Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-22
Mayer
Bros. & Co..
.03z=03Q IF ST.
jeo2 lOud
j.a22 l'sI,
The Story Revived by the Death of
the Boys Father.


The Philadelphia Evening Telegraph gives
the following account Of the abiUo-
ton of Charlie Ross. brought to mind
by the death of the boys father;
Charlie Ross and his elder brother. Walter
were playing in front of their nome ON
East Washington street. Germantown when
two men came along in a buggy or light
spring wagon. These same men had passed
by on three or four preceding days, and
had given Charlie candy. ON this fatetLl
day Charlie, according to the story sub
sequently fold by Walter. had asked tho
men for ride. The men told him they
would give him a ride from the top OF q
neariy-py hui, ana also promised TO give
him hrecrackers. The TWO boys walked to
The top OF the hill. and they were then
taken IN To the wagon.
Waiter wanted the men to take them to
Main street for the fireworks. but the alb
duciors said they would take them TO
Aunt Susie, fictitious person. III" men
piled The Toys with candy, while the team
was driven rapidly toward kenslngt lon
Charlie cred and begged y he taken home.
At Palmer ana richmond streets Mailer
wds given a quarter ana directed 10 get
fireworks in a cigar store. The boy oDeycd
and returned to ma the wagon. the mon
and his curly-haired brother gone. HIS
tears brought a crowd. anu IA This crowd
AlS ii. {. Peacock, a Trend OF the fanny,
Who took the boy 10 his parents.
The elder brother told an accurate and
coherent story OF the abduction and gave
a full description of the abiacjors. Ills
story wds corIobordtcd and general alarm
was sent out TO the police. y reward II
$500 was offered for the return OF the boy
and advertisements were sont to all news
papers in this part OF tn country. Ma.
itoss was i'll Al Atlantic C!Iy. ana the nc,ys
OF her loss was kept from her Tor some
days.
me police were unable to discover
or l,.. Al.
that anything in the nature OF a clue
came to ;he searchors. This W..S IA the
shape Of Il letter from thc supposed dD-
ductors. II wa; grossly iiitera,c .tal ,.NI-
IDENTIFY purposely The letter Ifornr,
Mr.. Ross that the abductors held he hoy
SO securely that no earthly power could
reach him ana that he wcIld not be ,.clly-
cred without the payment OF biz ran
som. The father was warned that amy st.
tempt to recover the boy 10y deJecti,cs
would result in his instant death. The
writer promised to communicate with Mr.
Ross within few days.
Two days later they wrote demanding
$.b.pn ransom FOR tho return of the bow
THIS SUM Was promptly raised by friends
OF Mr.. kosS, hui the Police stepped ia and
asked TO lie given the conduct OF the case.
This was granted anu Mayor Stokcley OF
fered a reward OF SIft.Isrl for the arrest OF
the kidrapcrs and the return of the boy.
This immense reward attracted WUTlI-Nits
attention and set thousands of deteetiyes
at work anu millions OF tongues waggiug.
During several weary months Mir. Ross
received sixteen letters from the abductors,
but they Were so carefully disguised that
no clue to the writers could be found. The
entire community had become intensely ex-
cited over the case, and volunteers stood
guard over almost every letter box in the
city, but with no result Public interes;
was at fever heat and meetings of ell .zens
were held in every part OF the city.
Staid men of business dropped their com
merc.al pursuits and became amateur de-
tectives. Others wrote books on the sub
ject, some of which were serious and OF
value, while others were the emanatiuns OF
cranks. Several persons became absolute
maniacs on the subject of the abduction.
Two men who had devoted years OF study
10 the subject took the lecture platform,
IN addition TO writing books, and kept up
the agitation until recent years.
What became OF the child was never posi-
lively settled. 1t is generally believed that
he was drowned in the North river New
York, while his abductc:s were fleeing
from detectives. But ii was pretty well -
tablshed that VIM. Mosher and JOSEPH
Douglass, notorious burglars, took the bo,
from his home. They were shot while try.
ing TO rob the residence of Judge Var
Brunt at Bay Ridge, y. " and In then
deaf tn throes confessed that they mad takcf
Charley Ross. Walter Ross fully identified
them.
William Westervelt. brother-in-law Of
Mosher, had acted as go-betWeen i'm III,
negotiations with Mr.. Ross and the abduc.
tors. He WIZ brought to phiadelph.a
tried and convicted of completely i'm the
conspiracy to abduct the boy and was sen.
fenced to seven years in the eastern peni.
tertiary.
In the presence of Detective Miller the
wife of the convicted man begged him &c
tell what he knew OF the crime but he
maintained a stolid silence. and If he ever
knew anything he never told IT. lie served
mis- sentence and is supposed to have re-
turned to New York.