The St. Charles herald., 1922-11-18
''wHo STOLE CHARLEY Rossr

WHO STOLE CHARLEY ROSST
The most famous kidnapping mys-
terry In America and one which Gre
Ated more interest the world over than
any other crime OF the kind ever COM
mitted-with the possible exception OF
tne loss Of soma Of the children OF
LOyaity-was the disappearance OF
Cnarley Ross, young son of Phila-
Neipnia family. For nearly half GEN.
%ury the case has baffied the greatest
detectives Of the world and, In spite
OF every effort that has been made. in
spite OF the expenditure Of huge sums
Ot money, the mystery is as deep to-
Gay as 1t was on July /, 1874, when
Ine Doy was first missed. ~
christian X. Ross lived fn German
town. an outlying section of Philadel-
Rnia, and Charles was the youngest
ol his five children. At the time OF
MS kidnapping, the child was only four
years old and was playing with his
brother, Walter, on the sidewalk In
front Of the house.
Some days previous to the kidnap-
ing, according to the story which
walter Ross told the police, three
men had spoken to the boys and had
given them some candy. On July l.,
these same men drove up In wagon
and invited the Ross boys to take a
ride to the nearest fireworks store.
The brothers got In and we're driven
some distance to section Of the city
known as Kensington, where Waiter
Ross was given quarter and told
20 get out and 60 into the nearest
store to make his purchase. When
ne came out Of the store the wagon
had disappeared.
After searching in vain for his broth
~ for several minutes, Walter Ross
became alarmed and commenced t.
cry. His grief attracted crowd o1
men and he was taken home. but M
clue could be discovered as to the
whereabouts Of his brother. Tht
philadelphia police searched ever!
part Of the city for three days ant
advertisements were placed in the pa
pers without success until, on tn
morning Of July came poorly writ
ten and ill-spelled letter stating tha
~'Charley Ii all rite. but you will hav
to pay rs before yu get him from U
and pay Us big, too" This letter cor
cluded with the threat that the bo
would be instantly killed II any a
tempt were made to put the police o
his trail.
On July 8 another letter arrive
demanding $50, 600, which Mr.. Ross. !
spite Of the protests Of the police an
private detectives, agreed to,pay. Ov
ing to the watchfulness Of the polio
however, the kidnApers were frigh
ened and failed to keep the appoin
ments which thay made with the boy
father.
!: Not only an America but Eurol
N well. was now concerned with q
Ross Kidnapping case and the brigh
eat minds In the detective forces
two continents Joined In the scare
lured By the size Of the reward q
The fame which would accompany I
actual solution Of the mystery. +
ports Of the missing boy came fro
III sections Of the country and n
Ro.s made more than 600 trips
runnine down clues which proved
Sc false, in addition to spending
least $4,000 IN his fruitless scarf
Almost 10 to the present time. p
vho have claimed to be Charley Re
have nut Ii their appearance, only
have their stories shattered by 30
details which fail to match n VI
the facts. -
The nearest approach 70. 4 soluti
- the mystery was the deathbed 9
fessIon Of two burglars named M0sl
and Douglas, but the truth OF tn
rfatements could never Be verined
cause they died before giving an
eurate description Of what they !
done with the boys body.
n Roes continued the search u1
IL death IN 1897. and the boys me
- who died only few years ago.
v.vs maintained that her boy was
desd. but that be would come q
e her some day. Her belief was ne
sretsIned. however, and the myst
q charley Ross remains one Of
nnsolyed riddles of the police dep
,rent the classic case Of success!
kidnapping to which al Others are e