Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-09-11
CHARLIE ROSS.
Interest in the Case Revived by the
Discovery of
Startling Letters Among the Papers of
Dead Detective Officer.

NEWARK, y. j., September 10.-The
EreniItg NeTs revives the story OF the kid
mapping of Charlie Ross, July /, 1874, from
in front of the family residence in Ger
mantown. The chief of the detective
police of Philadelphia, VIM. K. Helms, re-
Gently died, and among his papers the
imily found two letters tied securely in
separate package, which on being exam
ined were found to have been written to
Mr. Ross by the abductors, declaring
that if he did not come to terms
the blood of his son would
be on his own head. The letters were
not shown to the father of little Charlie,
because it would only distress him more
At that time Mr.. Ross was SO prostrated
that all letters and information concerning
the case were turned over to his brother
in-law, Joseph Lewis, who then consulted
Helms, head of the detective synod The
letters just discovered are dated November
10Th and 22d of the year of the abduction.
In the first letter the abductors
say: ave have now arrived at a
critical point. We have decided to fix
day when this matter must be settled.
We must have $4,000, or you will never
see your boy. 1t seems to us you think
more of the money than you do of your
child, or you would have settled
this business long ago. You can
Ill
times. but it will not bring your
child. have never been blessed with
child, but it seems to me if / was father
! would long since have paid the money
and got possession OF him. Wa are not
murderers vet, God forbid, but unless you
meet us in New York Tuesday, the 24th
OF November, 1874, this business will be
over forever. Two of us kidnapped the
boy and two have had him in their posses
H.
only $4,000 apiece. That is nothing to
what we expect to make out OF the scheme
on hand. Ii we had known your financial
condition, we would not have taken your
boy. Now that we have him, we must
have the ransoms, so that by November
9th we must have the money, or
his blood will be on your head. You
say you want more proof that we
have got your boy. You fail to meet us
or our agent in New York on November
24th, and you will have such awful proof
that we have him." 1.-THE father, who
never gets Il glimpse OF these dread
his signature OF Tarsus'-to
newspaper advertisements notifying the
villains of the reception of their let
ters, to-" Abraham" The note proceeded:
This is the last chance we will give YOU
in this business. We tried to meet you
before, and waited some time, but you
didn't come, and We left. We give you
four days more. If you don't meet us
that decides the fate OF your child"
\ SECOND LETTER
was sent, in which Ross is impressed with
the gravity of the situation. This last let
ter penned by the actor in the great crime
bore the post-mark New York, and was
dated November 22, 1874. ave wrote
you yesterday" it begins, Saving we
would settle this business Novem-
Der 9th. This is such serious bus
mess that we write again to let you
know that this affair must be settled. We
saw your boy as We came over, and he is
all right. OF course this matter must be
settled, or it will be too late. Your boy is
in charge of our two confederates. If the
matter is settled satisfactorily we can send
by wire, All right and he is deliv-
| cred all right to you. If we
send 'All wrong, no power on earth
can restore You to him alive. This matter,
then, must be settled Tuesday, November
4th, at noon, or never. If you want your
child alive, keep true faith and meet us in
New York. Upon the heels OF this
THIRD LETTER
came, it proved to be one dated Noyem-
ber 22d, with the addition of footnote,
saying: "We send you q copy OF the letter
mailed to-day. This subject is so impor-
tant that we send you two letters, so that
H. ~