The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-24
CHARLIE ROSS AGAIN.
EIe Is Said to be Living In New York State
krrt and Acknowledged by His Father.
ca


he Is Said be Liviug in New York State
Srrr and Acknowledged by His Father.
Syracuse Standard.
r II G.. Reno, prosperous and intelligent farm
err living about one and onehalf mile from
sGoperstown, in this tate, was In Syracuse
yesterday on business and in the course of con-
versstion with friend the subject of the alb
1duction of Charley Ross was mentioned as an
unexplained event
sg,..Unexplained2ni repeated Mr. Reno quickly
why / know Charley Ross well as do my
own Brother He has told me the story of his
\ abduction Atty times. He lives right among us
in Coperstown and every body out there has no
other thought than that he Was the child abduct-
ed strangely from his Philadelphia home
fifteen or sixteen years ago. He worked for me
on my farm two years ago from October to
April z He has since worked, in
Copsrstown on the estate of the
late Edward Clark. of tho Singer Sewing
Machine Company, aud is now there. Every
other Sunday he comes to see me and takes
dinner with me. He is now nineteen or twenty
r yearslold, fne-looking young man, bright and
cot fauatless habits. He Is thought great deal
nof by the people of the town. The story which
l have heard so often from him, and confirmed
an many details by others, is that circus man
and nwoman entced him into their carriage as
{ he was climbing tree promising to buy him
candy. An hour afterward he vas put on
aboard a steamer from New York and from there
s wasa Immediately taken to Cuba. He was
2 taught all kinds of circus performances, how to
rrideI bareback, jump and swing the trapezn.
After he was brought to Cooperstown he oft n
the barn and on the backs of horses. The cir
Gus people were very cruel to him. In one of
their rooms at the Cuban hotel where they
stopped they rugged up q trapeze and trained
him in spite of his fright They used to beat
him with the buckle end of strap until his
back was all black and blue. Ono day he ran
screaming down stairs into the bAr-room. The
circus man followed him and struck him with
his fist in the bar-room, telling him. The land
lord interfered and the matter ended in the
landlord taking charge of him. Subsequently
EDikconal n named
ney, who lived in New York city took an inter
est In the youngster and secured charge of him.
THE missionary took care of Charley for
year or more and then intrusted the boy TO his
father, Captain Kinney. the captain of steam
boat line running between Havana and New
York city. Captain Kinney took MIN to the
Cooper orphanaee at Coopsrstown, an Episcopal
4 liam institution, the natron of which was then
and is now daughter of j. Fennimore Cooper.
The boy was then about seven years old, be-
fieve. Captain Kinney was deeply Interested in
the boy, and suspected that he was Charley
Ross, as did the matron. What bothered them
was that he pronounced his name Russ. giving
the Scottish accent OF course he couldn't
spell his name. Correspondents wGs entered
into with Mr.. Ross and photographs obtained
in the middle of the night. showed one of the
photographs, and asked if he knew who it was
He said il was his mother. He also identified
the likeness of his father. Mr.. and Mrs. Ross
were then sent for and went to the orphanape
Mrs. Ross had been rendered insane by grief
over the loss of her son, but seemsd TO have
q
room and the boy asked which his
father. He went right to him. He then
taken into room where there were twenty-five
women and he picked out his mother. Mr.. Ross
was then satisfied and prepared to take his
child away HIS trunk was packed and sent to
the depot. Then Mrs. Ross suddenly burst
forth in one of her raving spells and insisted
that the child be taken from her sight. The
only way to quiet her WAS 20 leave the child
behind. Mr. Ross, however, believed Charley
to be his and often visited him.
wrote him frequent letters and
paid for his clothing for several
years. But various cistrae tions. including the
insanity of bis wife, led Mr.. Ross deeper and
deeper into dissipation, until now he is wreck
and seems 10 have lost all interest IN his son
1t has been nearly year since he has written
him a letter. About the time OF the Centennial
exhibition, Captain Kinney took Charley to
Philadelphia and walked with him up the street
where he was playing when add uctsd. The boy
did not eeem 10 recognizes anything at first. but
presently began to stop and look around and
then said. That is the tree was On when they
took me away. The matter wss published II
the Cooperstown papers at the time of these oe-
curences. but there were so many Charley Ross
stories about that time that this story did not
attract attention outside. None of Charley's
relatives admit his identity except Mr.. Rosa
himself The young man Is smart and is bound
TO make his mark in the world