Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1912 — WORLD’S FAMOUS POLICE MYSTERIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WORLD’S FAMOUS POLICE MYSTERIES

TRUE RECORDS OF EXTRAORDINARY CASES IN ANNALS OFCRIME

The Kidnapping of Charley Ross

By H. M. EGBERT

(Copyright by W. G. Chapman)

nfHE kidnapping of ChanI ley Ross was one of i the most remarkable crimes of this character, not only because it agitated the entire country, but for the strange and dramatic denouement which robbed the police of the reward of ; their patient investigation just when success appeared assured to them. The first intimation which the public received of the abduction was gathered from the following advertisement, which appeared in the Philadelphia Public Ledger on July 3,1874: “Lost, on the first instant, a small boy about four years of age, light complexion, and light curly hair. A suitable reward will be paid on his return to E. L. Joyce, Central Station, corner Qf Fifth and Chestnut streets.” The father of the missing child, Mr. Christian K. Ross, did not mention his own name in this advertisement, as he did not wish to alarm his wife who was spending a few weeks at Atlantic City. It was on July 1 that the crime was perpetrated. When Mr. Ross arrived home that evening he found that his two youngest children, Walter and Charley, were missing. An immediate Investigation disclosed the fact that two strange men, passing the house with a horse and wagfan that afternoon, had persuaded the boys to take a ride w' l h them. After driving about eight or nine miles they set Walter down and drove away with Charley.

The Robb family were residents of Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia. The community became panicstricken and the entire police force of Philadelphia commenced a vigorous search Tor the kidnappers. But it was quickly realized that this was more than a local matter; the criminals had doubtless removed themselves from the city, perhaps from the state, and the police forces of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and New Jersey were speedily enlisted in the pursuit. As days passed by-and no clue was obtained she whole country became agitated; even Europe was interested, perhaps on account of the good social status of the parents. It seemed impossible that the criminals could long remain undetected. On the evening of July 4 Mr. Ross received the first communication from the abductors. It was unsigned and ran as follows,: “July 3. Mr. Ross: Be not uneasy you son Charley bruster be all writ we is got him and no powers on earth can deliver him out of our hand, you wil hav two pay us befor you git him from us, and pay us a big cent to. if any aproch is maid to his hidin place that is the slgnil for his instant anlhllatlon.” A lofig correspondence followed with the abductors through the medium of the»press, in whlch the criminals declared that they would not deliver up the child without a heavy ransopi. Upon the advice of the authorities Mr. Ross decided to refuse all payment, and instead offered a large reward for the recovery of the child and the capture dnd conviction of his abductors. At the request of the citizens of Philadelphia the mayor of that city offered a reward of $20,000 for the return of the child to his parents. Upon the publication of this offer a letter was received from the abductors. It was dated Philadelphia, July 24, and ran: “We have him so that we feel at ease against all the detective force in the country ever feritin him out. the authorities have offered $20,000 for the recovery of the child an detection of us if they had yu interest at hart this would be the worst thing they could do. this is only offerin a reward for the sacrifice of yu child." Much correspondence the criminals endeavoring to induce Mr. Ross to pay over the money to them in return for the boy. Finally this ceased. Hope began to be abandoned. At that time the superintendent of New fork’s police force was the able and eiergetic George W. Walling. On delphia requesting that a detective be sent to New York with the letters of the kidnappers. On the following day Captain Heins of Philadelphia and Joseph Ross, an uncle of the lost child, went to New York and met Mr, Walling at police headquarters. Mr. Walling informed them that he had obtained a clue through Captain Hedden of the Thirteenth Police district. The suspects were two men named William Mosher and 'Joseph Douglas. This information had come about in the following manner. A policeman named Doyle went to the superintendent and infonhed him that he had been talking with "Gil” Mosher, a, brother of one of the suspects, who informed him that he believed his brother had been implicated in the crime. "Gil” Mosher was promptly discovered and taken to police headquarters. : z -■—■ “What are your reasons for suspecting that your brother William took cart in the kidnapping d Charley

Ross?” asked Superintendent Walling. “Well,” he replied, “I was approached by Bill and asked to join him in carrying off some child who had wealthy parents. The plan was to steal one of Commodore Vanderbilt's grandchildren, the youngest that 1 we could get.” » “What would you do with it?” asked Mr. Walling. “Hold It for a ransom. The child was to be concealed in a boat, and I was to negotiate for its ransom. I refused to have anything to do with the suggestion. I thought there would be too much risk in trying to obtain a ransom from the Vanderbilts. They are too rich, have too much power, and are not the kind of people to be frightened. There would be no trouble In stealing the child, but the difficulty would be in the negotiations.” “Gil” Mosher's story strongly impressed the superintendent, who was convinced that he knew more than he had told and that he had not disclosed this much out of any honest motive, but In the hope of securing a part of the reward. Captain Hedden soon arrived at police headquarters and confirmed the story. “If my suspicions are correct, Mr. Ross,” he continued, addressing the uncle of the lost child, “this William Mosher is the leader of the conspiracy. He arranged the plot and is the writer of the letters sent to Mr. Ross. I am familiar with Mosher's writing, and if you will show me the letters I can tell you whether or not he is the author of them.”

"Will you describe this Mosher’s writing to me before I show you the letters?” asked Captain Heins, the Philadelphia detectiv- who had accompanied Mr. Ross to New York. “He writes very rapidly and is careless. He seldom finishes a page without blotting it. He often writes either above or below the lines, and whe t he folds a letter it is in a peculiar and awkward manner.” The letters were produced and Captain Hedden at once identified them as undeniably the writing of Mosher. The blots appeared upon the pages, just as Captain Hedden had told, and the letters were awkwardly folded. This identification profoundly impressed all present. Arrangements were at once made between the New and Philadelphia police for co-operation. Captain Hedden, pursuing his investigation, learned that Mosher and his confederate Douglas had invented a moth preventive called “Mothee,” and that they traveled about the country with a horse and wagon selling this and other -small articles. He also learned that Mosher had a brother-in-law named Westervelt, a former policeman of New York who had been discharged from the fofce and was probably implicated in the abduction.. Mosher’s real name was discovered to be Johnson, and it was learned that his family lived in Baltimore. Two police detectives were sent to search that city. It was known that William Mosher had formerly lived in a boat On the water and that he had been a notorious river pirate. Pinkerton’s men were also placed on the case, but weeks elapsed and all were still as far as ever from obtaining a clue. * On August 24 Superintendent Walling sent the following letter to Captain Heins in Philadelphia:

“I am more confident than ever that the parties Clark (Douglas) and Mosher, alias Johnson, are the parties we want. Some one has let them know that they are being looked after, and that is the reason for their change of tone. They are frightened, and would, I believe, make terms very moderate, provided they could be assured of safety. There is no danger of their going to Europe; they have no money, and Mosher’s wife and children would keep him here. Of this you can assure Mr. Ross, providing I am right as to the parties, and I have no doubt of it. I think it would be well for Mr. Ross t keep in communication (If possible) with them.” Superintendent Walling se n t for Westervelt and asked him to assist in finding the kidnappers, to which, after a few days’ consideration, he agreed. It was the idea of Mr. Walling that Westervelt could be induced to help in the discovery by the promise of a share in the reward. Westervelt, however, was apparently playing without cards of his own, for his assistance proved of no material use. It is even probable that Westervelt put Mosher and Douglas upon their guard. Somebody kept the kidnappers informed, as to the means that the police intended to adopt in tracking them, by means of advertisements in the newspapers, Westervelt would never admit that he had seen the men, but always professed to be searching for them. Westervelt furnished Information to the effect that Mosher had been living in Philadelphia recently, and that he rented an old stable in that city. Thia due proved as unsatisfactory as the rest If Mosher had inhabited that section ofthe town he had removed and an

efforts in this direction had to be abandoned. It seemed evident by this time that the only chance lay in watching the rivers and numerous creeks in the vicinity of Baltimore, since, whether or not Mosher were actually hiding in that region, the most likely clue would come from prosecuting an unfailing search there; Superintendent Walling bent all his efforts toward the capture of the criminals. The case was peculiarly difficult and delicate. There always existed the danger that, if pressed too closely, the ruffians would murder the child in order to efface all traces of their crime. The aid of Westervelt was no longer sought, and working in darkness, having ostensibly wearied of the pursuit, Walling and his men devoted all their efforts to a solution of the mystery. The tracking of Mosher and Douglas was continuous; clue after clue was eagerly seized upon and followed up. only to be perforce abandoned. The kidnappers were not to be thrown off their guard and their vigilance was equal to that of the detectives. The innumerable bays and watercourses gave them the fullest opportunity of concealment, and evidence showed that the two ruffians never stayed in the same place for two consecutive nights. Often the detectives were so near to their hiding place that they passed It in the dark. Tie men were at last learned to be lurking in the vicinity of New York. The pursuit grew warmer, and so closely were the kidnappers pressed that they never dared to leave the water.

Finally it was discovered that Mosher and Douglas, reduced to penury through this unflagging pursuit, had become implicated in several burglaries. Their actual capture was the result of private enterprise and not the reward of the efforts of their pursuers. On the night of December 14, more than five months after the crime which had aroused the entire country, two men entered the home of Judge Van Brunt, at Bay Ridge, overlooking the Narrows. The house was then unoccupied, but a burglar-alarm telegraph rang a bell in the house of Mr. J. H. Van Brunt, the judge’s son, who resided across the street. He awakened his son and his two men servants, armed them and placed them on guard at the front and rear entrances of the judge’s house while the burglars pursued their work within. “Now, boys," said Mr. Van Brunt, “we must be careful not to let the criminals escape. We want to cap ture them without taking their lives if this be possible, but if not we must fire upon them. You two —’’indicating his son Albert and one of the servants —"stand in front of the street entrance, while Frank and I will take the rear. And above all, whatever happens, let no man move from his place, or otherwise if we attempt to pursue the burglars we shall be liable to fire into one another. Whichever way they come out, let the two men who meet them take care ,of them as best they can. If they come out and separate then we will all have a chance to work.” The two parties took up their positions and waited in the cold and wet for over an hour while inside, the thieves, unconscious that they were expected, went all over the house, securing a rich haul of plunder. At length they came down to the basement. Mr. Van Brunt could see the faces of the burglars through the pantry window as he waited without. Numbed as he was from the effects .of the cold, his fingers ached to pull the trigger, but he resisted. “Frank,” he said, “we may as well hurry things along a little. Take the key and open the back door as quietly as you can.” Frank took the key from him and inserted it in the key-hole. But his fingers were so frozen Jhat he could not place it properly, and scraped St the lock fruitlessly. The burglars inside heard him. Mr. Brunt, watching through the pantry window, saw them start afid begin to consult eagerly with one another. After— a hurried consultation they put out the light and began to reascend the basement stairs. "To the trap-door of the cellar,” said Mr. Van Brant “As quick as you can!” - < ; 3 3' The lock of the door had been broken by the marauders, and as the two men hurried to await the egress of the desperadoes a head was seen to emerge. A man came out fol-, lowed speedily by another. “Halt!” shouted Mr. Van Brunt His only answer was two pistol shots which followed one another so swiftly that they seemed to ring out simultaneously. Mr. Van Brunt heard the balls whiz past his head. He fired at the first man, who fell to the ground screaming with ago-y. The other man discharged his pistol again and ran round toward the front of the house. There'he encountered Albert Van Brant at whom he fired two more shots. But these balls went wide of their duurk like the preceding ones, and before the man could fire

again Albert had shattered his arm with a blow from his shotgun. The thief fell back with an oath, and at that moment the elder Van Brunt came up. He had heard the shots fired, and fearing that his son was injured, he discharged his re,volver at the thief’s back. The man fell dead without a sound. « None of the Van Brunt party was injured, but both the burglars were put out of action. One was already dead; the other was plainly dying. The neighbors, who had been alarmed by the sounds of firing, came rushing up from all sides. Water was brought to the wounded burglar. He swallowed a drink with difficulty and regained some measure of strength. “Who are you? What were you doing here? Where do you come from?” were the questions showered upon .him. ..!■ 3 3<3 . 3. - y The dying man raised himself upon his elbow. “Gentlemen, I will not lie to you," he said solemnly. "My name is Joseph Douglas, alias Clark, and that man over there is William Mosher. We are the men who kidnapped Charley Ross. Mosher lives in New York city, but I have no home. I am a single man and have no relations except a brother and sister, neither of whom I have seen for the past twelve or fifteen years. Mosher is a married man and has five children. I have S4O in my pocket,” he rambled on with strange inconsistentcy. “I came by it honestly. I wish to be buried with it.” “You stole Charley Ross?" exclaimed his interrogators, Ignoring the remaining part of his statement. “We stole him from his home in Germantown, in our wagon, while we were passing.” "Why did you steal him?” “To receive the reward which we both expected.” x “Who has the child now?” they asked. "Mosher will tell you. He was the leader; I only followed his directions.” ‘ They ran toward Mosher. He was dead; he had died instantly. They lifted Douglas up and carried him over to his dead partner. A single glance convinced him that he Would never speak or stir. “God help his poor wife and family!” exclaimed the wonnded man “Where is the child?” they asked again. “Where did you put him? Who has the care "I don’t know!” groaned Douglas. They fell back in horror as the truth burst upon them. "You don't know?” they re-echoed “As God is my witness I do not know. Mosher knew. Superintendent Walling knew all about us. He —is after us and he would have had us in a few days. Mosher sent the child away somewhere. He is safe and sound; he will be returned in a few days.” p "How did you get over here?" “We came over in a sloop which you will find down in the cove,” replied the dying man, and relapsed into unconsciousness. Writhing in agony upon, the ground, drenched with the rain and with iua own life-blood, the desperado died. No further wprd could be obtained from him. The news was at once sent to Superintendent Walling, who dispatched a detective t Bay Ridge. As

soon as he saw the bodies of the criminals he said: “That is Joe Douglas and the other is William Mosher. Take the glove off his left hand and you will find a withered finger.” The glove was removed and the withered finger was found, as the detective had said. The chase had ended at last. And that was the end. The shot that took the life of Mosher destroyed all hope of the discovery of the secret. Walter Ross, the brother of the kidnapped boy, was brought from Philadelphia and Identified the bodies as those of the men who had taken him and Ms brother for the ride in their wa§on on the day of the kidnapping. But Charley Ross was never found. In spite of the outstanding offer of the reward of $20,000, in spite of a promise of immunity from punishment, no further clue ever came to light.

He fired al the first man who fell.