The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-29
SEEKING HIS LOST SON
ONE OF THE CRUEL HOAxES PRAC-
TICED on CHRISTIAN X. ROSS.
Standing on the Rear Platform of n
Train While 1T Swiftly Traversed
q Distance of $50 Miles.
in Philadelphia Times.

vanity displayed-is contained in Christian
K. Ross own account of one of the many
wild-goose chas'es which he was dispatched
upon by his citizen advisers and the police
authorities In response to personal pub
lished in morning newspaper of July So
1874, indicating that he ready to pay
the abductors the ransom money demanded,
Mr.. Ross on the same day, received the
following letter.
philadelphia. July so;xRos: from y,u
r'sdy everything is redy with us. we row
give yu a wide margin for preparation TO
make an Arrest if yu pleased 10 do your
left with yu alone wether he shall live or
die. we caution once, an the last time do
not think we are tritiing. Ros. you are to
take the II P. M. train tonight from West
Philadelphia for New York. it arrives at
New York sos A. NJ take cab at Cort-
land or Disbrossers streets, n. Y, an ride
directely to the grand central station at
avenue and 42d streets. take the A. M
northern express by way Of hudson river
(take notice. you are to STANG on the rear
car and the rear platform from the time
you leave west phila depot until arrive at
jersey city-you are then to stand on the
rear platform of hudson river car from the
time yu leave the grand central at New
YORK until yu arrive at Albany. If our
agent do not meet yu before yu arrive in
Albany yu will find a letter in post office
at Albany addressed to c. X. Walter di-
IScting .yu where yu are then to go. Ros-
before our agent meets yu and yet yu may
go $50 miles before he intercepts you but
be 1t where it may yu must be prepared to
throw the valise to him regardless of all
risks. the risk of being lost we assume
and yu get your child without fail. These
are the signals: if it be dark the moment
the rear car masses him he will aVhihi+ n
bright torch in one hand an a white flag
in the other hand but if it be light he vii
flag in the other hand the instance yu
see either of these signals yu are to drop
1t on the track an yu may get out at the
next station. if the cars continue on their
course we consider you nave Kept your
word, an yu child shall be returned yu safe
but if they stop to arrest our agent then
your child's fate is sealed this fetter ends
all things in regard to the restoration of yu
child"
nine days after Charley Ross's disappear
ance. To an ordinary mind, a Flooding,
horSe-sense, common-sense mind, it does
appear that in the light OF this letter and
of the long successful concealment of the
stolen child there one of two things
to be done; either openly defy the kidnap-
pers and make their possession of the
boy Valueless, or agree to their terms in
good faith and carry out the arrangements
suggested by them without the knowledge
Of the sosice who We're seeking. fame in
preference to assuaging the woe of strick-
en- motht as heart. But neither was done.
1t was again determined, practically, to
fool the abductors. Fine phrases cannot
disguise this fact. A meeting was held in
the office of John c. Bullitt, the. well-known
and Mr.. Ross, there were present William
V. Mexican, Captain of Detectives Helms,
Detective Charles Wood and Mr.. Ross
nephew, F. D. Lewis.
PROPOSITION ACCEPTED.
At this conference it was determined to
follow the programme outlined by the
thieves but instead of having the satchel
loaded with wealth, it was to contain a let
ter stating Mr.. Ross position in the mat
ter, and it was also determined that Mr.
Ross should be accompanied by his nephew
and by an officer in citizens dress. The
letter prepared read as follows:
philadelphia July 30. 1874
''Sir-Yolr letter of this date is received.
l am anxious to end the suffering and SuS-
pense Of the terrible four weeks that have
just passed through, but am compelled TO
tell you that cannot throw away twenty
thousand dollars on the wild plan you sug-
gest. 1t is plan where all the chances are
on your side, and | have not the smallest
assurance that / will ever get my dear
child into my possession again. 1t Is I'M
possible for me- me- to to- give you twenty tnou7
bring me my child at some subsequent time.
1 desire to act with you in good faith, but
as your whole correspondence leads me
strongly to suspect deception, l must insist
upon having some positive, tangible PROOF
that you have the child, and that after re
ceiVing this l must in some way ana at
some place suggested bv you, meet either
you or yours and see that you nave my
child in your presence, so that may take
him simultaneously with your receiving the
money. / shall look for a letter from you
in Philadelphia in answer to this -,
II have come here in response to your can
with a friend mot an. officer) as suggested
by YOU in your letter OF 18th instant ana
in so doing have complied so far as a rea-
sonable man can with your plan can
not give you one cent until see my chlld
before me. 1t is my purpose, as l nave
said to act in good faith; but Il must, be-
fore going further, receive every assurance
which can possibly be given me, nrst tndt
YOU have the child, and second, that his de-
will he
delivery of the money to you.
II will add that the public mode nave
of answering your letters IS not satlsI and
tory to me, as it informs the ponce ana
everybody else of what we are DONG. we
must have some better mode Of c 3mGE
cation. Z. h. RUSS.
The story of the trip in which the above
been 'graph:caliy told by Mr. Ross in the
following words: Arrangements Tor the
trip having beer. completed, my nephew
and myself left Mr.. Bullitt's office at 1870
p. m. for the New York depot, where we
were joined by the officer, and by the cour-
tesy of the superintendent of trains On the
Pennsylvania Railroad permission was
granted me to occupy the platform of the
last car of the train. At Y clock midnight
not q cloud was to be seen; objects could
be discerned almost as clearly rs In the
full light Of the sun, and we now mlder-
the right quarter to contract me busi-
ness. as stated in the letter of July q. "A
be full to enable their confederate to see
if they were being watched, as well as to
see the valise when 1t would be dropped
from the car In the letter of July 80 il
was expressly mentioned that the prob
ability was that I might see the signal. and
vet might have to go $50 miles. These
Instructions necessarily kept me on the
lookout from the moment j left he depot
until | arrived at Albany, n Y. as the
train dashed rapidly along my attention
was attracted by every pile of wood and
bank of earth, and BUSH and 1857, and
building along the road, in the expectation
of seeing some one jumping OFT from his
hiding place displaying the torch alI1 flag,
the signal for the valise TO be thrown from
the car. This, of course, Kept UP n pain
full lutter of anxiety over the whole route
for five mortal hours my Drain and eyes
were in fixed agony.
WEARISOME WORK.
"To guard against any attempt being
made To take the valise from me at any
of the stations along the road, the officer.
before the train came to a full stop, came
out of the car on the PLATFORM and as
the train moved on again resumed his seat.
leaving me alone until the next station was
approached. The singularity of my posi-
ton was commented on by those who saw
me, and the servant who had charge of the
car Ca sleeping carr said: That man must
have a pile of money in that valise; he has
been standing there ever since we left the
Al III