River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-09
CHARLIE ROSS.
Arrest and Imprisonment of the Gang of Alb
ductOrs.

Arrest and Imprisonment of the tang OF Alb
ductOrs.
THE man Benners, who was arrested
in Harrisburg for alleged implications
in the Ross abduction case, was ar
raigned in Philadelphia, as were also
James Pickett and Sarah Brown, alias
''Dutch Sal
Lieut.. Givin, of the First Police Dis
trict, swOre that on Sept. ,, colOred
man named Nelson Parker had given
information of a band of thieves who
were operating in Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, and who had formerly
been associated with MOsher and Doug
lass. One of these men was said to be
Benners. alias Babb, alias Shaw, alias
Draper, under which names Parker
had know him. Mrs. Brown was said
to keep house in State street, Harris
burg. where Pickett and Benners some
times stopped, and which was known
as a thieves resort. On Sept. 90,
Lieut.. Givin, one of his officers, and
Parker proceeded to Harrisburg, sur
rounded the house, and captured Ben
ners, Picket, and the woman, the for
mer being charged with a robbery
committed in Camden. The three
prisoners were then brought to Phila-
delphia.
Parker, the principal witness, was
then sworn. He stated that he had
known Benners under the names of
George YOuslin, Shaw, Babb, and De
Hart. Pickett he knew as ''DOc" Bell,
who was peddler of observation-disclosures,
together with one Randolph and a
George Wright. Benners forged two
notes while in Harrisburg, which wit
ness endorsed and got the money upon.
Witness was afterwards arrested for
forgery, and sentenced to three years
in the Casters Penitentiary, which
time he served out. While in Jail sew
eral letters were received addressed to
him under the alias of Williams, all
written by Benners.
These letters were read in evidence,
and shown to Parker to identify Ben
ners' handwriting. In one of these
letters he promised to get Parker re-
leased, having, as he said, got jewel
worth $1,000, and the owners would
have to come up to recover it. Fur
ther letters followed saying that MOsh-
er and Douglass were running pow
deF-wagOn that Parker's house had
been sold, but another would be pro-
cured for him.
Other letters referred to SAILS ar
rest and the movements of parties
known to Parker and the writer, CIV
ing an account of their whereabouts
and how they were doing also stating
that they had made several ''taps'
| (rObberies), and had Melted cOnsidera-
BILE cash. He also prOmished to take
good care of Parker for Williams, as he
was then known), and had sent him
boxes containing different articles.
Similar attention had been shown wit
ners by Benners' friends while Ben
ners was out of town. Other letters
received from time to time kept Parker
posted as to Benners' movements, his
luck. and where he intended to go.
The "iewer' is frequently alluded to
in the epistles, and witness had no
doubt that the word thus used meant
| Charley Ross.
liz other letters which Parker receiy'
| ed. the death of Mosher is alluded to,
| his telling all that he could. The
| Jewel, G. r." was said to be safe
| but Parker was not to write till Benners
/ could be again heard from. He die
| not want the reward, he could do bet
/ ter by waiting. If he should be killed
or captured Parker could make $50,
! 600 easily, as he stood next to Ben
| ners. The letter was signed" TOuslin,
| but the name used most by the writer
as "Babb.