Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-07-01
LOST CHARLIE ROSS.
DEATH OF HIS FATHER RE-
CALLS CELEBRATED CASE.
MISSING TWENTY THREE YEARs-HIs
FATHER SPENT A FORTUNE IN VAIN
SEARCH FOR HIM.

Christian h. Ross, father OF Charlie
Ross, the four esr-old boy whose mys-
FERROUS abduction on July !, 1874, caused
a world wide sensation, died last week at
his home in Philadelphia. His death re-
calls the story OF the crime which has
been told and retold in every portion of
the civilized world, and it lives to-day
one of the celebrated romances in crimi-
nal history.
Charley was four years old. He was a
beautiful child, idotized by his parents
and relatives. He WAS playing with his
elder hrot her, Matter, on East Was hing
ton lane, near his home in Germantown.
when two men drove up in a light wagon.
The same men had passed along on three
or four days preceding, and given Charley
candy On the day of the abduction, the
little fellow had asked them for a ride,
and he and his brother eagerly followed
them to the top of the hill to gain a full
tillment of promise of the desired ride
and more candy, ana some fireworks At
the top ot the hill Charley and Water
were taken into the vehicle and pied
with candy While the two men drove rap
idly toward kensington.
At Palmer and Richmond streets
Waiter WAS given a quarter and directed
to get fireworks i'll a cigar store. The
boy obeyed, and returned to find the
wagon, the smen sand his curly haired
brother gone. & His tears brought a crowd
and in this crowd was H. c. Peacock,
friend oft he family, no took he boy to
his parents. The recovered child told an
accurate and coherent story OF the abduc-
ton, and gave a fun description OF the
abductors. The story was corroborsted,
report WAS madei to Sergeant Buchanan,
OF the Central station, and general alarm
was sent out to the police. A reward of
$500 was offered for the return of the boy.
and advertisements were sent to all news
papers in this part OF the country. Mrs.
Ross was i'll at Atlantic City, and the
news OF her loss was kept from her for
some days.
On July 4.tthe first clue to the mystery
surrounding the chiId's disappearance
came in the form OF badly written. mis-
spelled letter 10 Mr. Ross, stating hat
the little fellow would not be returned
without the payment Of 8 large ransom,
and that he would be. killed # any pro-
ceedings should be taken tending to The
arrest Of the kidnsprtr-. Two DAYS later
another letter Ms received demanding
S3o.aoa as The Price Of the boy return.
This money Wa promptly raised ~ rel
alive. and friends Of the stricken family.
but the police stepped II and prevailed
upon Mr.. Ross to allow them to take
charge OF the case. promising to find the
boy and bring his ahductors to justice.
Mayor StokIey offered a reward of so
600 for the recovery Of the child and he
arrest Of the men Who hsd stolen him,
and the large amount Of the reward at
tracteG world wide attention and set
thousands Of detectives, professional and
amateur, 10 working on all sorts Of sup
posed, and some of them absurd, clues.
On August , Capt. Hedden, OF the New
York police. received information which
apparently implicated William Mosher
and Joseph Douglass, two well-known
burglars, who had frequently made their
headquarters in Philadelphia, in the
crime. iThe information came from
stated that his brother had once ap-
preached him with a scheme for abduct-
ing one of the Wander ilt children, but he
had refused to have anything to do with
it. Then followed long and exhaustive
search for; Mosher and Douglass, which
lasted four and a half months, during
which time Mr. Ross received sixteen let
tar inn tn two, l1.a ~,
tors, but all so carefully worded that no
clue could be found to he writers.
Meanwhile the citizens of Philadelphia
and many people in other parts of the
country had been worked up to fever
heat OF excitement. Volunteers stood
guard over almost every letter box in the
city, but with no result. Men of business
abandoned their pursuits and became.
amateur detectives. Books We're written
on the allatsorbing subject, some Of
which advanced the most wildly impos-
sibie theories and were manife-tly he en-
anat ions OF cranks. Lecturers were de-
veloped, whose theme was the Charley
Ross Kidnapping and ii j. even said
that number Of men who took up the
search became insane because Of their IN
ability to solve the great mystery.
The late Detective John sharkey and
his partner, Charles F. Miller, who still
survives, were convinced that the iIosher-
Douglass clue was the correct one, and
confirmation Of II came through William
Westeryelt, brot her-in law Of Mosher
who, it was couclusiveiy shown, had
acted as e go-between in the attempted
negotiations between Mr. Ross and the
kidnappers Once during these HegotiR-
tions MIR. Ross actually took $4,000 to
New York to pay over to the burglars,
but the police We're in the scheme, aud
the ebductors evidently found it out, Tor
they failed to put in an appearance at ae
place v here they vent to meet the stolen
hoy : father