The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-27
ill at Alta ntic City and the news of her loss
was kept from her for some DAVIS.

III az ava h.lc Ilty ana the news OF her loss
"a ri ~ 80 ~ y ~ uass. -,
u nno po!ios o1u1u NY uiseovsi q crew, anu
~ was no' unell july + ina AWNING m me
nalute ~ d Iie" came 10 tle seHfcheIs' ihls
Nes III the snape or a letter from the sup
poS1o aoauGso.s. ~ Was GROSSLY liilefate
VA NV 1'iuenNiy putppsSly 20. ~ illortneo
IL. A'oae enaI 'Ley nelu 'ne ooy SO secutels
tna. no earthly rover coulo reacn MIN, ana
.na. ne "oaiu nov ~ aellveTea "lenous 1he
pa,,heat ;, d p1s iaasom. ne la'nes was
aiheu 'nas any aesenipe " recover one poy
~ ue'sunlVes would result IN MS lnstant
ueh'n. ~ "ri1ers PROMISED 70 com
cs.e Hieh nE. hoss WiSnln d te" gays.
eo i "" "oo Gays iater they wrote aemandlnR
.p1o,ooo RANSOM LOT the return o. the boy.
Inls sum Was promptly refused Dy the
!flenas OF MT. Koss, but the police stepped
Al anu nskea 10 De gwen the conduct OF the
oahF' ms wa Stangea, ana mayor otoKey
c,lereu d reward OF SZV,ooo Ior'the arrest OF
.ne hIunappers ana the return or the BOY.
lnls Immense reward attFacted word VIDE
a1'en.ion, ana set thousands OF detectives
as work ana mlllions OF tongues wagglng.
during several weary months MT. Ross
IsceiVeu sixteen letters from the abductors,
pub they were 80 carefullyd lsgulsed That no
Glow could De 1ound to the writers. The
eu'i,e community haa become intensely ex-
ciseo over the case, and volunteers stood
guard over almost every letter-box IN the
CITY, but with no result. Public interest
was at leVeF heat, ana meetings OF cltlzens
were leld IN every part OF the city. The
QUAKER city hau not been wrought to such a
p1tch OF excitement since the revolution.
othlu men or business dropped their COM
inerclal pursuits and became amateur de-
tectlves. Others wrote books on the sub
lect' some or winch were serious and OF
value, Whl!e others were the carnations of
cranke. Several men became absolute
manlacs on the subject of the abduction,
and more than one is said to have zone to
me insane asPlum from intense and con-
sroVerslal study OF the legion OF clews in
the case. A couple OF men who had de-
voted years of study to the subject took the
lecture platform in addition to writing
DOCKS and kept up the agitation until very
recent years.
But the true solution OF the question Ito
the satisfaction OF the p%oiice) came many
years ago. Suoet intendent OF Police Wat
ing, OF New York, found q clew that ended
IN n3lng the crime OF the abduction on
William Moshcr and Joseph Douglass, two
NOTORIOUS burglars who had long had their
L~eauquaItefs IN ihlladelphla. Detective
s,harkey and his surviving partner. D tee
Tive oharies i; Miller, of this city, were
convinced or the authenticity of the clew
ana cohhfmea 1t to the satisfaction OF near
~ every one eonnecte with or interested in
the famous case. The continuation came
thfouen william Weaterve.t, n brother-in-
IA" OF Mosher, who acted as g~o-between in
the negotiations with Mr.. Ross
ana Ihe pnr-lefs. Nestervelt was evident
~ WililnE 10 sacrlhce Douglass, but wanted
10 shVe his hfoti!"r. ln-law.
ne ponce OF the country were looking
~ sne TWO 1aFRiafa when the residence of
Judge Van Il unit, ut buy Ridge, WAS en-
1etel by bagihrs on Dec. IA, 1874, ana were