Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-12
CHARLEY ROSS IN ITALY.
The Kissing Bog seen ant Identified
HE Streets III. 1EiInu

The Kissing Bog Seen ant Identified IN
the Streets Of lillian.
Milan Correspondence Chicago Times.
About one year ago some excitement was
created here among Americans by the APP
pearance i'll the streets of strolling party of
musical beggars, having with them a 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 We're 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 keepers, 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
party was seen in another part of the city.
and a lady at distance of rod OF more
spoke in English, saying, 'sCharley, come to
4
| 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 villainous- looking man,
each about thirty-tive to forty years old. of
very dark, swarthy skin, hair and eyes black.
| The boy plays an ACCORDION, 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 beholder thai
he is not an Italian, and in no way akin t.
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 small fortune, in the hands o
strolllng vagabonds. a few months ago tn
three year old son of one of the prominen
citizens of Milan was stolen from the nurs
who had him in charge, in the public garden
The police fofce was set to work. and il
twenty-four hours thereafter, by the aid of
citizen who happened to see a crying DO,
carried along back street. he was found il
a garnet occupied by q stroiling organ
grinder
So prevalent has been the habit of child
stealing, that no one under ten years of ag
is allowed to go into the street or to ant
from school without an attendant. Children
are not allowed to leave the school room 70
a moment without protector. Dwelling
are SO constructed that no one can leave o
enter house without the knowledge ant
consent of the door-keeper who is Away
at the post of duty. Hence. j
is an easy matter to prevent a 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.
lady never walks the streets alone, day o
night, except at the risk of impertinence 0
insult. Yet these disturbances and annoy
ances are said to have greatly diminishe
within the last ten or fifteen years, and ma
not now Justify the rigid precautions sti
kept up. by force of habit, perhaps. A fe,
years ago. when Italy was the native home c
a vast horde of tyrants. brigands. thieves
and beggars, force and cunning had to b
/ met by barred windows, IRON doors. walk
= guards, and sleepless vigilance.
l The presence of the stolen boy, Charlie
f Ross, in this country, III the hands of stea
ing vagabonds, would not be inconsisten
l with the past history of this people an
their besetting crimes &. b.