The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-10-19
.HIST1RYiS
MYSTERIES
WHO STOLE CHARLEY Rossr

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THE most famous kidnapping mys-
4 tery ia America and one which Gre
ated more interest the world over Than
any other crime Of the kind ever COM
mitted-wlth the possible exception OF
the loss Of some Of the children OF
royalty-was the disappearance Of
Charley Ross. young son OF a Phila.
delphia family. For nearly half cen
fury the case has bafiied the greatest
detectives OF the world and, In spite
Of every effort that has been made, In
spite Of the expenditure Of huge sums
Of money. the mystery is as deep to
day as II was on July l, 1874. when
the boy was first missed.
Christian X. Ross lived In German
town, an outlying section OF Philadel-
phia. and Charles was the youngest
OF his five children. At the time OF
his kidnapping the child was only four
years old and was playing with his
brother. Walter, on the sidewalk Ia
front Of the house.
Some days previous 10 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 /,
these same men drove up IN wagon
and invited the Ross boys 10 take a
ride TO the nearest fireworks store.
The brothers got In and were driven
some distance 10 a section of the city
known as Kensington, where Walter
Ross was given quarter and told
10 get out and go into the nearest
store to make his purchase. When
he came out OF the store the wagon
had disappeared
After searching in vain for his broth
er for several minutes, Walter Ross
became alarmed and commenced to
cry. His grief attracted a crowd Of
men and he was taken home, but no
clue could be discovered as to the
whereabouts of his brother. The
Philadelphia police searched every
part OF the city for three days and
advertisements were placed in the pa
pers without success until on the
morning Of July came poorly writ
ten and lll-spelled letter stating that
Charley is all rite, but you will have
to pay us before yu get him from us
and pay us big, too" This letter con
Guided with the threat that the boy
would be instantly killed IL any at
tempt were made to put the police on
his trail.
On July 6 another letter arrived
demanding $4,000, which Mr.. Ross, in
spite Of the protests Of the police and
private detectives, agreed to pay. Ow-
ing to the watchfulness of the police,
however the kidnapers were fright
ened and failed to keep the appoint
ments which they made with the boys
father
Not only all America but Europe
as well. was now concerned with the
Ross kidnapping case and the bright
est minds in the detective forces Of
two continents joined in the search,
lured by the size Of the reward and
the fame which would accompany an
actual solution Of the mystery. Re
ports Of the missing boy came from
all sections Of the country and Mr.
Ross made more than 200 trips In
running down clues which proved to
be false. in addition TO spending az
least 100000 IN his frutless search.
Almost up TO the present time men
who have claimed 10 be Charley Ross
have put In their appearance only to
have their stories shattered by some
details which fail to match In with
the facts
The nearest approach to solution
Of the mystery was the deathbed CON
fession Of two burglars named Mosher
and Douglas, but the truth Of their
statements could never be verified be
cause they died before giving an &C.
curate description Of what they had
done with the boys body.
Mr.. Ross continued the search until
his death In 1897, and the boys moth
err who died only few years ago, al
ways maintained that her boy was not
dead but that he would come back
10 her some day Her belief was never
sustained. however, and the mystery
of Charley Ross remains one Of the
uns9lfed riddles Of the police depart
ment the classic case Of successful
kidnapping @ which On others are CON
pared