New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-23
A GREAT CRINE RECALLED.
DEATH OF CHRISTIAN K ROSS. THE FATHER
OF CHARLIE ROSS.

DEATH OF CHRISTIAN X. ROSS. THE FATHER
OF CHARLIE ROSS.
With the fate Of the child he sought so long still
an unsoved mystery, Christian X. Ross died early
| Monday morning ut his residence in East NasninS-
| ton-aye near Chew-st Germantown, Penn Mr.
Ross had been III with heart trouble for three
weeks but was abe to be about until last Tuesday.
On that day he was seriously attacked in his office
nj the Board of Port Wardens, and was taken
| home He gradually grew worse until he DIED
! shortly after midnight on Monday
| Twenty-three years ago, the first Of the COM
! ing July. Charlie Ross was carried from before his
| fathers house In Germantown. and from that day
! TO this the boy has never been seen. nor has his
| fate ever been satisfactorily explained. No crime
| ever committed in this country caused more wide
snread interest and excitement than the abduction
! OF Christian *. Ross's goden-haired boy The
daily papers for weeks printed columns or specula-
| ton upon the child's whereabouts, and mothers
| frightened truant children with the story Of
| Charlie Ross's kidnapping. At the time the boy
was stolen Mr. Ross was a prosperous business
| man. For several days before the abduction two
men had talked TO the Ross children as they played
| upon the sidewalk before their home, and won their
confidence by giving them candy. or July the
men drove I'D before the Ross dwelling, where
Charlie and his older brother Walter were playing
The promise Of candy and drive lured the two
eager boys into the carriage. After driving a
short distance the men gave Walter quarter and
let him out OF the carriage 10 buy fireworks for
the coming Fourth. The boy ran off to spend the
quarter and the men drove away with Charlie
That was the last any one who knew him has ever
seen OF Charlie Ross
When Charlie did not come home a search was
made for him. and the police were notified. A re-
ward OF $500 was offered for the childs return A
day or so after Mr.. Ross received letter. SEEM
ngly written by grossly illiterate person. inform
ing him that Charlie would be held for heavy
ransom and warning him that any attempt 10 find
the boy would result in the childs instant death.
Two days later the kidnappers wrote demanding
800 600 ransom for Charlie This sun: was promptly
raised by the friends of Mr.. Ross but the police
stepped m and asked to be given the conduct OF
the case This was granted and Mayor Stokley
offered reward OF $4,000 for tho arrest Of the kid
nappers and the return OF the boy This immense
reward set hundreds of detectives at work and
millions Of tongues wagging
During several weary months Mr.. Ross received
sixteen letters from the abductois. but they were
so carefully disguised that no clew could be found
TO the writer's The entire community had become
stood guard over almost every letter-box In the
city. but with no result Public interest was, at
fever heat. and meetings OF citizens were held In
eE FiSgaPtv the New-York police found clew that
ended in fixing the crime OF the abduction on WILL
lam Mosher and Joseph Douglass, two notorious
burglars who had long had their headquarters in
The police of the country were looking for the
v se Hs a neneS By ursers an
December H. 1874 who were attacked by brother
81 the Judge and several servants. One OF the
burglars shot dead, and the other was MORALLY
wounded.
They were Mosher and Douglass.
Mosher was dead when their slayers reached
them and Douglass In the dead throes.
The latter gasped: IT'S lying now.
Mosher and stole Charlie Ross. Mosher knows all
about him. -
dead. ,, ,
rasped the dying man. "He knew about Charlie
The child will be returned In few davs.'
TIE dead burglars were identified by Walter Ross
as tho men with whom he rode In the buggy. but
contrary 10 the diving thief's promise. Charlie was
never returned
William Westeryelt. brother-in-law OF Mosher
who had tried to act GO between on the part OF
the abductors In negotiating with Mr.. Ross. was
finally arrested. When he would not or could not
give any information about the boys whereabouts
he was sent 10 the penitentiary for seven years
During the search for the child. which continued
for years In the vicinity OF PHILADELPHIA, every
suggestion OF a clew was run out. The civilized
and unclvzed world was flooded with photographs
of the golden-haired boy. II was that
especially appealed TO the sympathy Of womankind
and long after had accepted the theory that
Mosher and Douglass had thrown the boy into
the North River while escaping from Superintend-
emf Wallng's officers. and that he was drowned. the
women kept up the agitation. and insisted on run
ming out every clew While the body OF the boy
found IN the North RIVER shortly after the chase
OF the burglars never positively Identified by
Mr.. Ross as that Of his lost boy. the detectives