Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-08
RANSOM FOR HIS son.
Ten Thousand Dollars Demanded %
Capt. w. E. Dickinson.

Capt. w. e. Dickinson.
FLORENCE, Wis, Feb. 2.-It lis stated
to-day that the mystery surrounding the
disappearance OF little Willie Dickin-
son, the son of Capt. w. E. Dickinson,
superintendent of the Commonwealth
mine at the neighboring town of Com
monwealth, is in fair way to be cleared
up by the return Of the boy to his home.
1t is reported on good authority that
within short time Capt. Dickinson has
received assurances that his son is alive
and well and that his return to his home
is a matter OF but short time. The an
nouncement that the child is alive
causes great surprise, as the opinion has
been almost universally held except bv
the members of the Dickinson family
that the boy was killed and devoured
by wild animals and not abducted as
Capt Dickinson has Stoutlv maintained.
The story of the abduction, as it
proves to have been, of Willie Dickin-
son is almost as familiar to the public as
the case of Charlie Ross. On the after
noon of November +, 1883, the little fell
low Was returning home from school.
and when at lonely point on the road
was seized by two men, it was main
tanned, and carried away. Capt Dick
lnson spent thousands of dollars and
Mrs. Dickinson travelled over greater
part of the Eastern States III efforts to
recover the stolen child. A reward Of
So ,OnO was offered for his return, but it
resulted in naught. Detectives were
employed, but they were not more sue
cessful than were Capt. and Mrs. Dick
insOn. Some time ago number Of let
tiers were found IN Milwaukee that pur-
ported to bear on the case, but it is not
known that they were genuine, later
developments tending to prove that
they were 1orgeries.
Capt Dickinson has from the first
been positive in the belief that his son
was aDducted-lor what purpose is not
known. From the day of the disappear
ance of the boy until very recently moth
cred reliable. 1t is stated to-day, how
Dickinson has been approached by a
man, who, for stated sum of money,
offered to return the missing boy, with
the express understanding and agree
ment that criminal action would not
be brought against the alleged abductors
or those who restored the boy to his
home. 1t is also said that it was pro-
posed that the money should be
paid to one Bill Diamond, a
man well known, living few
miles from this place. Capt. Dick
inson was assured that his son was we'll,
was sufficiently clothed and except that
he was not in position to receive an
education, was well-situated. 1t was
also said that the boy was in ignorance
of his real name and parentage, and
that be would remain SO unless the
terms proposed were acceded to. For
some reason, however, there was hitch
in the matter. 1t is to-day understood
that the return of the boy to his home
will probably occur in a short time, as
an agreement satisfactory to both sides
can now be reached.
In one of the letters found in Milwau-
kee last spring was q rough map of the
country around Florence and directions
for finding cave in which it was said
would be found the bones of the missing
boy. Capt. Dickinson made inquiries
in regard to the cave, but no one here
had ever heard Of the existence Of any
cavern in this vicinity. Some time ago,
however, while prospecting for iron,
two young men accidentally discovered
the hidden entrance to cave at the eX-
act spot marked on the map. Capt.
Dickinson. short time since
organized a searching party and visited
the place. He explored the cavern
from end to end but could find no evil
dence that the place had ever been in
habited as the rendezvous of the abduct-
ors, as it was alleged, and could discover
no human bones, although the remains
of many animals were found.