The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-01
MYSTERY OF CHARLES ROSS
 UNsOLVED AFTER 40 YEARS

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 A NY PERSON having knowledge of the A whereabouts of Charles Brewster Ross, aged forty-four, will confer a favor by fying-almest anybody anywhere. The whole civilized world is interested in the fate of Charlie Ross, who was abducted forty years. ago today from his home in Germantown, Phil adelphia Some of the best detectives and newspaper sleuths of the United States, Can ada and Europe have sought to solve the mys- tery of the disappearance of this four-year- old. boy, but all have failed. Numberless clues were followed, and although some of them shed light on the motives of the child's kidnappers, Char lie Ross himself was never found Both of his parents are dead, but other members of the Ross family continue to receive letters relating to the mysterious case.
 Charles Brewster Ross was the son of Christian K. and Sarah Ann Ross, well -to-do and respected PhiladeIphians. On the first Of July, 1871, Charlie was playing with his nine year-oId brother, Walter, near the Ross home when they were accosted by two men in bug tgy, who offered to give them ride. The lads were at first reluctant but when the added lure of candy wss held out they could not nesist. After the vehicle had gone short distance, Walter was given some money to buy Fourth of July fireerackers, and was told to get out. That was the last of Charlie Ross, so far as any Icertain knowledge is concerned
 The kidnappers demanded a ransom of S2O000 making their offer through newspaper advertisement and by letters. Mr. Ross found it impossible at that time to raise the sum ask ed, but friends, and even strangers offered to contribute to the fund The whole world sym pathized with the bereaved parents, and if money could have saved Charlie Ross, it would have been Forthcoming in almost any amount. The abductors were frightened by the storm of public wrath they had raised, and, realizing that they could not get the money without risk of arrest they finally dropped the negotiations. Most of the communications were mailed in Trenton, Newark and Elizabeth, but it was the belief of the police that the child had been taken to Canada, or possibly to England. The police of Canadian and English cities joined in the isearch. Not day passed without its clue, and the distracted father made trips to Canada, Eu- rope, and California to see boys who were thought to be his son.
 Tn the December following Charlie Ross s abduetionf two New York river pirates were shot while engaged in a burglary in Brooklyn. One of them was instantly killed, but the other survived a little while and with his dying breath said something of which only sCharlie Ross was inteIligible. It was then found that the police of New York and Philadelphia had suspected these two criminals Mosher and lDouglass of having abducted Charlie Ross. Subsequenf investig gations seemed to bear out this theory, but if the river pirates were the kidnappers they carried their secret with them to the grave.
 A reward of $2O,OO0 was offered for the re- turn of the boy, but it was never claimed. Un- l til her death in 4912 Mrs Ross firmly believed that Charlie would be restored to her, but she was doomed to disappointment. number of men have claimed to be Charlie Ross, but most l of them have been notoriety seekers, or at best honestly mistaken While it is possible that Charlie Ross may be living today, it is very un- likely, and there is every probability that he suecu1nbed to homesickness and neglect within few months of his abduction