Evening star., 1926-09-05
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago the search for
Charley Ross, who had disappeared
rn. fhree Years previous
Not lHe Lost ly, continued. and
Cborlav Poss from time to time
children thought to
he the missing Philadelphia child
were held for identification. The Star
of August 23, 1876. says:
"A scene of unusual interest was
witnessed at the Western Onion tele-
graph office in Omaha the other day.
when q. little boy years of age, sup
posed to be the lost Charley Ross
and who had been found living with
colored people. was brought up to
talk with Mr.. Ross. by telegraph. in
Philadelphia. The circumstances
strongly favored the supposition that
the boy was the long lost Charley
and so satisfied was a prominent of
fetal of the fact that he startled the
distressed father in Philadelphia with
the announcement. Your boy is herer
Almost Immediately "A message was
received from Mr. Ross asking, What
is your name?' TO this the little fell
low replied Eddie Ross He was
then asked if he had any brothers
and sisters. and answered that he
had two brothers, but no sisters, and
that his brothers names We're Henry
and Gus. The description of Mr.. Ross
family was partly correct. and he
then asked the operators to compare
the photograph of Charley when he
was 3 years old with his present ap-
pearance This they did, and returned
an answer that the resemblance was
remarkable. The answer 10 the next
question. What is the color of his
eyes seems to have satisfied Mr..
Ross that the boy was not his child
The answer was, Dark BLUSH gray
This color, Mr.. Ross telegraphed. did
not correspond with the color Of Char
ley's eyes, which We're light hazel
All of his children. six in number
had the same ColOred eyes, and it
was noted that the older they grew
the darker their eyes became. 90 that
Charley's eyes at present should be
of dark hazel color. Il seems Il
little singular that Mr.. Ross should
have dropped the investigation on II
mere hypothesis in regard to the
color Of his eyes. 1t would not neces-
sarily follow because the rest of his
Children's $ eyes grew dark hazel in
color that the lost childs should be
of that color. He has had 1t long
and bitter experience. however, and
was doubtless fully convinced that fhe
Omaha Waif was not his boy for whom
he has been searching for three long
years. 1t is probable that the young
hopeful is another Jimmy Blanchard. 3"
4
In view of the disappointingly light
attendance at the Sesquicentennial ex-
r4, position. the following
CcHtenllal in The Star of August
A++andoroa 29. 1876, is Of interest:
'''rhe attendance at
the Centennial exhibition yesterday
Monday was 34.79S. which at half
dollar head made the receipts
SIT ,399. On Saturday, a 25.cent day.
the attendance was almost three times
as large, being 37,172. and the re-
ceipts $24.293. This looks as if it
would pay to reduce the price of
admission at least one day in the
week. But of even greater cOnse-
quence than increased receipts is the
fact that large numbers Of persons
who could not afford to visit the ex-
position at regular rates We're thus
able to see it. Herein lies the great
advantage OF half-price days. II the
great show Is to be an educator OF
the people. the thing to do is to so
accommodate matters that the people
may be able to attend the school"
The American forces We're in pur-
suit Of Sitting Bull. the warning Sioux
m ciieftain 80 years
olCtlnS DUH ago, and there was
TYuan+;o much speculation and
IA "-N''1"' sentimentality as well.
regarding the willy fighter The fol
lowing appears in The Star of Sep
tember .. 1875:
THE prowess Of Sitting Bull has
induced sentimentalsts to invest that
worthy with a very bright halo of
romance. He was a graduate Of West
Point, who gradually drifted back
into savage life. lie had various solid
requirements; could speak French like
n Partisan; was Il close student of
Napoleons campaigns. etc. etc. An
old Indian trader knocks the props
from under these stories, so 10 speak.
He has known Sitting Bull for years
and says these yarns are all untrue.
Bulls real name, he says, is Lame
Bull he being permanently lame in
his right leg. He goes dressed as
plainly and As dirty as any Indian
OF low degree. has a powerful appe-