The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-11-07
lCopyrighs By v. @. csapmnnj

him In carrying of some child who
had wealthy parents. The plan was
to steal one OF Commodore Wander.
bits grandchildren. the youngest
that VIC could get"
What would you do with 1T" asked
Mr.. Walling.
Hold 1t for a ransom. The child
was TO be concealed In a boat, and |
was to negotiate for it's ransom. I
refused to have anything to do with
the suggestion. l thought there would
be too much risk in trying to obtain
a ransom from the Vanderbilts. They
are too rich. have o much power.
and are not the kind of people to be
frightened. There would be no trouble
In stealing the child, but the dificulty
would be In the negotiations"
"Gil" Mosher's story strongly i'm.
pressed the superintendent, who was
convinced hat he knew more than he
had told and that he had not disclosed
this much out of n honest motive.
but in the hope OF securing a part of
the reward. Captain Hedden soon
arrived at police headquarters and
confirmed the story.
"f my suspicious are correct. Mr..
Ross" he continued. addressing the
uncle OF the lost child, this William
Mosher is the leader of the con-
spiracy. He arranged the plot and Is
the writer of the letters sent to Mr..
Ross. / am familiar with Mosher's
writing. and II you will show me the
letters I can tell you whether or not
he is the author Of them"
"Will you describe this Mosher's
writing to me before / show you the
~leiters?" asked Captain Helms. the
Philadelphia detectiv- who had ac-
~companied Mr.. Ross to New York.
HE writes very rapidly and is care
less. He seldom finishes a page with
out plotting 1t. He often writes either
above oil below the lines, and wherl
he folds q letter It is in a peculiar and
awkward manner"
The letters were produced and Cap
tain Hedden Mt once identified them
as ~undeniably the writing Of Mosher.
The blots appeared upon the pages.
just as Captain Hedden had told, and
the letters were awkwardly folded.
This Identification profoundly i'm
pressed all present.
Arrangements were at once made
between the New YORK. and Philadel-
phia police for cooperation. Captain
Hedden. pursuing his investigation.
learned that Mosher and his confed-
crate Douglas had invented a moth
preventive called 'Mothee," and that
they travelled about the country with
a horse and wagon selling this and
other small articles. He also learned
that Mosher had a brotherin-law
named Westervelt. a former police
mar OF New York who had been dis
charged from the force and was prob
ably implicated in the abduction.
Mosher's real name was discovered
to be johnson. and 1t was learned
that his family lived in baltimore.
Two police detectives were sent to
search that city. 1t was known that
| William Mosher had formerly lived
In n boat on the water and that he
had been a notorious river pirate.
Pinkerton's men were also placed on
the case. but weeks elapsed ard all
were still as far as ever from obtain
Ing a clue.
On August "a Superintendent Wal.
ling sent the following letter to Cap
tain Helms In Philadelphia:
81 am more confident than ever
that the parties Clark (Douglas) and
Mosher. alias Johnson. are the par.
ties we want. Some one has let them
know that they are being looked after.
and that is the reason for their
change OF tone. They are frightened,
and would. l believe. make terms very
moderate. provided they could be as
sured of safety. There is no danger
Of their going to Europe; they have
no money, and Mosher's wife and chill.
dren would keep him here. OF this
you can assure Mr.. Ross. providing
am right as to the parties. and ] have
no doubt of It. think II would be
well for Mr.. Ross I keep In com
munication az possible) with them
Superintendent Walling tent for
Westervelt and asked him to assist
In finding the k~idnappers, to which,
after a few days consideration, he
agreed. It was the idea OF Mr.. Wal.
ling that Westervelt could be induced
to help in the discovery by the prom
Use OF a share In the reward. Wester.
welt, however. was apparently play.
ing without cards Of his own. for his
assistance proved OF no material use.
1t is even probable that Westervelt
put Mosher and Douglas upon their
guard. Somebody kept the kidnap.
pers informed rs to the means that
the police intended to adopt Ia track.
ing them, by means Of advertisements
in the newspapers. Westervelt would
never admit that he had seen the
men, but always professed to be
searching for them. Westervelt fur.
nished information to the effect that