The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-02-05
Daring Burglar
so Years Ago
kidnaps Charley Ross
Later Killed Instantly

One morning in the early 70ties. the
people Of Freehold were startled by the
early ringing Of the Court House bell
and the announcement that Bill
Mosher, who had been arrested for rob-
hing a store at Red Bank, had filed
through a thick iron bar in window in
the ontside wall Of the County Jail and
after bending the bar bar back eff
fected his escape by squeezing through
the small space between another bar
and the iron window trim.
Before this Mosher had been in sew
eral jails but had always managed to
escape from them no matter what pre-
caution they had taken, and word was
sent to the Sheriff at Freehold to guard
him night and day.
1t is supposed that the truste when
he went around locking the cells at
night had taken it for granted the pile
of rolled bed clothes was Mosher, who
had probably secreted himself IN the
toilet.
When in Jail Mosher formed the ac-
ouaintance of an inmate who came FROM
the vicinity Of Smithburg and it was al
WAYS supposed that this led to the
smuggling of a saw to NJ osher by lady
caller Of the Smithburg prisoner. The
saw had made clean cnt and crude
picked prison knife was left behind for
blind
Every effort was made to capture
him as it was supposed he went to
New York City by strange sloop that
had been ancf ored off Keyport and
had disappeared the night Of Moshet' 8
escape,
Although notorious burglar and bis
baunts well-known he always eluded
the policemen sent to capture him.
AT Germantown, Pa. then as now a
part Of Philadelphia, occurred the kid
mapping Of Charley Ross, which again
! brought Mosher into the lime-light, and
ne succe sfully baflied pursuit until
his death. Briefly told the circum-
stances were:
! July 1st. 1874 Charley Ross, aged 4
years and 2 months, was kidnapped
| from in front Of his home by two men
driving in buggy, who induced MN
and brother two years his senior, TO
get into the buggy by means OF candy
and promising to buy them tlre-crackers.
The oldest brother, Waiter a., was CIV
en- 20 cents to e and buy the tire-crack-
ers seen in a store window they passed.
and when he came out horse, buggy
and men had disappeared, lie COM
menced crying and by-stander TOOK
him home. At once commenced a
HINT for him that extended all over the
world which finally narrowed down
! to.a hunt for Mosher and companion,
Joe Douglass. The last tangible evil
dence of Charley ever obtained was the
finding of his hat on Bridge street,
Trenton.
Mosher was by trade ship carpen-
ter, and later with Douglas, were known
as daring boat thieves.
Anonymous communications were re-
ceived demanding ransom for Charley,
but owing to fear Of discovery the KID
nappers would not deliver the boy :,
These letters when compared seemed
similar to Mosher's writing. The let
tiers were received from Philadelphia,
New Brunswick, Trenton, New York
City and Rondout, N. Y.
Mosher was shot and instantly killed
at Bay Ridge, Long Island, Dee IA,
1874, after robbing Judge VanBrunt's
Summer home, an electric bell having
given the alarm at the brothers home
next door. His companion, who had
been wounded said to his captors.
as he was dying, Men, won't lie to
you, my name is Joseph Douglas and
that man lying over there is William
Mosher." He spelled Mosher's name
| yletters M-o-s-h-e-r adding Mosher
lives in New York City, and l have no
home. am single man and have no
other relatives except brother and
sister whom | have not seen for more
1E Too Ic a rrIp
man and has five children, l have $40
in my pocket. | wish to be buried
with it. / made it honestly. It's no
use living more. Mosher and stole
Charley Ross from Germantown"
| When asked why he stole the child,
he said, ITO make money" He was
asked who had charge of the child to
which he replied, "Mosher knows all
about the child, ask him" He was
then told Mosher was dead and was
raised up so he could see his dead
lbody. He exclaimed, God help his
poor wife and family. To the question
could he tell where the child was, he
answered, Sod knows, | tell you the
truth. [ don't know where he Is,
| NJ osher knew,
The same question was repeated
number of times to him, but he gave
no further information. but added Sn-
perintendent Walling knows oil about
us, and was after us, and now he shall
have us. Send him word. The child
viii be returned home safe within a
few days" Douglas died 10 mins
utes later.
Detective Sillick sent by Superinten-
dent Walling identified the bodies OF
Ndosher ana Douglas, the former by a
peculiarly of the nose, having lost the
dividing cartilage when Young, and his
speech from that time was peculiar and
the first finger of h S left hand had
withered away to point and the nail
lhad grown to the shape of a parrots
beak and to conceal this defect he usu-
ally wore gloves.
Charley's brother identified the bod
liae a q the man who were in the hupov as