The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-11-07

-- try, but for the strange
~ and dramatic denoue'
ment which robbed the
U%Q police OF the reward oil
~ their patient investiga'
ton Just when sue
cess appeared assured to them. The
first intimation which the public re-
ceiyed OF the abduction was gathered
from the following advertisement,
which appeared in the philadelphia
Public Ledger on July 3. 1874:
Lost, on the first instant. a small
boy about four years OF age, light com
~piexion. and light curly hair. A suit
able reward will be paid on his re-
turn to IL. l.. Joyce. Central Station.
corner OF Fifth and Chestnut streets"
The father Of the missing child. Mr..
Christian X. Ross, did not mention
his own name in this advertisement.
as he did not wish to alarm his wife
who was spending a few weeks at At
lantic City. IL was on July 1 that the
crime was perpetrated. When Mr..
Ross arrived home hat evening he
found that his two youngest children.
Walter and Charley. were missing.
An immediate investigation disclosed
the fact that two strange men. pass
ing the house with a horse and wagon
that afternoon. had persuaded the
boys to take a ride VIII them. After
driving about eight or nine miles
they set Walter down and drove away
with Charley.
The Ross family were residents OF
Germantown. a suburb Of Philadel-
phia. The community became panic
stricken and the entire police force
OF Philadelphia commenced a vigor-
ous search for the kidnappers. But
It was quickly realized that this was
more than a local matter; the GRIM
inals had doubtless removed them
selves from the city. perhaps from the
state. and the police forces Of Penn
~sylvania. Delaware. New York and
New Jersey were speedily enlisted In
the pursuit. As days passed by and
no clue was obtained the whole coun.
try became agitated: even Europe was
interested. perhaps on account Of the
good social status OF the parents. 1t
seemed impossible that the criminals
could long remain undetected.
On the evening Of July 4 Mr.. Ross
received the first communication from
the abductors. II was unsigned and
n as follows:
July 3. Mr.. Rose: be not uneasy
you son Charley bruster be all writ
we is got him and no powers on earth
can deliver him out OF our hand. you
will hav two pay us befor you git him
from us, and pay us a big cent to. IL
any aproch Is maid TO his hidin place
that Is the signil for his instant anihi-
lation."
A long correspondence followed with
the abductors through the medium Of
the press. In which the criminals de.
Clared that they would not deliver up
the child without a heavy ransom.
Upon the advice OF the authorities Mr..
Ross decided to refuse all payment.
and instead offered a large reward for
the recovery OF the child and the cap
ture and conviction OF his abductors.
At the request OF the citizens OF Phila.
delphia the mayor OF that city offered
a reward OF 100000 for the return Of
the child to his parents. Upon the
publication OF this offer a letter was
received from the abductors. It was
dated Philadelphia, July "a. and ran:
1--WE have him SO that we feel at
ease against all the detective force In
the country ever feritin him out. the
authorities have offered $4,000 for
the recovery OF the child an detec-
tion Of Is II they had yu interest Mt
hart this would be the worst thing
they could do. this is only offerin
a reward for tho sacrifice of yu child"
Much correspondence followed. the
criminals ~endeavoring to induce Mr..
Ross to pay v q the money to them
IN return for the boy. Finally this
ceased. Hope began to be abandoned.
At that time the superintendent OF
New York's police force was the able
and energetic George w. Walling. On
August 2 he sent n telegram to Phila.
delphia requesting that u detective
be sent to New York with the letters
OF the kidnappers. On the following
day Captain Helms OF Philadelphia
and Joseph Ross. an uncle OF the lost
child. went to New York and met
Mr.. walling at police headquarters,
Mr.. Walling informed them that he
had obtained a clue through Captain
Hedden OF the Thirteenth Police dis.
trlct. The suspects were two men
named William Mosher and Joseph
Douglas.
This information had come about In
the following manner A policeman
named Doyle went to the superintend'
ent and informed him that he had
been talking with "Gil' Mosher. a
brother OF m Of the suspects. who
informed him that he believed his
brother had been implicated in the
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