Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-07-18
CHARLEY ROSS IN ITALY.
The Misstsa0 Boy Seen and Identified Il
the Streets Of Milan.

The Missta0 Boy Seen and Identified in
the Streets Of Milan.
Milan Correspondence Chicago Times.
About one year ago some excitement was
created here among Americans by the ap-
pearance in the streets of strolling party of
musical beggars, having with them boy
supposed to be Charley Ross, the stolen boy
of America. This opinion was based upon
his actions, and the picture and description
of the boy seen in America. When attention
was first attracted to him there were several
children listening to the music who con-
tinued speaking to each other in the English
language, hearing which he left the perform
ers and joined them, and seemed to recog-
nize the language. This was noticed by
one of the keeprs, who, IN apparent alarm,
hurried to him and rudely jerked him out
of this company, and the party left. This
excited the suspicion of lady from Cincin-
natl, who saw the affair; the circumstances
and the resemblance were talked over among
Americans. In few days afterward the
party was seen in another part of the city,
and a lady at distance of a rod or more
spoke in English, saying, "Charley, come to
me.' He seemed to understand and started
toward her, but was again seized rudely, and
with angry words hurried out of sight. All
further efforts were defeated by their sud-
denly leaving the city. Some ten days ago
the same party again appeared in the city.
The party is composed of a possibly de-
formed man who sits in a hand cart, and is
drawn about by a villainous- looking man,
each about thirty-fve to forty years old, of
very dark, swarthy skin, hair and eyes black.
The boy plays an accordeon, and man-horse
collects the coppers. The boy is judged to
be eight or nine years old; eyes large and
bright blue; features open, refined, and deli
cate; fair, clear skin; regular, fair teeth;
hair light, approaching red; faint freckles
about the nose; of delicate or light build;
seems bright and cheerful. His appearance
and manners will convince the behelder that
he is not an Italian, and in no way akin to
his keepers.
The interest in this case was intensified
by the knowledge of the practice in this
country of stealing children to aid in the
practice of beggary and all manner of catch
penny exhibitions A bright, handsome
child is a small fortune, in the hands of
strolllng vagabonds. A few months ago the
three year old son of one of the prominent
citizens of Milan was stolen from the nurse
who had him in charge, in the public garden.
The police force was set to work, and in
twenty four hours thereafter, by the aid of
citizen who happened to see crying boy
carried along back street, he was found in
a garret occupied by a strolling organ
grinder.
So prevalent has been the habit of child
stealing, that no one under ten years of age
is allowed to go into the street or to and
from school without an attendant. Children
are not allowed to leave the school room for
moment without protector. Dwellings
are so constructed that no one can leave or
enter house without the knowledge and
consent of the door-keeper, who is always
at the post of duty. Hence, it
is an easy matter to prevent child from es-
Gaping the vigilance of parents or servants.
From the time they walk till the age of ma
turity they are as prisoners under guard. A
lady never walks the streets alone, day or
night, except at the risk of impertinence or
insult. Yet these disturbances and annoy
ances are said to have greatly diminished
within the last ten or fifteen years, and may
not now justify the rigid precautions still
kept up, by force of habit, perhaps. few
years ago, when Italy was the native home of
vast horde of tyrants, brigands, thieves,
and beggars, force and cunning had to be
met by barred windows, iron doors, walls,
guards, and sleepless vigilance.
The presence of the stolen boy, Charley
Ross, in this country, in the hands of steal
ing vagabonda, would not be inconsistent
with the past history of this people and
their besetting crimes. E.B.