to in this and others being
supposed TO mean Charley Ross:-
HARRISBURG August "a. 1874.
sRi just returned from city yesterday made
,ome have got Jewel It least S. 100
snd the owner must come TO time or lose Is ana teci
ms s na Dous.ss no
now and THE Ss, you Ought 10
Know published asrsin DaIs@ WIN
The next letter is still more significant its al
lusion to
"THA CLOTHES OF THE d.
1t reads thus
New York. Nov. 4. 1874.
90 Il fan ssYs s. asTs s,S last ss
Harrisburg Everything is quiet and her folks nave sS
w have pardon money can 40 t. ,, Ria yoa
s iarrisburs soon again viii see your wife, have
Ae'p aa'e' AA' s00' As''@ GEE GEORGE K YoUsHLING
CHE 10 nusHED FOREVER NOW. y
The next letter shows that YOushling discovered
that Parker was In Harrisburg whom Sarah Brown was
arrested he nas consequence alarming forebod
ngs, and ho speaks clearly concerning the matter
NELSON :sIR-All is wrong somehow Sal !. gone and
sa. have @ ~reSssd yoa know but worth your
as irisna ana fyoa are you win
ssn hssr s' es
puzzle. ifsokins for me. All right offered
Csaa %ss you hear anything Il Sal, John shsss
yss s :$i. mp prison 3s ;' r
su a. aaiss Money. a. spent. but n. swsli :ais
& ss 30 s Our goods viii ns sold
s.y the 10 iS0kpu. 81 for these from New
e Wniamsport tonight. poke Of money for
ms M ri It a s
sSpec. sonirht This i. all tight, and # c.nght
y s sies s to al or Ss sd that
IOu hear sound let me know. Yours truly, ,au,,
In care Abram Z. Babb
spEsrRoY THE CLorHlNGn
Another interesting letter Parker declares he got
bard street Il was handed him from behind The bar.
IL addressed to Miss Clara Kn0ckoy, who Is
daughter OF Sarah Brown. Sarah Brown had been
living at No. 722 Lombard street.
PnILApKLpHIA Sept. 26 1876
'CLARA-I your mother here please send incosed
open the letter inside. Yours, SHUSTER.
The enclosed letter was addressed TO Sarah Brown.
II Is supposed to reer 10 Charley Ross clothing and
halr:-
sap.-Go home and burn and destroy every ot Of The
Isnt Meet me At wiIiamsport Randolph Is caught and
the
% a snss sso' oR Ss3sa y TS% .I0'A
Tho witness also produced q letter signed /. r. l.
and addressed TO Miss Salle Brown. He and Oficcr
TAFT found 1t on mantepiece In Sarah Browns
house
THE coSyEDERArEs xAxxD.
The letter contained ierrotype OF colored man,
md on the back was scratched as " bv pen. the fol-
Aosher Douglass. The writing the same In tho
letters signed George Youshling When the letter
removed from the mantel some partly burned pieces
paper fell to the floor from behind seagrasses.
When put together they read as foows:-
You shant lose cent. sncwdeu .ill you
ars ,.,S % send ynm letter Saoo SEQ Sal Tell her all
home. weservct go. ten years but all IL safe. He
would die before he would give US away and trust
ESQ Hyou John ube witness) les me know soon. He
son see anything wrong let me know soon i Is nice
Jewel" Move nothing unless you see Il
q. T. or A. Q. B.
from the Philadelpha Inquirer, October ISL
Tic report OF the hearing on Wednesday afternoon
before Magistrate Collins has supplement which has
yet seen the light, which, '.from information
received 1t is now proposed to give Through it
The thread Of story, which, though forms only the
underplot has almost much claim upon the readers
,ympathy as the main action OF this painful drama
The coored man Williams, Nelson Parker, IN tho
rear 1871, had good situation and happy homo in
Harrisburg he was married man, and not only
and steady, but man OF religious associations,
and during mis- shortly previous residence in Delaware
bad been recognized by the Conference Of the Colorcd
Methodist Church as a local preacher.
This, OF course. proves nothing; but many who
knew him before the terrible ordeal through which be
has passed have testified to his responsibility that
The officer who has been working up the bo-
lore the public unhesitatingy expresses his con-
engaged flour and feed store, and, by his attention
10 business and acknowledged Integrity, gave entire
satisfaction To his employers In act he rather
well known and popuiar character. For a man in his
tauon he was quite accomplished, and altogether, was
looked upon us person likely 10 rise IN the world.
Ui his falling as ho has DONE or his becoming
the inmate Of jail. nobody who knew the man ever
dreamed Another OF the colorcd residents OF Harris
burg at that time was man named Cole
He may have been better known than Parker. but
he was decidedly less popular for, the rst place.
10 had been for many years town dog catcher-sways
/, thanklcss Office; and, in the second place.
here werc wage rumors about hum and his
wife, then a rather bright, comely mulatto woman,
tnown, for not yet explained,
IS dutch SAL" This lady seems partly to have sup
ported herself and her husband by the honest though
humble industry OF the washing tub. IL she CON-
bined with this any other industry less honest and
respectable the people OF Harrisburg did not know
least not before her husband about the close OF
his lite, got INTO trouble One OF the men for whom
she washed belonged TO party of travelling drug ped
nlers, who did business a novel and rather taking
plan. They bad buggy and wagon, both OF which
looked rs II they belonged TO circus company. ana
were therefore, exactly adapted TO arouse the enthu
siasm OF the villages through which they passed.
The "traveliing salesmen'' drove sometimes Two and
Iomctmes four horses Ia front oi their medicine
wagon. One OF them gifted with sweet powers OF
rons and high order Of musical talent banjo
player Whenever they stopped Tor trade the MINSTREL
atoned aloil, would sweep his primitive harp strings