Morris tribune., 1881-02-10
Is CHARLIE ROSS ALIVE!

helcdSe VI W eSterVeU. the brOtler-ln-LaW O1
Mosher. from the Eastern Penitentiary in
Philadelphia--The Story of His Connection
With the Case.
From the New York Herald.
William w. Westervelt, who in 1875 was
sentenced to seven years imprisonment in
the eastern penitentiary, Philadelphia, on
the charge of conspiracy to kidnap Charlie
Ross, was released on Thursday last from
! that institution. In reply to a reporter of
the Philadelphia Times, who asked him if
he thought Charlie Ross was dead, he is re-
ported to have said: Why shouldI? Ihave
| never heard of his death, and neither have
you. If the people who had him were en-
abled to keep him for several months with
out being discovered, why couldn't they
have kept him for years Just as safely?
Why, he might be in any of the founding
asylums in New York city, and who would
be the wiser? The police have never search
ed there, and if they did they might not
find him."
After describing his connection with the
case Westervelt went on to say: Il had
nothing to do with the kidnapping, but as I
was Moshers brother-in-law everybody
thought that must be implicated in it. 1
had upward of fifty interviews with Walling,
and Pinkerton called on me and offered to
take me into his detective agency, but l
wouldn't go. reported this to Walling,
and it caused bad feeling between them
We were working up every possible clew,
and on April II, 1875, Walling told me he
would like me to go to Philadelphia and
tell the committee of citizens what knew
about the case. told him 1 was willing to
go, and he gave me so to pay my expenses.
1 came overhere and saw Christian K. Ross,
the father of the boy, Capts. Helms and
Wood, of the Police Department, and
others. I had long conversation with
them in the Mayors Office, and they had a
shorthand reporter who took down
o'clock and when l wanted to
leave they detained me. 1 slept that night
in Lieut.. Crout's room, and the next day I
was taken to the station house ON Button
wood street, above Tenth. was thrust in
to cell, without any bed or bedding, and
suffered terribly from the cold. That night
l slept on the stone floor with tin cup for
pillow. They scarcely gave me enough to
eat, Notwithstanding my complaints. On
the following Sunday it showed and Chief
of Police Kennard II. Jones came up to see
me and found me nearly frozen. He took
me to the Station-house on eleventh street.
below Vine, and there 1 was treated very
kindly. I was kept there until April 81
without any charge having been made
against me or any hearing before magis-
trate, Judge, or any other official. I was
then sent to Moyamensing Prison, and on
the 18th of May Counselor Ford called to
see me and offered to take charge of my
case. asked him who sent him, and he
said had friends who would not see me
wronged; but 1 never found out why he
came. was then brought into court on a
writ of habeas corpus, and for the first
time learned the chargeagainst me, which
was conspiracy to kdnap Charlie Ross.
In the last of August my trial came
up, and was so confident that l would
be discharged that I made up all
my underclothes and such things into a
bundle and asked the keeper to send them
to my address in New York, as / might not
have time to stop and get them coming
back. My wife fully expected to go. back
with me in the morning, but my trial lasted
twenty-one days. She spent all the little
money she had, and they took collection
for her In the courtroom, and the judge,
District Attorney, and nearly all the LAWYERS
contributed. They raised $40 for her, and
if they thought me guilty don't believe
they would have done so. Well was con-
victed, and on the 9th of Octo-
Der, 1875, I was sentenced to seven years
imprisonment and q fine of ST."
''What do you intend to do now?"
l am going right to my family in New
York and try toget work. If have time
l will try to investigate certain clue in the
abduction case that has never been prop-
erly worked up. If Mosher and Douglass
did steal the boy there must have been
third person who took care of him, and
have my suspicious as TO who it was. I
have no bad feelings against Mr.. Ross, be-
cause would do anything to get possession
of a child Of mine, but 1 do blame him for
allowing an innocent man to suffer all these
years after he knew that could not throw
any light on the matter. If could helm
him get the child would cheerfully do SO.
l have thought over every possible clue
quite as much as he has. Last May Mosh-
er's widow came to see me, but could not
learn anything from her that is not already
known. I will try every means to recover
the child just for the satisfaction of clear
mo ,nvself "