News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-11-15
THE CHARLIE ROSS MYSTERY.
some New and Startling Developments
in the Case.

A remarkable and rather plausible
story that comes to rs from Wyoming
Territory will revive interest III the
mystery of the Charlie Ross abduction,
now veu.nigh rcIcgated to the limbo OF
finished and haIf-Iorgotten tragedies
1t is said one MOshcr, who was lately
lynched in the suburbs OF Cheyenne,
Wyoming. was n brother Of William
Mosher who was killed while commit
ting q burglary at Bay Ridge, Long
Island, December, 1874. The Cheyenne
Moshcr had robbed and killed one v eIt-
zclI, and was caught and put in prison,
SIX weeks ago. The crime bCE9% com
mittcd under peculiarly a@gTaNatnl&
circumstances, the citizens OF Wyoming
resolved to lynch the murderer. lie
was taken out Of jail, carried to the
woods, and hanged last Sunday. "hen
under the shadow of the galIoWs- tree,
Moshcr offered to divui@o a secret,
Which, he said, hal driven him into the
West. But the lyuchcrs chad no tune
to watt and he was incontmenty
hanged 1t subsequently came ont that
Moshcr had said that he was the guard
ian Of person for whom 4 reward was
offered, aud that he had been forced to
fly on account OF a close pursuit madc
for him after the death of his brother,
William Nosher. 1t is further reported
that somebody living III ST. Louis has
made q confession that cOrrUhOratcs pcT-
tons of the Wyoming story. but this
part OF the narrative is vague and ncb-
ulous.
Charlie Ross was abducted from his
home in Germantown, Penn. in July,
1874 Many clues, after various theories
had been examined and abandoned.
pointed to William Mosher and Joseph
Douglas as the probable chiId-stcalers.
While the Ross family and Supcrintcn-
dent WaIIing were exr9|cd III weaving
about these two Men W-b Of liCcUm-
stantial evidence, and efforts were being
made to ransom the child supposed to
be in their custody, Mosher and DOUGLAS
broke into the Un0ocUpied summer resi-
dcnce OF Judge Van Br1mt. mt Bay
Ridge, Long Island. Dec. L. 1874. The
brother and nephew q Judge Van
Brunt, and q farmland, living IN a
nci@hboriug house, and reused by q
burglar alarm, headed OFF the burglars
as they came cut Of the UnOccUpied man
sion, and in the firing which ensued both
marauders were killed. DIoshcr died
without making any sign. Douglas, dys
ing, said: ''it's no use lying Tow.
Mosher and | stole Charlie Ross from
Germantown" lie aIsoilCutitied NO-hCr
and said that he C1ioshery 'lncw all
about the child" But the elder child
stcalor was already dead, and Douglas
soon brcathcd his last. 1t was supposed
that the secret Of these guilty mon died
with them, and that all trace OF the MISS
ing boy was lost when the man who alone
held it died as he deserved-like a dog.
William Mosher was a hardened and
hahitual criminal lie Was SO Well
known to others Of his class (mOst Of
whom probably regarded him with the
respect which even criminal accomplish
mcuts and immunity from dytec-
ton inspire) that it would he
very natural that any person bear
ing a name resembling his would he
willing to claim relationship or com
plcity with the slain burglar The rO-
nance of crime draws into its fascina-
ton the criminal and the weak together.
Having once pretended that he was
nearly allied to Mosher. The child stcalcr
and house-brcakcr, the Cheyenne ruilian
would he sure to attempt to save his
neck, or divert the attention Uf hIs vol
Uuteer cNecutioucrs. Moreover, the ST.
Louis clue, whatever it was, was cx-
amincd by Mr.. Christian Ross few
days since, and it Is announced that he
is satisfied that there is nothing in It.
The tale from Wyoming. it would APP
pear, has only revived interest in the
crime Wi.hOvf throwing any lioht ON