Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-26
CHARLIE ROSS.
Tho Latest Yarns About the Long-ios'

A Plttsburg Penn, despatch says: IA
new cew has been found in the Charlie
Ross case in statement made by gentle
mau here from Wyoming Territory, who
says that Henry Mosher, brother of the
Mosher who admitted the kidnapping OF
Charlie, was ynched near Cheyenne five
weeks since. Mosher begged that his life
should be spared "a hours, and said he.would
give the world information for which it had
been seeking for years past. lie admitted
having had in custody person held for
ransom for more than year, and said he
had been driven to the Far West by the hot
pursuit of detectives. The tine was not al
lowed him and lie died with The secret The
crime for which Mnsher was lynched was
the killing of j. II. Wen,zel and the muir
dcrous assault on Jim Knight.
A ST. Loais despatch says; MIR. Ross,
| father of tue long lost Charlie, who left St.
Louis for Philadelphia Monday, was called
here by a ST nsational story from Edwards
| VILE, little town in Madison county, ILL.,,
about fifteen miles from St. Louis. About
the 9th inst. one Price, tailor at Alton, ILL.,,
claiming to be detective, reported to the
town marshal OF Bethel that he knew posi-
lively where the boy was secreted, and
he induced the marshal to accompany
him to the place, in Wood River
township. When the house which he
pointed out as the hiding place of young
Ross was reachedhe requested the marshal to
remain quiet whilcshc accommodated. Soon
three shots were heard and Price came run
ming from tue rear of the house, exClaming
that the inmates had t1red upon him and dis
played wound in the neshy part of his thigh
as evidence of his assertion. The physician
who attended him in Edwardsvie, however,
declared that Price must have shot himself
as the wound was powder burned and three
chambers of Prices revolver were empty.
Prior to his communicating with the marshas
Price had written to Mr. Ross, at Philadel-
phia, informing him of his alleged discovery.
Mr. Ross at once came to Edwardsville and
consulted withJ. ii. Icager, the prosecuting
attorney of Madison county. That gentle
man had learned from Price that he had de-
rived his information from Charles Donnely,
young man who was sentenced TO ono year
in the Chester pcnitcntiary last Tuesday for
burglary. After thorough investigation
OF the matter DJnnclly was approached by
both Mr.. Ross and Mr.. Ycagcr. He SAID
that he did know where the boy was in
charge of Il negro family. but he would give
no further information. lie declared that he
had simply told Price that he knew this, and
Irlce was simply trying to gain glory for
himself. When asked why he would moi tell
the whole truth to Mr.. Yeager, he replied
that the latter had prosecuted him bitterly
and would grant him no stay or con
tinuance. knowing that he was Catholic,
and believing that priest would have
more influence with him, the party enlisted
the services of the Rev. Father James Smith,
rector of st. Mary's church, Edwardsville.
The Rev. Father Smith told him that if he
could give Mr.. Ross any information and as
sistance that would not criminate himself OF
his friends he should do co. Donpelly re.
piled thai he could not give any information
without eliminating himself and "a whole
family" and that his freedom for one year
could not be weighed against the chance of
sending whole family to the penitentiary.
All efforts with hm-even the offer of par
don--failcd but he said that as soon as he
had served his time he would do all in his
power to help Mr. Ross to find his son. Mr..
Ross said that he did not place much conf
dcnce in the story, a. he had personally seen
six or seven hundred boys, each of whom
was alleged to be his son, and in each in
stance the clew was false one.