The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-30
Is CHARLIE ROSS ALIVE 4?
PERHAPs 4 CLUE TO SOME OF the
kIDNaP Pens Ar LAST.


evidence against them rs OF such character as
bids fair to secure their conviction. On Thurs
day last Samuel Benners, alias Geo. Youshling,
alias A. +. Bapb, alias Geo. Shaw, alias George
Wright, atlas Draper; James Picket. atlas Dr.
Robert f. Bell, and Sarah Brown, a coIored
woman, known for some unex nlsined reason as
"Dutch Sal" were arraigned before Police Mag
istrate VIM. u. Collins on a charge of being con-
cerned in the abduction and concealing OF
Charlie Ross, son Of Christian X. Ross OF this
city, The father and brother OF the missing
child had nothing to tell on the witness stand,
beyond what has already been given to the pub
lie, respecting the mysterious disappearance OF
the Rolden-haired little fellow. The testimony
ofPollce Lieut.. Given, however, gave new and
wildly sensational character to the late deveI-
opments in this extraordinary case. He testified
that he had received Information from colOred
man named Nelson Parker, otherwise known as
Williams, to the effect that there was a we'll
organized gang Of burglars doing business be-
tween New Jersey and central Pennsylv anita
that Mosher and Douglass (who were killed in
the perpetration OF burglary near your city
some eighteen or twenty months ago) were
members of this league, and that Benners aud
Picket, under their various aliases, and the col
Ored woman, Dutch Sab" were also members
OF the gang, making their heaouuarters at iar-
risburg. Pa. On the 10Th oi September he
rested the woman. ana on tho 9th Of October
the two men. acting In eacn Instance on infOr-
suspected OF completely IN burglary perpe-
trated In Philadelphia but the evidence IN III 4
have oeen set al liberty but FOR further informa-
ton. then voluntarily given 10y ,rkcr, that they
were concerned 10 the Ross abduction, upon
which charge they were then held.
Oi the letters produced at the examination,
the following were the most significant;
HARRsBvRG, Aux. "a, 1874.
Sir: have Just returned from the city yc.tcriav
least $4,000 ana the ON ncr must come to r or osc
4; ana feel VA come OF right anyno~. lett
wright; he would not come 10 tine. NJsncr aud
Dous,ss are ruanlns ne p9sdet Wagon no.. agi an
published b. MArtlu, putton 3 Co. Yours vIln re.
spect. GF9RaK NousnLING.
JorSoYoq can believe , al aqSe ~ {. he tue sna
the ciStnss q the p. sIsh You s.siTse wi Ga,e
lungs the Doctor sent your vii write soon again.
Harrisburg ars,a aud viii zee your VII. lave
done well with tue books and the medicine.
GKoRor YorsnIivo
n,RRIsBuRo. Oct 1875.
no trie.s a u.s. hive rdn9eH yeS Sno@ tueyt Is
WORTH your Ire 10 do So Tor Inc Il ca.e Soula H,o,s
some q The aghe-l uen IN the country by when an
lreacherous you viii raiu me. We'll am going lev
nes og ol town Sia .nen Won lcnNc unlll near
sal aud daughter out 81 town, but " en- cannot ten
wosryt a G S s s tla az" can srS you
hear sn,tiins Of SAP joan. thtre Is hut ihrp. V us
inat Know anything about the "Jewri' & T. case aud
Of them You are aest to me told you whe Ia ri.n
OF course NJ IVES with me- but he Is husncd for ever
n9. He tS.d u he e9ud but al y quiet now Moneys
ere / no trouble Dol" Is married 80 n'ar. our
S Tor se De fS@ e Sew ss b s on tue q0sS
YOU ! have ven, 20 70 "am,por, to nisht
lean maAe NOR from ia very shor Tine. Tor II is
hi. ali renr. SUD Il Iva caught OF oeirsy ca NO. il.
could reach me-, Tor vii free you al some d y, aud
make t50.oD easy. for you come next to me nov. II
'I1 AS9s psSO know" GsSms r2
The Jewel worth at least $500" is supposed
to mean Charley koss. That, Parker AYERS posi-
lively, is Its meaning, and this Interpretation is
farther strengthened by two other letters, Que
handed TO i rker for transmission to a third
other n frsRmentary portion Of half burned
house. The nrst Of these. addressed 10 CAR
knuckey, a daughter ~ Sarah Brown, reQuo- ted
her - give u her mother sellei enclosed
note, which read:
the 6S NO One ana Srq nro aS S S e'y o o.
lie silent Meet ne a. WilainspoTt Randolph Is
caught and NAV iqueai % a. " Me hai four taps =
TIE n IRON unIer the hearth door. O. home Al
Oh, Coo, am nervous. u \. or kuAw
the second WAS found by witness and Onicer
Tat on ran Browns mantel, with ferfotyue
Of acolored man. upon the back of winch were
scratched The names nom s Parker, George
ioush ing Mosher, aud Douglass. PART had been
DESTROYED, but the portions remaining read;
You 81 MT lose cent nosdcn VIII see you next
her s sui se 10 YOU .r Ga9 Ora Zee ~ 81
home, IVES ervelt got ten years, Tut all 10 safe lie
ou A. tar Il ye sod load. ana 20. out Of tii6s7s.
Know s5oS lie Is ,oSsd DoET wrse ia my n is e
me- Know Con II p ySu lee ron, e..
"a rdehy, q. Y. or A. {. b.
Parker then went on TO testify that he was re-
leased IRON pris n on The 81 Of July folio ing,
ana that he saw Youshling soon after on Mark ct
street. ana at Reddy Dittmans saloon, when ne
had M CIV nm h.a t.atx
he could not Z his price; tnat he h Il JUS had
four taps" meaning tour robOeries, and TIA It
Randolph was snOt In one; afeer this, Parker
went To Harrisburg, and upon his return To
Pnilidephia received the letter from Younsling,
wnich said among other things thit there are
"only three persons VINO know any thing aoout
the jewel: Mosuer was with me, but he Is
husned forev now; don't wsnt any reward
for the tewel-it Is a gOOd sucker, and draws
well II should die or he KILLED, You could
III he 6fty thousand dollars easy keep still"
rne witness 3 Id. on crosse xafnlnatiOn, that
he mad seen but di not know Mosner aud
Douglass, aud that he believed one OF them 10
UtVe teen tue George Wright mentioned, as he
had not seen him since they were XII ed.
lhe magistrate committed the three defond-
ants for trial. refusing 10 accept bail for either
OF them.
Inc coiored man, Parker. or Wilkins, who
0gures as iniormer m the case, seems to have
becn victim Of circumstances, ana to nave
suffered undeseryedlv the imprisonment to
winch ha referred IN ms es,iHony. such is at
asst the belief Of the officers VINO inve-tig ited
Thoroughly the CIRCUMSTANCES attending H.. He
had IN 1871 good anu non and II happy home
~ Hdri lsDurg. lie was "A married man, and not
only sober and steady, but man OF religious
asso riatIOns. and during hi' shortly previous
residence In Delaware had been recognized oy
the Conference Of the Colorel sietnod 81
Cnuroh IA "A local preacher lie WIS engaged in
a Hour and feed ore, aud, bV his attention to
business ami ocknOwledged integrity, gave en-
lire satisfaction to MS employers. Another OF
tue coiored residents Of Harrisburg at that time
was a man named Cole VINO had been for many
years town dog catcher, and whose wife, then a
Father bright, comtlN muldttO woman, known
as Dutch SAL partly supported herself aud
her husband Dy Washing. One OF the men for
whom she washed belonged To a party OF travel
ling drug peddlers, VINO did business on novel
aud rather taking plan. They had a buggy and
wagon, bOth OF which looked as II
they belonged to a circus company. The
travelling sulesnen" drove sometimes TWO and
sometimes four horses IN front of their medi-
cine wagon. Whenever they stopped for trade
one of them would play the banjo aud sing
songs I'll "A crowd WAS gathered, among whom
ms associates would circulate, selling "lnsian-
taneous Reliefs," patent Dentriuces," aud
had his Washing done by A.rs. Cole III de hc-
quantance either, 1t seems, through her hus-
o,nd or from calling at tho store with Williams.
by this time Williams had so far made his way
IN the world that he was the owner OF "A house
ana kept "a horse and wagon, with which he be-
gan To do little trading on ms own account.
lie WAS ambitious and worked hard and hon
estY, early and Late, to RAISE himself aud to sup
port IN comfort his wife, between whom and
himself a strong ATTACHMENT existed. lie was
doing well, If he could but get little capital
he would do better still. 10 whom should he
appy out 10 his friend, the medicine manP He