Year: 1874

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of Deception.


PHILADELPHIA, August s, ls7A


Tne Ross mystery is now rapidly assuming new
phase 1t Is admitted by the police that had the
only object In the minds OF the kidnappers been
question OF dollars and cents this child would have
been found long ere this. The Oner OF Mr.
Taggart has also remained open so long
now that 1t may be taken for granted that
$4,000 will not bring even a clew. THIS is almost
proof positive that the child has passed out OF the
hands Of the original captors and that the third
person who now has the boy is able to command
more money for defence than Is the attacking
party, composed OF both the city OF Philadelphia
and the Ross family. This adds immensely
to the general curiosity, which grows with
each hour. to know what motives could
actuate any man or set of men to
sacrifice q fortune blight ahousehoid, and bodily
and mentally ruin mans life. In the most sensa.
tio1al OF novels and On the boards OF provincial
theatres we read and witness such manifestations
of hatred, but they are very rarely found in real
life. Here, then. Ia case In which stubborn
heart, added to great power of will is boldly
arrayed against the peace Of the family,
the greatest feature OF social life; arrayed
against the treasury OF rich city and the private
means OF o score Of honorable men OF wealth who
clamor for the life Of the offender; arrayed
against the combined detective ability OF the
land we live IN and having the co-opera-
tion Of ten millions OF it's citizens; and
lastly, though by no means trining matter,
the power OF the Almighty, who established
the family and set the ties OF affection deep in
human hearts, is apparently dened and justice
Knocked. This state OF things has now existed for





mother in the land who trembies for the safety Of
her own child just in proportion as the hopeless
ness OF little Charley Ross fate grows more
patent "Money will do anything" the old
motto, is o mockery to her in her
unhappy condition 1t has accomplished
nothing, absolutely not one tdtng, and
about all hope Of success in that direction is gone.
Justice injustice to all parties concerned right
Or wrong in theory, can state for fact that this
Is the settled conclusion to which every officer in
any way connected with the case has come. This
case has ceased to be matter OF a few thousand
dollars. Twenty thousand dollars has not found
Charley Ross and 1t is daily becoming the c0nvic-
lion OF every citizen that twice that sum would
have no better effect.


THE RESULT OF POOR ADVICE.


Nothing short OF the capture Of the mIscreant
md the child can ever clear this case up now. 1t
has gone beyond the limits Of an ordinary larceny.
The ARABIAN Nights" may be searched IN vain Tor
parallel. The slave trade on the African coast is
trifing compared with the ultimate results of this
new species OF crime. The utter helpessness
OF the case, as 1t stands to-day, induces
the feeling on the part Of the whole people
that every particle OF the correspondence which
has passed between the abductors and the police
or the father of the child shall be published
These letters have utterly failed to furnish one





Incompetent leader, have been intrusted
with the case. This the police admit
and the trends Of Mr.. Ross confirm.
AS they have, then, proved utterly value
less to the police, there exists every reason why
they should be published broadcast over this land
In order that all may read them, and that there
may be million of opinions advanced upon each
clause instead OF two or three worthless clews.
Az there is to be no compromise, and as the
threats of death to the little innocent have been
often ano freely made, there should be an end to
all this shameful ShammDg ana detective TOM
fOOlery.


To be sure, there may have been some reasons
for iorbldding the publication OF these letters but
such reasons have now passed away for ever. The
man who has acquired q mortal hatred to the
newspaper press OF the land, because the
S% Il pu,sas the % fact sr0ds isas as s F oss
called upon thus gentleman about This case
the journals Of his own city were abusing him.
This Was motive enough lOr him to throw every
obstacle In my path toward doing my duty, and
actually belleve up to this moment that the only
great act OF strategy which this great crime has
called forth from this mans brain has been TO de-
lude the news IN paper press OF this city into the
idea that he knew all about the case and would
not tell any thing jnst for revenge An aggravated
oil this kind OF malice often costs people yeaIs


JUSTICE DEMANDS PUBLICITY.


1t is proper at this point to take up the asser-
tton that 1.-THE publication OF this entire corre-
sp0ndence would defeat the ends OF Justice" This


the principal 1T IN favor @ q the
she heart Of every man VINO waaIs to
see the sconndrel or scoundrels punished The
correspondence whcn was opened with the
''originat .parties'' on the Sd Of July has been
firm OF Ross, Sh0tt Co. The great bulk OF cofre-
spondence, amounting to more than 500 letters,
comes from confidence men, silly sOOthsayers, SYM
pathetlc mothers aud romantic scnOol girls. They
comprehend all sorts Of theories, from the far
the payment be made in marked money, and after
that the subsequent watching OF every grocery
conSdens ySasn o% North oaruna
q ths place Of Gnarley,s ,ailsappsaranSSe, ne he
T III thus is Of any value" or II am poor woman,
and talk with you about the cews." In shorI all
such are appeals for the loan oi q few dollars.


HERE HANGS THE MYSTERY.


But the few letters which came from either the
abductors or the custodian OF the child were OF q
far different nature from this. They are OF such
nature am now aware beyond doubt, as TO
convince the parents OF the child that the person
VINO penned the letter had the boy. The proofs,
In IT, lock Of his hair ana the mention OF several
birth marks on the chtfds BODY are convincing.
tnat Individual 1t was right and proper that he
should keep the letters, not only from the press,
but from even intimate friends. II they had been
Kept from the police the father might have had
his boy TO-DAY. But that Is all past now. This
correspondence naturally ceased when the author
OF II found that IL was being made means to
track him. The miscreant admitted. by the very