The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-17
CHARLIE ROSS.

when Mosher and Douglass, the supposed
abductors of Charlie Ross, were killed at
Bay Ridge, Long Island, all search for
the abductors ceased, and that the efforts
of Mr.. Christian X. Ross were then
directed to the finding OF his child alive,
to the discovery of his remains, OF to
satisfying himself that his boy was dead.
Few persons know that beyond circum-
stantial evidence and the dying declara-
tion of Douglass there was little proof
that he and Mosher stole the child, while
il was evident that there were at least
four persons engaged in the abduction
and concealment of the boy. Since De-
cember, 1874, every effort has been made
to confirm the suspicion against Mosher
and Douglass, discover their confeder-
| ates, find out the place where Charlie
| was concealed and who were his custo-
dians, and to ascertain whether he is now
| dead OF alive. All this detective work
| has been done secretly, and, it is believed,
without result. Mr.. Christian X. Ross,
himself, has been equal to host of de-
tectives. lie has been aided by Chief
Jones and Captain Helms of Philadelphia,
Superintendent Walling and many New
York detectives, by retired Massachu
sets merchant, who has devoted time
and money to his aid, and by Philadel-
generous. To these may be added the
thousands of amateur detectives that
newspaper reading produces. DR.. Mary
Walker credits herself with having aided
in the search, and her theory that Charlie
was never stolen is well known
In the search for the boy the widow of
| VIM. Mosher, who with a confederate,
| VIM. Douglass, was shot and killed in
December, 1874, while attempting bur-
glary in the house of Judge Van Brunt at
Bay Ridge, has been constantly sought
after, and her time and patience were so
taxed by visits from persons who wished
to crafty their curiosity that she has
constantly changed her residence. She
now lives in the Twentieth ward with
her little girl, her two boys being away
at school,
Mrs. Mosher, who is a tall, cookbook
ing matron, is now wretchedly poor. OF
one of the amateur detectives she spoke
| impatiently. Under the pretense of Civ
ing her little amusement, he once took
her to the Fifth Avenue Theater to see
"Pique," expecting that she would be-
tray II guilty knowledge, but she was
not moved by the play, the plot of which
hinges on the abduction of child from
estranged parents, and their reconcilia-
ton through the search for him. She
told him she was offended at the ruse.
lie asked her to confess her husbands
guilt on the promise that it would help
her brother out of Moyamensing prison,
where he was sent for alleged completely
in the abduction. He had brought her
hand, purporting to have been nodded
by the spirits, and said if she had courage
enough he would bring her Il cast of his
face; but she told him that if her dead
| husband walked into the room in which
| they were, dragging his coffin after him.
| it would have no meaning TO her. She
had nothing to confess, and thought that
after all the trouble that her husband
had brought on her she should be allow
ed to live in peace, and bring up her
children, whom she loved as dearly us
Mr.. Ross loved his boy.
OF Mr.. Ross Mrs. Mosher spoke very
kindly. For him she said she had deep
respect. They met whenever Mr.. Ross
chose to call on her for information, and
she told him frankly whatever was in her
power to tell, and had concealed nothing
from him.
In regard to the missing boy, Mrs.
Mosher said: "Why shouldn't he be
alive? said that if the boy was alive and
well-as L have every reason to believe
he was-siX weeks after the abduction,
with all the hue and cry after him, the
person who had him then could lust as
well keep him out of sight for six years"
About herself the wife of the dead
burglar said: Il was quite young girl
when | met Mosher. l was only fifteen
and wore short dresses. ] am young
woman yet. My father was a glnsmith.
He. lives and is respected. | did not
know of my husbands real occupation
IL 4 A.. A
if | had to select husband over again,
| would do as l. did, for he was n good
husband to me, as good one as | could
wish for. He was always what is called
in trouble and in 1873 broke Jail lat
Freehold, Monmouth county, N. j., and
kept out of the way of the authorities.
We moved to Philadelphia, and hired
house in Monroe street. William can
vassed for II picture dealer, and was so
well liked by him that he could have
gone in business with him. knew moth
ing of the abduction, but this l do know,
that on the 1th of July, 1874, the day
that the boy was stolen, | and William
sat at the window of our house in Mon
roe street and saw our children letting
off tirecrackers. | was with William
constantly at this time, and | well re-
member that while stood ut his side he
iNttN' " Iti tpptithtly 'ts iIutii lllttltSt
as did Il placard on fence in Philadel-
phia relating to the abduction. We
moved to New York in August, and al
though knew that William was wanted
by the police, did not know that it was
on suspicion that he was concerned in the
abduction. | was with him all the time
he was in hiding, but l did not think
that his crime was so serious, for we
had often walked in the streets, and he
did not appear to be afraid Oh, what
useless fellows those detectives are. |
stood by one all night while he said that
he would give Il thousand dollars to
know where my husband was; and in
Philadelphia they searched the house
without avail in which my husband was
hiding. | was with him up to the night
before he was killed. We stopped at an
east side hotel near police headquarters.
That very night he talked about the Ross
case, and said that if any one should
steal his child he would have the scoun-
drel's life. His death found me in sad
condition. had not dollar, but man.
aged to bury him. A month after /
buried my baby-the sixth ofthe children
| bore Mosher.
Il can never be impatient or unkind
to Mr.. Ross, but | wish he and Mr.. Wal
ling would help me to, accomplish the
aim of my life-to free my brother. They
have s2id that he is innocent, and they
| do mot EnoNu how I Uaa1,n N uat him WOW