Year: 1874

Vhe Elan Tor his Return by the Payment of S2O,OOO-.A Bold Scheme.

 Since my last communication, says 8 Philadelphia correspondent of the N. Y. Herald, news of a highly important nature has reached me concerning the designs of the kidnappers of little Charlie Ross, which is calculated not only to startle all who read it, but at the same time convince every one that the infant is in the hands of men who, by their shrewdness, tact and cunning, can evade the police for almost an in definite length of time, and, perhaps, force the father to comply with their demands. In no better way can this be shown than by the fact that the rob- bers now boast of their security, and that for twenty days the police have not ascertained the firstclew to their hiding place. g.

 Frequent reference has been made to the cold and brutal letters which have been sent to the parent from time to time, but by all means the most impor- tant and interesting of these was re- ceived by the father few days ago, since it clearly and accurately defines the plan by means of which the kidnap- pers agree to deliver the child and ac- cept the ransom of $20,OO0. The out line of this plan is not fancy sketch, but is the full expose which the kidnap- pers themselves made, and which sub- sequent disclosures will prove to be strictly true. It came to your corre- spondent in the most direct way, and is stated exclusively here for the first time.

 The place selected by the kidnappers for their negotiations is lonely bridge in the extreme northern portion of the county, and the hour at which the busi- ness is to be transacted, if transacted at all, is set down at about midnight. The bridge is surrounded on all sides by a fiat and open country, so that one standing upon it's @abutment could wit ness an approach from any direction. The plan states that Mir. Ross must come to this. bridge with the money. While e,s route for the designated point, and before he arrives at it, he will be met by man who will stop before him and say: "Good evening, sir"

 To this MT. Ross must render an i'm mediate reply, and then pass on toward the bridge. Before he reaches the bridge second man will approach him in the same manner as the first, and say, "Mr. Ross, how do you do p

 , To this MT. Ross must also render an appropriate reply, when he will reach the bridge, and there meet third man, who will ask the following question, "Mr. Ross, have you got that ?"

 After MT. Ross has paid the money there will be slight delay, but in a few minutes he is promised that his little one, Charlie, will be delivered over.

 The robbers evade all possibility of detection by the following conditions The three will be armed and in dis guise. If MT. Ross does not come alone, or if a single soul is seen lurking anywhere in the neighborhood, the kidnappers will fail to keep their ap- pointment. The bridge stands all by itself three different roads intersect near it's site, and, the country being open and level as the floor, the confed- crates stationed out along the different roads can see Mir. Ross for @ long dis tance of, and know whether he came alone or with some one else. More over. MT. Ross will be watched from the time he leaves the city until the time he is accosted by the first man, and any attempt to assemble posse of citizens or police near the bridge would be sure to be seen by the kidnappers, who, of course, the policemen do not know. .. ... ~

 No sooner had their plan been sent from the human thieves to the parent than consultations were held by the police, and by private citizens directly interested in the case, in order to devise some means of catching the scoundrels in their own trick and thus save the ransom and likewise secure the child, Hundreds of plans were proposed. The energy and brain of the entire detective force were bent toward this one pur- pose, but all plans are sure to fail. In case the father concludes to accept the terms of the blackmaiJers they are as sure of getting the money without ar- rest as they are sure of keeping the child without detection in case the terms are not complied with.

 It may appear simple thing to en- trap the kidnappers while consumating their designs, but if any one will read the above carefully he will see that the condition of the country; the command which the plotters enjoy over all the roads; the opportunity they have to watch every movement which either Mir. Ross or the police may make be. tween now and the time the former may consent to the demands, and the facili- ties they possess of studying every step which the father may take after he sets out upon his solitary journey to the bridge, all show the shrewdnees of this apparently simply constructed plan and the impossibility of entrapping the vii. lains while they are carrying it out.

 The detectives have even stepped without their accustomed reticence, and called in the advice of prominent men, in order to seek some means to crush the plot. Among these may be men. tioned Mir. McKean, of the Public Ledger, and District Attorney William B. Mann. As stated above, hundred plans have been proposed, but all o1 them proved wanting. It was proposed to secretly place men about the bridge to surround the roads at points distant from the bridge by armed companies oi citizens :; and it has been proposed to dc thousand other things, each one oi which the simple conditions of the scoundrels' scheme render wholly ano utterly impossible.

 The upShOt 0f the matter IS fully shown in the letter which the kidnap pers sent to the father. Failing through the tpersonals to receive any answer to this plan from the father, the thieves sent communication clothed in Ian guage intensely bitter and which con tained the following points The chile was doing we'll and had been carefully looked after. The parties had avoided arrest for twenty days already anc could remain equally secure for any length of time. They had no feal whatever of apprehension. The parties were acquainted with the father, ant were also aware.of the operations of tho police, and that unless the demand made was complied with they would most assuredly "puts the child away ; that they knew their business, and tha their terms must be met. s#@ -~4s