The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-04

States. He was known all over tie land
as Charlie Ross father He was a
years old when he died. and the end
came 70 him az his residence on East
Washington avenue in Germantown, Phil
a6elphia. where the family resided when
Charlie vss stolen. The hsreaved mother.
with three daughters and two sons. sur
vive him.
Hundreds q thousands ~ persons
Joined in the search for the missing boy.
There WAS not home where the story
OF the abduction was rot known, and
every clue discussed with an almost per-
soaal interest. Although it happened
twenty-three years ago. the story ap-
peaied 10 50 many that II will bear re-
telling Ii was on July l. 1874. that Char
lie Ross, years Of age. was taken from
his home in Germantown by two men IN
wagon. A second child. Walter. was
also taken. but abandoned by the men
after driving eight miles. Three days
afterwards a badly spelled letter in
disguised handwriting was received by
the father. stating that the child would
not be returned without large ransom.
and would be killed II any proceedings
| tending 10 the arrest OF the abdactor took
place. A reward OF s2ocs was offered by
the mayor Of Philadelphia for the restora-
ton Of the child and the arrest of the
abductors, but no clue to them was OBJ
tanned until nearly month afterwards,
when a New York policeman obtained
clue duplicating two men, William
| Mosher and Joseph Douglas. The clue
was furnished by Moshers brother. who
informed the police that William had once
approached him with scheme for alb
Quoting one of W. II. Vanderbilt's chill
dren- For several months the search for
the men was prosecuted without avail.
/ One night. however. the house of Judge
Van Brunt at Bay Ridge. Brooklyn, was
entered by burglars. Il was unoccupied.
but was connected by a burglar alarm
with the residence OF the judges son
across the street Mr.. Van Brunt. arous-
ing his sons and two men servants and
arming them. surrounded the vacant
house. Two burglars finally came out
and were called upon 10 halt. They re-
Piled with pistol shots, to which the at
tacking party replied, killing one and
mortally wounding the other. The two
men were Mosher and Douglas Mosher
was dead and Douglas was dying when
the little crowd gathered about him.
/ knowing that his end was near he said:
Its no use lying now; Mosher and l
stole Charlie Ross" He was beseeched
to tell whore the child was. "Mosher
knows all about the child" he said. ASK
him" He was informed, "Mosher is
dead: can you tell us where the child is?''
He replied solemnly: God knows / tell
the truth; 1 don't know where he is;
Mosher knew"
Walter Ross, the brother of the missing
boy, identified the bodies in the morgue
as those of the two men who had kid
mapped him and his brother. The theory
OF the police was that If Charlie Ross was
dead Douglas would have known it and
confessed; but as he had not been told.
the presumption was that ne was alive
and was being held for favorable chance
came that wonderful unanimity win
which every stray child was caught up
and held To be identified. the long years
Of disappointment and unfaggins search.
Every baby in the United States had the
awful fate Of Charlie Ross held up to him
warning not TO run away from home,
and what 10 do in case he were carried
away by a strange man.
Once only in all these years did there
seem to be a likelihood that the mystery
would be solved. William Westerfelt.
brother-in-law Of Mosher, acted as a GO
between in the attempted negotiations
with Mr.. Ross and the burglars. He was
evidently willing TO sacrifice. but wanted
TO save his brother-in- law. Every device
was resorted To in an effort TO induce
Westerfeit 70 confess. He was tried and
convicted with completely in the conspir-
acy 10 sbduct the boy and was sentenced
to seven years in the penitertiary. So
highly wrought up was public sentiment
that the authorities promised him po-
sition on the New York police force il
he would tell what he knew of the ab-
duction. He gave sufficient information
to Justify the belief that he did know II
the wherea bouts Of the boy but declared
that he would say nothing until his ap-
pointment was made out. This never
came, aud he was sent 10 prison. Tie
served his sentence and is supposed 10
have returned 10 New York, bat there
was los, sight Of. Once previous 10 his
going 10 prison his devoted wife pleaded
with him 70 tell what he knew. Tie re-
Piled: They will never get the boy: he
IS beyond reach" This was taken for
confirmation Of the generals accepted po-
lice theory. first adopted. that Mosher
and Douglas had thrown the boy into the
North river when they believed them
selves n be hard pressed by puv5uers.
Soon after the burglary on Long Island
the body q 4 boy was found in the
North river. aud while Il was never posi-
lively identified BY Mr.. Ross as that q
his lost boy. the detectives claimed 10
have received positive assurance that u
Wa Charlie Ross.
The search instituted hy the distracted
father lasted for years and exhausted all
RS fortune Gov. Hartranft appointed
h.ra master warden 81 the port q Phils-
6esphla. and ~ held that Office for eight
consecutive terms. having been continued
~ every successive governor. regardless