Middletown transcript., 1876-02-05
Little Charley Ross "A Letter from
a Relative.

recently maze VlStt u tue uouSe
his parents, and contributes a very in
teresting letter to the Boston Globe
He says:
1.-The writer passed couple Of day
with Mr. Ross, at his home in German
town, q short time since, and woul'
like to inform the reading public tba
every night and morning from tha
Christian family fervent and earnes
prayers are offered for the return Of tn
little lost boy The days are spen
by the father 10 every effort that prom
ises the slightest degree Of success il
finding Charley.
Letters arrive BY the dozen, some O
sympathy. some making inquiries, and
some simply ridiculous. A. letter ar
rived (Which the writer Of this article
saw. written in German, from an ap.
parently intelligent man, stating that il
Mr. Ross would take young hen that
had never laid an egg. and cut it in
four pieces with knife that was new ;
lay the four pieces Of chicken upon q
newly planed board. at midnight walk
three times around the board, repeating
the words enclosed three times, b.
would have Charley returned to him
the next day. As Mr.. Ross is the most
courteous of men, these letters are all
answered. Letters Of sympathy frcm
England, Germany. and in fact from
all over the world, have been received
Soon after the disappearance of Charley.
a letter would be received from. say
| Wisconsin-'Come on at once, Mr..
Ross, we have found Charley; there is
no mistake, etc. Mr.. Ross would start
by the next train. Upon his arrival,
be would find boy with red hair, blue
eyes. or perhaps he would have an un-
mistakable Celtic caste Of countcnance.
The writer saw photographs Of over
twenty different boys who had been
locked up in this manner. Mr.. Ross
is now obliged to do the Identification
business by telegraph and decides the
matter by few questions.
At the table the writer met little
Walter. an exceedingly bright and
knowing boy. who was taken with
Charley and left on the road. eight
miles from home. Poor little Charley
was quiet. sensitive little fellow. who
was the good boy of the family. full Of
affection and kindness. How he must
have grieved his poor little life away
among the brutal men with whom be
was surrounded
The mother informs me that she feels
be is alive. and that God will not fail
to answer the many prayers that have
been offered for his safe return.
Little Walter has always persisted in
saying that the horse used by the alb
ductors would turn round and laugh at
them. Repeated reprimsnds would no,
cause him to vary his statement. About
a year after the abduction. horse wan.
dered into Newark. N. j., covered With
burrs, emaciated and woe-begone. He
was carried to stable, and Mr.. Ross
notified. Upon the arrival of MIR. Ross,
the horse was harnessed to the same
bind Of buggy used in stealing the
children, and little Walter was invited
to ride. Upon being touched by the
Whip, the animal turned around to his
driver. dropped bis under lip. puckered
up his upper lip, and showed bis teeth.
while Walter clapped bis hands and
shouted: There, papa, didn't l tell
you be laughed!
The best detective talent Of this
country has been engaged for six
months. without success, in tracing that
horse and buggy from Germantown to
Newark. The writer saw the original
letters written by the abductors to Mr..
Ross. Imagine the feelings Of kind
father when he reads Charley has been
secreted in a place not 6t for human
being to live in. The light of the sun
has not shone on him for six months,
and if any Of your detectives discover
the place Of bis coucealment. that will
be the signal for his instant death. We
have it SO arranged that his body will
disappear. and nothing be left to GRIM
inate' Mr. Ross is a gentleman of
high social standing in Philadelphia,
was never fast man. has no enemies,
has noble Christian woman for wife
and as interesting and well-behaved a
family of children as the writer ever
met, aud the public may rest assured
that Charley was stolen. and stolen for
the purpose of extortipg ransom Of
S2O, 900. Mr.. Ross has made, and is
now making every effort to recover his
boy. Fearing have trespassed too
much upon your columns, l will close
by saying that there is a faint clue now
being run out in Southern city that
promises to elucidate the mystery of the
fate Of poor Charley Ross.
RosroN Ian 10 TINcLE SAN