The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-04-25
THE SEARCH FOR CHARLIE ROSS.

THE SEARCH FOR CHARLIE ROSS.
Nearly Five Hundred Boys Mistaken for
the Missing One.
Mr.. Christian K. Ross has been lect-
uring in New England, where he has
given plaintive recital of the abduction
of his son to large and deeply interested
audiences. Mr. Ross in his lectures
goes over the whole story OF the abduc-
ton, and adds many interesting anec-
dotes of his search for the missing boy.
He has q record Of no less than 497
boys, who at one time or another have
been supposed to have been his son,
and the work of proving the mistake in
the different cases has involved a great
deal of correspondence, which has
reached to forty-seven States, Terrific
ries and counties. OF the 497 boys but
three were found to have been kid
mapped, the rest being poor little waits
who had no friends In the world.
Speaking of his treatment by strangers
while prosecuting his search for his lest
son, Mr.. Ross says that in nearly all
cases it has been of the kindest, the Off
Gals and private individuals in the diff
ferent cities and towns doing all in their
power to aid them.
To illustrate the widespread interest
in the case, Mr.. Ross relates an anecdote
of negro woman, who, wishing to call
her children into the house, cried out:
"You, Julius Caesar, come yer dis min
ute, or you'll git carried off like Charlie
Ross" Nevertheless he has found some
people in the New Jersey woods, within
two hours ride of this city, who have
never heard of the event. One of the
most singular facts of his search has
been the number of prison convicts who
protested to know something about the
abduction, but who insisted upon being
set at liberty asa condition of giving in
formation. or assisting in working up the
case.
Another singular fact was the number
of lost children who were called Charlie
Ross. OF these there we're no less than
ten, though, in all but two cases, the
name YVES given the child by persons
who had found him. Several instances,
in which supposed Charlie BOSSES have
been adopted by persons finding them,
are briefly touched upon by Mr.. Ross,
who comments feelingly on the fact that,
through his terrible loss, so many little
ones, who might otherwise have become
felons: have found good Christian homes.
He says he has been criticised by some
persons because he does not exhibit more
emotion when investigating evidence
promising the restoration of his son.
People say to him, "Why, you do not
seem to be as much interested in it as
we do;" to which he answers, "This is
your first case of this kind, but I have
them almost every day, and if I gave
way to my feelings every time I should
very soon be unable to do anything more.
[ restrain my emotions, because it is
easier to bear the repeated disappoint-
ments." He says he has been asked
how he knew his boy was alive at the
time Mosher and his comrade were
killed. His knowledge came from the
statement Of e prison convict, brother
in-law of Mosher, that he talked with
the abduetors Just before the time of
their death, and that their conversation
was of getting Charlie Ross to England
and making fresh effort to get money
for him. Mr.. Ross relates, also, how he
found, in Newark, n. j., a horse which
his little son Walter identified as the one
driven by the abductors when they took
Charlie, the Identification being made
from peculiar habit OF the horse, which
the little fellow called laughing. The
clew, however, amounted to nothing.
Mr.. Ross compares his quest to a search
in deep, dark abyss, by the light of a
taper. Now and then he could hear
little voice in the darkness crying,
"This way, papa; here I am" He
would light his taper and go in the direc-
ton CT the sound to find that it was only
the voice of his hopes and the whisper
ing of his own heart. .a