The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-01
ABDUCTION OF CHARLIE ROSS

The recent death of Christian K
Ross of Philadelphia. father of Charlie
Ross" has revived interest in the
famous abduction case. The abduction
of the boy, who was a beautiful child,
wrecked the life of Mr.. Ross From
the time the boy was stolen, % years
ago. life seemed a burden TO the once
bristling business man
Charlie Ross AID his elder brother,
walter, were playing in front of their
home on Eas, Washington lane, Ger
mantown, When TWO men came along
! in buggy or light spring wagon.
These same men had PASSED by on
three or four preceding 4 VS.. and had
given Charlie candy. On this fateful
day Charlie, according TO the story
subsequently told by Walter, had
asked the men fer a ride. The men
told him they would give him a ride
from the top of a nearby hill and
also promised 10 give him hreerackers.
The two boys walked to the top OF
the hill, and they were taken into the
wagon.
Walter wanted the men to take them
to Main street for the fireworks, but
the aSductors said they would take
them to Aunt SUSIE a fictitious per-
son. The men piled the boys with
candy, while the team was driven rap
idly toward Kensiagton. Charlie cried
and begged TO be taken home.
Al Palmer and Richmond streets
Walter was given a quarter ard di-
rected to get fireworks in a cigar store.
The boy obeyed, and returned to find
the wagon, the men and his curly
haired brother gone. His tears brought
crowd, and in this crowd was H. C.
Peacock. q friend of the family. who
took the boy to his parents.
The elder brother told an accurate
and coherent story of the abduction
and gave full description of the alb
ductors- His story was corroborated
and a general alarm was sent out to
the police. A reward of $500 was of
fered for the return of the boy and
advertisements were sent to all news
papers III 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.
The police were unable to discover a
trace of the child and it was not until
July that anything in the nature of a
clue came to the searchers. This was
in the shape of a letter from the sup
posed abductors. 1t was grossly il
literate and evidently purposely So The
letter informed Mr.. Ross that the alb
ductors held the boy so securely that
no earthly power could reach him and
that ne would not be delivered with
out the payment of a big ransom The
father was warned that any attempt
to recover the boy by detectives would
result in his instant death. The writers
promised TO communicate with Mr..
Ross within few days.
Two days later they wrote demand
ing $4,000 ransom for the return of the
boy. This sum was promptly raised
by friends of Mr.. Ross. but the police
stepped in and asked to be given the
conduct of the case. This was granted.
and Mayor Stokeley offered a reward
of 1000 for the arrest of the kid
nappers and the return of the boy This
immense reward attracted the world
wide attention and set thousands of
detective at work and millions of
tongues wagging-
During several weary months Mr.
Ross received l6 letters from the alb
ductors. but they were so carefully
disguised that no clue to the writer's
could be found. The entire community
had become intensely excited over the
case, and volunteers 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 every part of the city.
Staid men of business dropped their
commercial pursuits and became anna
teur detectives. Others wrote books
on the subject, some OF which were SER
ious and of value, while others were
the amanations of cranks. Several per-