, 1878-03-15
Charlie Ross.

ulSuldlt vicinity Ol bOy NUO Is Shll lb
resemble in many points the long-lost
child, that has reawakened interest in the
case. OF course this discovery may turn
out to be like all the rest, but there is a
chance that it may he the contrary, and
that the bereaved Ross family may be
made happy by the restoration OF their
stolen child. Some two or three weeks
ago Il party consisting OF two men, named
Brown and Cunningham, with a woman
and small boy who WAS called Willie
Brown, drifted down the Ohio from Pitts.
burg, and moOred their boat at the mouth
of the Licking river, in Covngton, Ken.
lucky. Brown opened a news store near
the suspension bridge, and Willie used to
sell his papers for him on the street. He
is described as being remarkably
smart boy, and his sharpness early
attracted the attention OF his neigh.
5ors. Night before last Cunningham and
Brown had row about the woman, and
Cunningham came over to this city, and
out of spite, as he said, told a remarkable
story concerning himself and the boy
Brown to Mr.. Frank A. Armstrong, Su-
perintendent of the Western Union Tele.
graph Company.
He first spoke Of man who had been
shot and mortally wounded about two
years ago while attempting to rob house
on Long Island, n. Y. This man, he
said, had with his dying breath made IA
statement to the effect that he, with an
accomplce, had stolen little Charlie Ross
from his fathers house in Washington
lane, and that the other man at that time
had the child in his possession. Now,
Cunningham claims to be this other man,
and says that shortly after this occur
renee he came to Pittsburg, bringing the
boy with him, and got acquainted with
Brown. Thus far Cunningham's state
ment as given to the reporter is clear
enough, but just at this juncture wom-
an CHE one about whom the trouble was
night before last appears on the scene.
After this all is kind of mixed up.
Through some unexplained transaction
in Cunningham's statement, the boy is
found to be Willie Brown, and the man
Brown is declared to be his father. Then
they come down the river to Covington,
and then occurs the row between Cunning
ham and Brown, and Cunningham's sub
sequent disclosures.
In order to satisfy himself of the truth
or falsity of these latter, Mr.. Armstrong
yesterday telegraphed Ross at Philadel-
phia, and likewise informed Colonel Ira
Wood of the matter. Col. Wood detailed
Captain Johnson and Officer Ramsey to
work up the case, and they went over the
river and took Pat Boan, Covington's
Marshal, in to help them. Together they
have been working the matter up and
watching the parties interested. In the
meantime Mr.. Ross answered the dispatch
sent him. and sent long list of questions
to be asked the boy in order to determine
whether he was the genuine Charlie or
not. At this time little Willie Brown,
who was on the street selling his papers,
was told togo into Marshal Boan's office,
as that gentleman wanted paper. He
was then questioned by Capt. Johnson
and Bolan, and, although some of the
answers were such as the real Charlie
would be likely to give, yet the interrog-
ators were not satisfied. Willie showed
by his talk that he had resided in Balti-
more, Pittsburg and Philadelphia, as he
knew the names of many OF the streets
and the localities.
He positively refuses to say anything
about his former name, and emphatically
denies having ever had any other name
but that of Brown He said that he
would be nine years old next November,
and that his mother had died when he
was two years of age. His questioners
never mentioned Charlie Ross to him, as
it was part of their policy to steer clear
of that point. After this interview with
the boy watchmen were put to watch the
brat, as, even if the boy should not turn
out to be Charlie Ross, it is evident that
Brown has not come lawfully by him, and
the case is certain 10 develop some sor
of a sensation. The above information
was obtained with considerable difficulty,
as the police authorities endeavored to
keep the matter as quiet as possible until
it was definitely decided rs to whether
the boy was Charlie Ross or not. 1t is a
singular fact in connection with the story
as now told, that detective agency in
this city in October las: received letter
from man in Philadelphia, who stated
that the boy was in the West, within
eight hours ride from Cincinnati, aud
that if certain amount of money was
furnished him he would bring forward a
man who saw the abduction and was
familiar with the faces of all the parties
concerned in it,, He referred to several
business men in Philadelphia and Gin.
cinnati for testimonials as to his honesty.
The letters are dated $3.50 Germantown
avenue, Philadelphia, and are signed by
Charles Bolton. The above developments
have made this appear to be, to say the
least, a singular coincidence. Whether
the Brown boy is Charlie Ross or not, he
is evidently not Browns son, and the
publicity his history is getting may be
the means of restoring him to where he