The times., 1897-07-05

New York. July l. The New York Jour
nal today publishes a statement from
Ellsworth Mosher, the last oI the family
which has always been Thought TO have
k..lus.lfpa charley Ross. Itis IN he nature
OF a confession ,Gat the Moshers Were tie
guilty parties, and purports to give the
whole history Of the crime from the
kidnaping of Charlie to his death.
In tlc summer Of 1874 Gilbert Moshcr
called upon Police Superintendent Wal
In, OF tic city Of New York, at police
headquarters, and supplied evidence which
proved that the persons who had ao-
Quoted Charley Ross We're his brother.
William Moshcr, and Joseph Douglas. BE
fofc these men were captured, how"Ter'
thcy were both killed III an attempted
burglary AT Bay Ridge, leaving the late
of tHe missing boy still unsolved
Ellsworth Mos her is a son of Gilbert
Musher. He makes public the facts when
his father hadneye divulged To the police
The stolen child died or was murdered
in the house at No. % Grand street OF
the adjoining house on the corner Of South
Fifth avenue In the basement of this
hogsa the wife of the criminal chief had u
restaurant, aud sixteen years ago work
men IN tearing oaJ the old basement walls
found the skeleton OF boy.
Trar skeleton, Gilbert Mosner told his
san. was ali that was left OF Charley
Ross. and Ellsworth Mosher now Tor the
f.lrl
William MosneT and his accomplce,
Joseph Douglas, we've killed during
burglary
Gilbert Moshcr is dead.
Christian K Ross, the father Of the
stolen child, who spent his fortune ia the
search for his boy, is also dead
Ellsworth M0sher is an industrious
Iaborer. an honest man, according 10 MS
employers aud ueiglbors, who feels keenly
thc association of his family with the black
c-inlc, and who would rather talk Of any
thing in the world than the stealing If
Charley Ross and his death.
The hideous end OF the Charley Ross story
might lave been known years 90, II it
could hot have been aveTted, had the police
Needed the advice Of tie undertaken
whom the widow Of the arch criminal
sought out and begged 10 take charge uf
the burial OF her guilty husband and ias
fellow burglar and accOmplice Joseph
Douglas, when the wo were shot tu death
by those they sought TO rob,
This undertaken was John Henry Imn,
whose establishment is at No 100 Ave
nue. D.
He had years before worked in the ship
yard on the Eas, River with the Moshers.
when the woman came to him Mum
communicated with Police Superintendent
Waniug, and begged him to trace Tn.
woman. feeling sure she must lead them tC
where the stolen boy was hidden but ths
police official paid more attention to hel
brother, william Wes,ervelt He was
enragpd at Wes,eTvelt, who had worked
I'm with his relatives and the others Of IT.,
gang while in the police pay 10 aid il
tIeir apprehension. and the woman slipped
away. They convicted WcS,ervelt Of com
llrity in the kidnapping OF Charley Ross
and sent him TO prison for seven years
This was in 1875. Westervelt never ad
ni.ed his guilt or betrayed the secrets o
his mates He might have fought liberty
with tie child could be have produced il
He did not, and the inference is that Jht
child was dead and be must have confessed
murder and not merely kidnapping, had lac
tod thc story
oIny on this hypothesis is it possible &
adequately explain the silence Of Wester
welt during lis imprisonment.
Charley Ross was stolen on July 1874
II and his elder brot her, Walter, wer
playing in the roadway near to his hon-
OF Washington lane, in Germantown,
quiet suburb Of Philadelphia. TWO men
seated i'm a buggy drawn 10y a single horse
drove ieisureIy along the lane. OstenSibl.
they were peddlers. They had berom,
acquainted with the Youngsters in thei
journeylnEs along the road, and had 81
several occasions given them candy j
response 10 q request for a drive and som,
more candy, the men il the carriage tool
the boys in with them and drove rapid.
away.
Walter Ross was given quarter Of
dollar ana was Set down to buy firew orks
When he had made his purchase he locke,
for the buggy IL was gone.
Charley Ross was never seen again b.
any member of the family, of which h
was tile idolzed baby
For three days the purpose Of the kid
narpers remained unknown The polio
Were notified. ana the routine machiurr
Of polic, search was put in operation
Three DAYS after the child stealing. tn
lost boys father received the first OF
series Of letters purporting TO come from
the EicuaDperS of the boy and offpTiut
to give him up FOR a ransom Mr. Ros
turned the letters over to the police AM