July 3 – Mr. Ros: be not uneasy you son charley bruster be all writ we is got him and no powers on earth can deliver out of our hand. you wil have two pay us before you git him from us, and pay us a big cent to. if you put the cops hunting for him you is only defeetin yu own end. we is got him put so no living power can gets him from us a live. If any approch is maid to his hidin place that is the signil for his instant anihilation. if you regard his lif puts no one to search for him yu mony can fech him out alive an no other existin powers. dont deceve yuself an think the detectives can git him from us for that is imposebel. You here from us in few day.
Letter 2
PHILADELPHIA, July 6 – Mr. Ros: We supos you got the other leter that teld yu we had yu child all saf and sond.
Yu mite ofer one $100,000 it woud avale yu nothing. to be plaen with yu yu mite invok al the powers of the universe and that cold not get yu child from us. we set god—man and devel at defiance to rest him ot of our hands. This is the lever that moved the rock that hides him from yu $20,000. not one doler les—impossible—impossible— you cannot get him without it. if yu love money more than child yu be its murderer not us for the money we will have if we dont from yu we be sure to git it from some one els for we will mak examples of yure child that others may be wiser. We give yu al the tim yu want to consider wel wat yu be duing. Yu money or his lif we wil hav— dont flater yu self yu wil trap us under pretens of paying the ransom that be imposible—d’ont let the detectives mislede yu thay tel yu thay can git him and arest us to—if yu set the detectives in search for him as we teld yu before they only serch for his lif. for if any aproch be made to his hidin place by detective his lif wil be instant sacrificed. you wil see yu child dead or alive if we get yu money yu get him live if no money yu get him ded. wen you get ready to bisnes with us advertise the folering in Ledger personals (Ros. we be ready to negociate). we look for yu answer in Ledger.
Letter 3
PHILADELPHIA, July 7 – Mr. Ros: We se yu anser in Leger the question with yu is be yu wilin to pay for thosand ponds for the ransom of yu child. without it yu can never get him alive if yu be ready to come to terms say so. if not say so. and we wil act acordinly. We take yu anser either way as granted and wil act on it. we care nothin bout yu schemin and plotin to detect us. that is only childrens play with us. this thing is wel understod with us and is taken out of the power every humin bein to detect us. yu wil find it so at the end of this bisines. the only answer we want from yu now is, be yu wilin to pay $20,000 to save Charley. if yu love yu mony more than him his blood be upon yu and not us fo wil show him up to yu either dead or a live (it is left with yu) anser the folering in evnin herald or star. Ros.—wil come to terms. Ros.—wil not come to terms. omit either line yu pleas try the experiment. offer $100,000 reward se if it avales any thing. use the detectives as yu pleas but don’t let them mislede yu to the sacrifice of Charley. dont concent to any thing only in good faith. we wil act upon yu word, if yu prove faithles we will prove to yu heart’s sorow that wil keep our word to the very letter.
Letter 4
PHILADELPHIA, July 9 – Ros. we is set your price. We ask no more. we takes no les we no the extent yu bility. how mucht time yu want to obtain this money. yu is only in part answered our question. the only question for yu to answer is is u got it and be wilin to pay it then we wil proceed to bisiness at once. is it necessary to repeat the fatle consequences of delayin to give time to detectives to find his hidin place. we teld yu it be posible to find his place, but imposible to find him. no aproch can be made to it without a known signal and any stranger forcibly comin to it wold be the signal for his instant anihilation were he wold never be herd of. this makes our party safe and shows yu that if it come to extremes we wil spare not the child. thus yu se al the detectives in the country could avale yu nothing only Jeopodisin his life Ros this undertaken cost us $1000 to prepare the machenery to perform the work therefor consider wel befor yu consent to pay it. for pay it you have to or sacrifice yu child. we want no other anser but this and on the fath of yu word his lif hang. Ros i is got it and be wilin to pay it. this anser or omition it satifies us.
Letter 5
PHILADELPHIA, July 13 – Ros: Yu say yu be redy to comply. we presume yu have wel considered be for yu maid this promis we take yu at yu word and we hold the lif of yu son to the strictest performanc of yu word. we want yu mony. yu want yu child. the question between us is do yu mean to give the mony or do yu think by holdin out a fals promis to ensnare us into the hands of the authority. i want to explane this mater to yu so yu wil not deceve yu self for it is imposible for the wole detective force combind to put even one of us in the power of the law. in transfering yu mony to us be for yu get yu child yu have got to rely entirely on our word. we ask no more money. we wil take no les. if we wanted more we wold ask it now. in 5 ours after we receve the mony and find it corect, yu wil se yu child home saf. Aft we gets the mony we has no further use for the child, an it is our interest then to restor him home unharmed, so that others will rely on our word. if we don’t get the mony from yu the child’s life wil an shall be sacrificed. consider wel, then, wat yu be doin, for any promis yu mak us we hold the life yu child to bind you to it. Ros, it would be more satisfact to yu to give this mony to the detectives than us, but if we git it yu git yu child—if not yu child must die, that we can sho others that we mak no threths wich we don’t kepe. Ros, it is our place to dictate, yues to comply. be you redy to pay it as we dictate. if so, have the $20,000 in United States notes. in denomination not excedin “tens.” have yu money were yu can git it any moment wen cal for, the detectives, wen they read this, wil tel yu they have now got the key that opens the secret, but don’t be misled by them (we alone hold the lock wich is yu child, if they open the dor for yu it wil only revele his (ded body) if yu regard his life let a fatherly love be yu gide. Ros, yu have inevitably got to part with yu mony or yu child, wich is certain as death itself. any fals act on yu part seals the fate of yu child an closes any further bisiness with us. consider wel, an if these terms agre with yu anser the folerin. Ros, it is redy, yu have my word for it. we look for the answer in the Evenin Star.
Letter 72
PHILADELPHIA, July 16 – Ros: The reason we did not respond to yu answer was we had to go a bit out in the country an the blasted old orse give out so we could not get back in time. We went as much as anything to se how Charley was. Yu have our word that he is yet safe—in health an no harm done him thoug he is uneasy to get home with Walter. he is afraid he won’t get home in time to go to Atlantic City with his mother when Saly comes back. Ros, yu understand the condition the money was to be given us. We wold gladly give yu Charley befor we got the mony but that wold be imposible under the existing circumstances. Yu must satisfy yuself that yu wil git him after we git the mony an find it corect and no sly marks put on the notes. We told yu we wold place him in yu hands in 5 ours after we fond the mony corect but that we can not do but our word for it that yu shall have him insid of 10 ours an may our blasted sols be eternaly damed if we do not keep our word with yu—as we said befor after we gits the mony we have no further use for the child but we have a big object in restoring him to yu safe and sound. We shall be redy we think by Saturday to efect a change with yu (the child for the mony). Ros— we want to impres upon yu mind the grate danger in efecting this change —the danger lies intirely with yuself if yu wish to make a change an absolute certainty yu most comply in every particular as we instruct yu then a failure is imposible. the first place, yu must not let the detectives no how yu are to setle this bisiness (not that we fear them at all) in aresting one of us for as we told yu that is imposible—but they wil secretly interfear in this bisines in some underhanded way to prevent the mony from findin its way to us—we were going to deal with yu alone an yu only, an if yu call in any others to give you a counter advice from ours then yu mistake wil be yu own misfortune. let yu friends advise yu and not the detectives they study their own interest an the interest of society. yu have a duty to perform to yuself that stands paramount to all else in the world an if yu ever expect to regain yu child a live, yu alone with the advice of yu friends must perform it. we wil give you this much incite into our bisiness—that if any arest is made it wil be an inocent person who wil be ignorant of the part he is actin. but it is imaterial with us wether it be an inocent person or one of our own party the moment any arest is made or any clandestine movements in tramsiting this mony to us it will be conclusive evidence with us that yu have broken yu faith with us an that our we pledge our selves befor all the gods in the universe if there be an god exist that yu child shal die an we wil give yu an oculd prof of it an then all further business with us ceases. (yu have answered al that is necessary at present. we have yu word for it.) we want yu to nail this mony up in a smal strong ruf box an have it were yu can git it at a minutes notice. mark on it (Drugs for H H H.
Letter 8
PHILADELPHIA, July 18—Ros: we be at a los to understand yu a week ago yu used yu had the amont an was wilin to pay it the editorials seme to speak as if the mony wus yet to be contributed befor yu could pay it. this wold be a terable mistake for yu to have it caled for an yu had it not to hand out for it wold never be solicited the second time. if yu mean square bsiness with us we wil do al we promis yu. if yu mean stratigem it is imaterial wether yu hav the mony or not yu can try the game as wel without the mony as with it. if yu trap any one it wil be some one we care nothin abot aonly we lose the mony (yu lose the child) we be redy to test it soon as you say mony is redy. we se the pealers has coped a lad an grate prase is given them for their efficiency but we care nothin for him but if it was one of our chums they had, yu child wold have dide within an our after it, an al further negotiations wold cease at once. yu wil find in the end that the cops can do nothn for yu in this case, thay are as far of the track now as the day they started in persuit of the game. we cautioned yu against setin the peelers or cops as som here cal them lookin for the chilld. don’t yu believe us when we tel yu that they only search for the child’s life. The blasted editorials have got the city in such a feve bout the child that we can hardly do anything. i tel yu they endanger the child’s life at every stroke of the pen. one editor wants to kno why we dont give yu some prof that we ever had the child by sendin some of his close or a lock of hair we have our reason for not sending them. to satisfy yu we have him yu remember his striped stockins are darned in two or three places were they had holes in. ask Walter if we did not put the blanket up in front of him an Charley in behind to hide them. ask Walter if we did not say we wold go down to aunt Susans befor we went out on the mane street to buy torpedos. Ros—-if yu ever want yu child restored to yu a live yu have got to act with us alone yu and yu friends only. we tel yu positivly if yu love yu child the detectives are yu worst enemies. if yu have them in yu service they will be the means of yu losin yu child forever. if yu interfea in our bisines we can never efect the change an death inevitably will be the result. we can not keep the child forever. we don’t want to keep him any longer than to give yu time to procure the mony we thought yu were better fixt for money or we would never took yu child but since we hav him we shal cary out our plan with him. tis corosponence with us must stop short we wil not keep it up longer. befor yu git this we shal join our friends at a distance but we wil notice al yu have to say either in ledger star or herald or sunday dispatch anything you wish to communicate to us head it C R R instead of Ros. dont let yu wife be foolishly led by the Spiritualist to think they can tel her anything bout Charley, there is but one thing on earth outside of us that has the power to tel yu an that is the money. yu wil find in the end that we speak truth for once, This man Woster is innocent he has nothing to do with us, do as yu please with him an make the most out of him yu can. our advice to yu is an we hope yu will take it for once that is dont yu state in personals that yu have the mony until yu have it naled up in the box we described to you an redy to give wen caled for. the brokers we se have had a metin an think they can restor yu child an bring us to justice—they mean wel to yu but they be actin under a great delusion—if they be friends to yu let them make the mony up which is the only thing can restor the child—if they will not do that yu drop them unless yu want to cut yu child’s throat—if they want revenge let them git it after yu get yu child. this is a friendly advice do as yu think best—yu hear no more from us til we no yu mind—we have told yu that yu will se yu child again but it depends with yu an yu only in what condition you se him. We thought we would be ready to setle this bisines to-day but it must be delayed.
Letter 9
BURLINGTON, July 21. –Ros. yu statement in Monday Star is so conflictin with yu statement in this morning personals that we are yet unable to comprehend yu nevertheless we wil act upon yu promise as if it was made by an angle. in monday Star yu say yu can have no faith in us neither do we have any faith in yu from the nature of this bisines it is to be presumed neither can have implicit confidence. the way this bisiness stands is this yu pay us the money yu are left without anything to bind us to our promis but our own word which yu say yu do not believe. then on what ground can we efect the change. we have seen yu own statement that yu would not comply with our terms an yet yu say (the money is redy how shal I no yu agent) the fact of us having yu child and you having paid us every dollar we demanded what further use could we have for him? He has answered the end for which we took him; this is one reason why we should give him up. The next reason is, if we should ever play the same game in any other part of the country, who would have any confidence in getin their child after they had paid the ransom if you should lose yu child we don’t say we shal ever play this trick in this country again, for the popular outcry is a most to great. It has been stated that since the great outcry of the people that we would gladly surrender the child without a ransom. Do not deceive yuself on that, for we could set the child at liberty at any moment, but we never wil alive without the money, no never, never, never! Ros, in order to ever get yu child alive there is but one way left yu an that is the way we point out to yu. Yu must comply with our terms in every particular, and met our agent step by step as we instruct yu. If yu mean to act in faith to us yu can have no objection to this course. The fair an the faulce part is left with yu to chose, for it is with yu alone we shal presume to act an the life of Charley shal bind yu to yu word. do not deceive yuself an think this is only to frighten yu. we appeal to the highest power exist on high to bear us witness. (we solomly swear befor the twelve houses of heaven so sure as the sun rises in the east an sets in the west, so sure shall Charly die if yu brake yu promis with us an may the same curse fal upon us if we do not keep our promis with yu. Ros we want to caution yu stil more for this is a question involves the life or death of yu child. do yu desire to make a change of yu money for the child if yu are sincere take advice from us who yu think are yu worst enemies but in the end yu wil find we were yu best advisers the advice is that if yu want to regain yu child drop the police entirely have nothing to do with them while yu are transacting this bisines with us or the whole thing wil prove a failure an yu child must died if yu mean to ensare us then our advice is enlist al the power yu can invoke but be sure yu prove successful for one false step seals the fate of yu child. We have told yu it is impossible to ensnare one of our friends. Do yu not believe us, or are yu wilin tu put the life of yu child at issue an test it with us. In all of our letters we have told yu the life of yu child shal be the bond that bind yu tu yu promise; any stratagem or false promise on yu part must an shall seal the fate of your child and you have none to blame for yu be his murderer an not us—for one reason from yu we shal stop at nothing until we haveing given yu a prof that we can keep our word even unto blood. i repeat if yu want yu child yu comply with our terms in every particular. One false step on yu part will make yu and yu family weep tears of blood but if yu act in faith with us al wil go wel with yu. What have the authorities done towards findin yu child. They have done nothing yet and they are as far from his hidin place to-day as they were on the 6th day of July (yu money alone can find him) if these terms suit yu answer the followin in the Ledger personals. C R R. i will agree to the terms in every particular. P. S. –have the money ready as we described we wil send prof with him so yu can no him when he comes.
PHILADELPHIA, JULY 24—Ros. we have seen yu reply in personal (yu agree to the terms in every particular) we accept yu offer for we consider yu fuly understand the great an momentus obligation yu place youself under when you assented tu this agreement. we be sory that we cannot effect the chang to-day. our creed is such that it forbids us to any bisines of this kind only at a certain quarter of the moon an the phace of the moon has just passed over so we have got tu wate one week befor we can transact any bisines between us. this delay may be a great sorce of torture tu yu but it cannot be avoided. we pledge ourselves in the mean time yu child shal not suffer for any thing only the close confinement which is necesary for his safe keepin. 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 oferin a reward for the sacrifice of yu child, We told yu at the beginin that yu child could never be takin from us a live that he was so situated that we could destroy him in one instant. an forever out of al prof against us but yu seam to have no faith in our word. neverthesless yu have nothin to fear on that point for he can never be found by any detective force. neither can any reward no matter how large be any temptation to us to peach one on the other for we are sworn an blood bound unto death tu never give each other away. Ros. one week must intervene befor we can negotiote for the restoration of Charley by that time there will be an $100,000 reward yu will se by that time the detectives can avail yu nothing or yu wil se that we spak trought from the beginin. that there was no earthly hope left yu only in payin the ransom in good faith an then yu get yu child. what we mean in good faith is tu set no trap. We no it is not posible for yu to trap us. but by any stratigem on yu part or connivance it wil thwart our perposes an the money wil never come to us. if this result takes place through any act or connivance of yuse then yu lose yu (child forever.) If yu do as we instruct yu an this money gits lost (it shal be our los and not yuse) an yu shall git yu child just as if we got the mony. no matter what our instruction is for yu to do with the mony yu do it an yu child shal be restored to yu. if we tel yu to burn it up do so, if we tel yu to throw it off the dock do so, if we tel yu to give it to any one do so, an yu child wil be restored yu wether the mony gits lost or not through any act of ours. Ros. the whole contract is sumed up in these words. yu pay us the mony in good faith in denominations from 1s to 10s in U.S. notes an no private marks fixed on them, then we consider yu have fulfilled yu part and yu shal have yu child restored safe to yu. if we do not fulfil our part in good faith to yu, we invoke the vengeance of hell, if there be an hell, to be our eternal portion. we have told yu that we wil transact this bisines with yu and yu friends only. we know a true friend wil not advise yu rong if he has the interest of yu child at heart we shall no nothing about detectives in the bisines if yu cal them in for advice or asistance it wil be at the peral of yu child’s life for in their eigerness to arrest us, which they never can do, they will surely be the means of sacrificing yu child. we shal never cal on yu but once for the mony so it is yu part to have it at a minute’s notice. but yu have plenty of time yet. due notice wil be given yu when to have it at hand (we request no answer tu this) till yu hear from us again which perhaps wil be one week. in the meantime yu and yu family console youself that yu child is wel an safe tu yu. an to us against al detective power. nothin surprised us more after we had told yu the imposibility of findin the child an the risk it wold be tu the child’s life tu find his hidin place yet yu in disregard of this advise persisted in havin the detectives search for him. time wil tel yu that we do not lie in every word we write. the reward signifies nothin, with us wether it be $20,000 or $20,000,000 it wil accomplish nothin with us an the authorities wil fail on that point tu bribe one of us as yu wil se in the end of this bisines. Ros our word for it no harm shal befal yu child intentionaly til yu hear from us again 7 days by that time yu must be prepared for his ransom if yu ever expect him alive. Ros mark the selfishness of Mr. Stokley an his committe of brokers what do they say. not one cent for ransom but millions for conviction. do they have yu interest at heart. no it is a selfish motive. they are wilin to sacrifice yu child that theirs be safe. why do they not pay their mony to have yours restored first, an then offer a reward for our conviction
PHILADA., July 28.—Ros are yu not convinced by this time that the detectives can render yu no service whatever. are yu agoing let them keep yu under the delusion that they can yet recover yu child an bring us to justice. we tel yu the thing is imposible we fear them not— neither do we fear they wil ever find charley until we find him for yu. We se in the personals that Mr. Percll a milionaire of New York offers to pay the required amount to redeem yu child an ask no questions, but we have no confidence in him neither would we treat with him if he offered one milion in hand an no questions asked. in the transaction of this bisines we are determined to no no one but yu, an if yu suffer these letters to go out of yu hands so that they can personate yu in effectin this change we shal hold the child subject to the fulfillment of yu promise an one fals step by yu or by any one acting for yu, yu may consider the bisenes is at an end, an the trap has sprung that render further negotiation useles to yu. At the end of this week must end this bisenes; it must place him in yu hands safe an sound or must place him in the grave; it is left entirely with yu. if yu have not the mony to redeem him an ask for an extension of time we wil keep him for yu but under no other circumstances we wil not. We are not afraid to keep him for we set the whole force at defiance to find his hidin place. No matter how grate the reward is, it signifies nothin with us—they are goin to search every house in the city. we wil give yu the satisfaction to tel you he is not in the city nor ever has been since the day he left home, nor he never wil be again unles we return him to yu for the ransom, we wil give you the satisfaction of knowin that he is within 100 miles of this city an yet we defy al the devels out of hell to find him. we tel yu sincerely we have prepared this place for every emergency an it is death for yu to find him while he is in our custody. we teld yu in our last letter we could not transact any business for one week. we are now prepared to effect the change as soon as yu be redy, but under no circumstances say yu be redy when yu be not able to put yu hand on it, an hand it out. rest assured if our agent cals for it an he does not get it without waiting, he will never come again an the our of redemption is forever gone by with you. from you former promises we take it as granted that yu be agoin to redeem yu child in good faith, it is unnecessary therefore to repeat the consequences of any perfidey or fals step on yu part. we teld yu to put the mony in a box, but we now tel yu to put the mony in a strong, white, leather valise, locked an double straped an be prepared to give it or take it wherever we direct yu. if yu are directed to cary it yuself yu may take al the friends yu pleas with yu—but don’t let the cops know yu bisines nor go with yu unles yu want the bisines to turnout a failure. if yu want to trap take the whole force with yu an then be sure yu know what yu be doin—for we know what we be doin. this is al the caution necesary for yu to save yu child alive. if you can have all things ready as we have directed yu by thursday the 30th insert the folowin in the ledger personal (John—it shall be as you desire on the 30th.) Ros you may fix any other date that is convenient for you. Rosy u have sed yu had no confidence in these men an would not do as they requested yu. now we say yu must do as we request yu, or there is no earthly hope left yu to save yu child alive. this is the only alternitive given yu an yu wil find we are prepared for every emergency. detection is impossible if yu do not ransom him, he must die. if yu attempt to arrest any of our agents, he must die. If yu fail to comply with the terms after promising – he must die.
Letter 12
PHILADELPHIA, July 30—Ros: from yu answer this day you signify everything is redy. everything is redy with us. we now give yu a wide margin for preparation to make an arest if yu be pleased to do your actions this day desides CHARLEY’s fate it is left with yu alone wether he shall live or die. we caution once, an the last time do not think we are trifling. Ros. you are to take the 12 P.M. train to-night from West Philadelphia for New York. it arrives at New York 5.05 A.M. take a cab at Cortland or Disbrossers streets, N.Y., an ride directly to the grand central station at 4 avenue and 42d streets. take the 8 A. M. northern express by way of hudson river (take notice) you are to stand on the rear car and the rear platform from the time you leave west phila depot until arrive at jersey city—you are then to stand on the rear platform of hudson river car from the time yu leave the grand central at New York until yu arrive at Albany. if our agent do not meet yu befor yu arrive in Albany yu wil find a letter in post office at Albany addressed to C. K. Walter directing yu where yu are then to go. Ros—the probability is yu may not go one mile before our agent meets yu and yet yu may go 250 miles before he intercepts you but be it where it may yu must be prepared to throw the valise to him regardless of all risks. the risk of being lost we assume an yu get your child without fail. these are the signals: if it be dark the moment the rear car passes him he wil exhibit a bright torch in one hand an a white flag in the other hand but if it be light he wil ring a bell with one hand and a white flag in the other hand. the instant yu see either of these signals yu are to drop it on the track an yu may get out at the next station, if the cars continue on their course we consider yu have kept your word, and yu child shal be returned yu safe but if they stop to arrest our agent then your child’s fate is sealed. this letter ends all things in regard to the restoration of yu child.
Letter 13
PHILA 31 July.—Ros: Yu seem to have no faith in us whatever. we told yu to be at yu store on thursday and this bisines would be all settled up but yu seem to pay no attention to it. at the time we supposed yu wer gitin redy to effect the change yu were as the Evening Star stated on you way to potsvill to see some child there. if yu ever expect to git yu child yu must look to us and no one else for there is no other existin powers that can restore him we have told yu to let the detectives take their own way an do as they pleas for they wil do yu no good and we don’t think they can do much harm if yu had done as the last letter instructed you and let the potsvill affair alone yu would now have the plasure of seeing yu child safe at home after we had seen that yu had gone to potsvill we did not instruct our agent to meet yu from the fact we thought it was no use. if yu are trifling with us yu wil find we are not the right party to be trifled with but if yu mean squar bisines with us although we are perhaps the worst men in the world we wil act honorably with yu in this affair. we told yu the last letter was the only one yu should ever reseive from us an we would keep our word but we are inclined to think yu did not get it befor yu started for potsvill. to save yu al further trouble an vexation in runing around to false reports that yu child is found here, and found there, we tel yu candidly that yu child is not in the possession of any woman or family or that his hair is cut off short. to save yu further troble pay no attention to any telegrams of that description for it is only trouble in vain for yu. your childs hair is the same length that it ever was an there is no disfigurement whatever in him but he is kept where no human eye can behold him yu have expressed the opinion that we would git tired of keeping him an turn him over to some charitable institution. dont flatter yuself with such an idea we have told yu what his end is, if yu do not redeem him we shal never digress from that. he wil never be taken from the place he is now concealed unless he is brought out to be restored to yu. Ros. if yu want to redeem yu child yu must come to us. you can reach us through the personals of the Ledger or Evening Star. our address is John. a change can be easily accomplished if yu desire it. remember yu have our word in 10 ours the whole thing shall be consummated yu git yu child an we git the money
Letter 14
PHILA. Aug, 3.—Ros—in not keeping our apointment with yu was entirely a mistake from the fact of havin seen a statement in evening star that yu had gone to potsvill on the day you was to setle this bisines with us. we saw the mistake but not in time to communicate with our agent or to notify yu not to go as we directed yu. Yu say yu want us to point out some sure way by which this money can be transmited to us— of course we can not call on yu personally neither can we receive it by letter. Ros—We will make the followin proposition to yu and if yu comply with the terms propounded we wil settle this bisines in very quick time satisfactory to both parties concerned so far as the restoration of your child is concerned. We assure yu that yu child is now well and in as good health as when he left yu home—do yu consent to the followin proposition and stake the life of Charley on the faith of yu promise.
Proposition 1st. Yu wil hand the box with the amount in to our agent when he calls to yu store.
Proposition 2d. Yu wil hand him the box, ask him no questions— not folow him—not put any one to folow him—not tel him what the box contains—not notify the detectives so they can folow him—not do anything that wil interupt its transit to us.
Do yu agree to the first and second proposition while we hold the life of Charley to bind yu to yur promise. Remember when yu promise your word is life or death to yu child. If yu consent to these terms answer the folowing Ledger or Evening Star to save time. (John i agree to the 1st and 2d propositions.) The reason we have warned yu in al our letters about the detectives to keep them ignorant of this compromise bisines is not that we fear detection but we now they wil interfear and baffle us from receiving the money and yu from giting yu child. we told yu in our last this corrospondonce must end but it was a mistak on our part therefore we be wilin to give yu a fair opportunity to redeem yu son if you wil. when our agent call on yu he will give yu a symbol of which yu wil previously receive a facsimilar so there wil be no posibly mistake in him, if there be it shal be our loss and not yours providing yu do as instructed. if we lose the money through our agent yu get yu child just as if we got every dollar.
Letter 15
PHILADELPHIA, August 4.—Ros: we saw yu ansur. yu say it is imposible to agree to the terms, then we say emphaticaly yu can never redeem yu child from us. yu requested a more sure way of paying yu money for yu child we agreed to give yu a satisfactory way which would have made the change sure and safe for yu and safe for us, the way we propounded was the sure test of your sincerity and yu answer implies distinctly that yu son is not worth that amount to save him, yu may be entertaining the idea that if the money is not paid we will turn him loose. yu wil find when it is to late that this was a grate mistake. we tel yu plainly and positively that the chances of yu ever geting yu child again is ninety-nine out of an hundred against yu. if yu do not redeem him he is just as good as the money to us for we have him for reference though we may never work this thing in this country again. be where it may we have the Ros child to show that we do about what we say when we told yu your child should stand responsible for our word to us we ment just what we said and any perfidy on yu part would have brought instant death on his head. now we are convinced that you would not keep faith with us, if yu could violate it with impunity to yu child and yet we do not blame yu for that, and yet do yu suppose that we would produce the child and hand him over to you the instant yu paid the money to us. the thing is absurd to think of such a change, we are not redy yet to have chains put on us for life. we did think once that we might effect the change in canidy in that way, but we find that cannot be, for yu could hold us there on robbery and extortion until yu could get us here and then yu would have us on the whole. Mr Ros the way the case stands now, it looks as if yu dont want to redeem yu child, or at least yu must redeem him on yu own terms. That is impossible; we repeat it, that is absolutely impossible. If yu ever get him from us, and we are sure yu never will get him from any other than us, yu have got to come to us on our own terms and our terms wil be more stringent than ever. One has suggested to redeem yu child with counterfeit money; another to mark all the money, and then we could be traped after with the money. We say if yu had redeemed yu child with counterfit money, or with money privately marked, we would not restored yu child till yu had replace the marked money double-fold. A woman has proposed to Tagget to produce Charley and his abductors for $5,000. This will be by far the cheapest way for yu to git yu child, for we wil never restor him for one dollar less than the amount we first named. when we found out yu circumstances was not good, we were goin to throw off one-half the amount an accept $10,000 but the public have raised hell so, and sympathised for yu in offring such large rewards that we shall have the whole or none. but they took good care in offering it in such away that they would never have to pay one dollar of it. if they ment bisines why did they not offer so much for the child and so much for the abductors. the reason is they thought one or the other rewards might have to be paid. but we don’t think they would ever have to pay a dollar for either child or us. yu wil find the truth of this in the end (if I no myself). Mr. Ross we leave the city to-night. we shal not communicate with yu any more unless yu can satisfy us yu want to redeem yu child on our terms which wil be $20,000 and not one dollar less and it must be paid to us as we prescribe. when yu receive this we shal be at least 200 miles from here we leave the detectives of phila and Mr tagget to work out their clues. we think we have left no clues behind us. Charley wil remain where he was taken the second night after he left home. If Mr tagget can find a clue to that place he wil no doubt get the reward we have no feminines into that place. charley will never come out of there. it shal be his everlasting tomb—unless the ransom brings him out. we are not destitute of a few dollars yet, charley shal never starve to death if death it must be, it shal come upon him as instant as the lightning strock itself. Mr Ros, if you have anything to say to us it must be through the personals of New York Herald. we can see that, where ever we are and no doubt every day, we shal notice nothing only from you. no matter what propositions others may make they wil receive no attention. yu say the action must be symultanious from the nature of this bisines that can never be, so that ends the bisines we told yu in 10 ours after the receipt of mony if we found it genuine, and not secretly marked al up, yu would then get yu child in our way of passing him over to yu. this does not suit yu so we wil leave yu to yu own way of giting and the detectives to work out their clues.
Letter 16
NEW YORK, August 21.—Mr. Ros: we have heard nothing from yu since we wrote yu about 3 weeks ago. we then told yu if yu had anything to comunicate to us to do it through the New York Herald personals. we have seen nothing but these words (Christian K. Ross, 304 Market street). we know not what to make of that. we have therefor come to the conclusion that yu don’t mean to redeem yu child on the conditions which we proposed. yu must bear in mind we would never agree to any other terms. the fact of yu saying the action must be symultainous is absolutely imposible. we would require at least a few ours to examine the mony and see if it were spurious or all marked up and then but a few ours more would be necessary to place yu child in yu possession for he is not so far off as yu may imagin. the folowing is the way we had intended to return him to yu. we was going to put a labill on his back and take him to a respectable house at night rouse them up. tell them to take this child as directed pay them for their trouble, this arrangement does not me with yu concent so there is no other alternitive left yu. now we demand yu anser yes or now as we are going to urope the 24 Sept and he has got to be disposed of one way or the other by that time. if you say redeem him it has got to be on our terms alone if yu do not answer we shall take it as granted that yu dont mean to pay yu money. we shall act accordingly. address (John New Herald personals.) you are listing to old womans visions and dreams which wil never find yu child. we could have told yu it was useless to go to illinoise to look for charly but yu would not have believed us.
ALBANY, August 26.—Mr. Ros—Your timely answer saved yu child. we had determined if yu did not care to save him we would not swerve one jot or tittle from the fate we had designed for him—not that we delight in blood but it was inevitable with our selves in order to carry out our plan of action yu ask for no more prof that we had him or that we have him—that is right—yu should have prof that we are the identical ones who kidnaped Chaley—we thought that yu were well satisfied that we were the kidnappers—we wil first prove to yu we took Charley— ask Walter if one of the men did not hold him between his legs an partly on his knee with the cloth in front of him while Charley set behind us both entirely out of sight—ask him if he did not want to go up on main road to git fireworks and we told him we would first go to ant Susy’s that she kep a shop we could get them cheaper. ask him if we did not keep givin him pieces of candy as we rode along. ask him if we did not go from your house west to Morton street and then south instead of going towards the depot on Washington lane as it has been stated in the papers these remarks we think are suficient to prove to yu that we are the men who took him if yu have received any other letters headed other than Ros or Mr. Ros they are forgeries, we have sent you 8 or 10 letters in all, if you had accepted the proposition we made yu some four weeks ago yu would now without doubt have yu child safe in yu own house but yu rejected the offer and left us without the means to negotiate with yu. Mr. Ros if yu ever expect to recove yu child yu have got to in a measure rely on our faith. in dealing with us yu must be satisfied that yu child was taken for a ransom. we have set the price and asked the ransom of yu. do yu think if yu paid the ransom once that we would ever ask it the second time. no man would be foolish enough to pay ransom the second time for a thing he had paid for once and did not get. if we wanted more money from yu we would ask it now, instead of asking more we would rather throw off some. but the public have interfered so much in this busines that we are determined every dollar shall be paid or not one cent Yu have asked that the action between us should be symultainous Yu must know from the nature of this business that is impossible—first we would have to give yu Charley when we receive the mony yu git yu child, We might git a bundle of brown paper and a chain around our necks No sir Mr. Ros We must have at least 4 or 5 hours to examine the money to see if yu have delt faithfully with us what we mean is yu must give the mony in good condition unscarified or not at all, then yu have performed yu part in good faith When that is done we have no further use for Charley he has answered the whole end for which we got him and we as vile as we are would be working against our own interests if we did not return him to yu as we promised we only wish it was posible to effect the change symultaniously but as that cant be done yu must accept the best we can offer yu, do yu open this correspondence with the intention to pay yu money on our terms and git yu child or is it the foolish advice of some of yu friends again with the idea of entraping us. do you want to daly along and keep your child month after month living in a place where the strongest could not live over one year. we would not let him unnecessarily sufer but this exteriordary search has made it necessary to keep him where the light of the sun has never shown upon him since the 2d day of July. we have seen Charley about 4 days ago his whole cry is he wants Walter to come see him and he is afraid he wil not go to Atlantic City with his mother. don’t think this is only an appeal to your affection as a farther it is symply the words that he used when we saw him last. Mr. Ros. one word more—do you want to redeem Charley or not on our terms. if yu do yu must make up you mind that the money must be paid in good faith. don’t deceive yu self that if the ransom is not paid that we will set yu child at liberty. we can never do that our whole plan would be frustrated at one blow and our work would come to naught. as yu deal with us so shal we deal with you in return. we saw yu personal in Herald of 26. whatever answer yu have to make to this let it be in Albany Argus no put it in New York herald personals as we wil leave here today and drop this somewhere on OUR WAY to New York. we can see the New York herald any part of the United States.
(Address as be for John.)
P.S.—yu acted wisely in refusing these letters until yu got yu child —if yu had published them, no doubt it would have been the means of sacrificing you child.
Letter 18
NY. Sept 6 –Mr. Ros we cannot see how yu can resist the proof that we have got him notwithstanding Walter’s contradictory story, yu must admit he was taken by some one yu must admit he was taken for a ransom now if we have not got him who has got him—has any one else asked yu for a ransom we think not. mr. percell that benevlent man who offered to pay the ransom now says yu have never lost yu child—we know percell lies because we have positive that we have him and yu have positive proof that yu lost him. Mr. Ros in order to convince yu that we have him yu require some of his cloths sent yu. it was hinted some six weeks ago in one of the editorials to send yu some of Charly cloths in answer to that we said we would never do anything of the kind because we could give an irrestible proof without it—if we sent you any cloths we have got to expres them which we wil never do we don’t know for certain wether his cloths have been saved up to the time we dont go near him often for we have nothing to do with guarding him though we have seen him three or fourtimes since 2d of July we told you in one of our letters that Charley had never been in any way whatever disguised nor at that time he had not been but since then he has had his hair cut short and girls clothes put on him now wether they have kept his cloths or not we cannot say and we cannot send them if they have them the probibility is they have destroyed them for every possible precautionary measure has been taken since we have seen what great efforts have been made to find his place of concealment we were surprised to think yu would make such efferts to find him when we told yu that to search for him yu was only searching for his life and any approach by a detective to his hiding place would be a certain sign for his destruction yu either don’t believe this or yu don’t regard the life of yu child where he is now confined wil be his tomb unles yu bring him out with the ransom yu detectives can never do it your friends who advise yu that we wil set him free should you not ransom him wil be the worst advise yu ever had. your friends yu say ask for more proof that we ever had him they are as foolish as percell for he says you never lost him. your detectives have never had the slightest clue or trace of him since the our he was taken but in order to convince these sceptical friends that we had him and have him we will now give the detectives a small clue to work upon but it will serve no other end only to convince these sceptical friends or yours that we have him. on the night of 2d July at 11 o’clock we passed through Trenton, N.J. Charley lay in my arms asleep. after we had passed about 2 squares up bridge st Charley’s hat drop off and we did not notice it until he woke up and asked for his hat we would not go back for it. you can get this hat by advertising for it there if it is not worn out. if it should be worn out you can find out who found one that night or the next morning. now ask one of your domestics or Mrs. Ros if charley did not have on the afternoon of the first of July a narrow faded pink ribbin tied around his head to keep the hear out of his eyes. if yu find this a fact which we have no doubt yu wil and as it was never dscribed in the advertisement, we think no human being could mention it but the party who took him. if this does not satsfy yu and yu friends that we have him then yu must go unsatisfied. This clue of the hat will end there when you find it and it wil avail yu nothing more. Let the detectives work it up much as they please, the clue will end there we know or we would not told of it. Mr. Ros we don’t know wether yu ever mean to ransom yu child yu certainly dont act much like it. but we do know yu will never get him without it unless you are fortunate enough to ketch us knapping and take him by stratagem. there is not one chance in 10,000 of ever getting him that way. yu must not delude yuself with the idea that if we go to europe this month that we wil set yu child free or take him with us and then will be the time to find him. that wil never be Mr. Ros we have told yu befor if yu ever expect to get yu child yu wil have to ransom him and to the full amount we named. if you deal fair with us we wil deal fair with yu if yu play any tricks with us we shall do likewise with yu. whatever you do with us we shall do likewise with yu. whatever yu do with us yu must do it in good faith or not at all then yu get yu child safe and sound. we shall not keep up this correspondence much longer, whatever yu mean to do must be soon. we see the New York herald every day whatever yu have to say we wil notice it. we are now in lansingburg above Troy New York we dont know where we shall post this letter yet we leave here to-day.
Letter 19
NEW HAVEN, Sept. 23—Mr. Ros.—we did not see yu last answer til to day. we was in new brunswic british province and cold not see the New York herald we went there to se if the law would permit us to make a symultaneous change with yu but we find no such change can be efected with safety to our selves. you ask to transact the bisiness through an attorney this is to absurd to think of for one minute that man does not exist that we cold trust to receive that money but one of our own party and we are not wiling that one of our party shall become recognizable by any living person. as we now stand we can confront any one with impunity and are determined to keep so. if you be convinced that we have him and want to ransom him why did you not agree to our proposition. we have told yu if the money was lost in transit tu us it would be our los should yu folow our instructions and yu get yu child. Mr. Ros we cannot show the child to yu and we cannot give you any more proof than we have; yu must expect this as the only alternitive left you to ransom him or murder him, for one or the other wil and shal take place before many days. Yu as his father have been mor cruel to him than we have. We told yu that his place of concealment was such that no living being could find it and that it was not a fit place for any one to be in the length of time he has been there. We do not keep him there to punish him; your detectives have made it much worse for him than he would be had they not such a close search for him; he has kept his health wonderful considering his close confinement. We do not see him often or even hear from him. The last time we se him he had been ailing with pain from stoppage of urin he would go 24 and 30 ours without making water and then he would cry with pane when he would urinate, but his custodian got him som medicine which helped him. we tel yu positively Mr. Ros his hiding place must be his tomb unless you bring him out with the ransom for we have a settled plan to act upon and we shal never digress from it and that is death or ransom. Yu will find we speak truth in this for once if yu compel us to put him to death yu shall receive a letter in 24 ours after, wher yu wil find his body. as soon as we cop another kid and it wil be a millionaire this time your child must die. we wil then see if he wil be so heartless as to let his child die. you detectives perhaps tel yu that yu wil pay yu money and get no child then but we dont do bisiness in that way we dont want him much longer neither dead or alive. if yu pay for him yu shall have him safe and sound. if not yu shal have him dead. so you can rest assured yu wil get him soon one way or the other. if die he must yu shal se that he has been dead but a few ours when yu git him then yu can thank yu friends for their kind advise. Ros this is the last advise we wil offer yu if yu reject it yu can make up yu mind that the day of grace is forever lost to save your child. Ros if yu want to save yu child yu must comply with our terms and yu yourself be our Attorney for we wil have no other and we are absolutely determined on that point. when yu see fit to change yu money for yu child in the way we direct yu can answer this through the herald personal New York. we shall keep up this unnessary correspondence no longer your asking for more evidence that we have him looks to us as if it was a scheme of Mr. Haines to entrap us, but mr hains will never have that pleasure Mr Ros you must be convinced by this time that no reward however large can effect or influence our party we told yu this at the first and we tol yu how hopelessly it was for yu to search for him when we had taken such great labor to find a suitable place to conceal him and the imposebility for any one to find him in our possession when we have it fixed so we can lanch him into eternity at an instant’s warning, and yet yu consent that a reward shall be offered to induce some one who has no right to approach his hiding place but perhaps yu look upon this as romance or fiction yet fiction is sometimes more stranger than truth. Ros—yu should be your own councilor in getting yu child and then let the detectives council yu how to get us, take our advice for once and se if we do not give you the best council—that is get yu child at any price on any terms we offer yu regardless of all other advise—we have told yu and now repeat it that this thing is drawing to a final crises. Mr Ros when yu conclude to act as our atty and meet us on our terms then yu can answer this as directed we shal henceforth notice nothing else from yu.
Letter 20
NEW BRUNSWIC. September 30. Mr. Ros: yu have at length agreed to our terms. how much better would it have been for yu had yu complied at first. we told you at first there was no other alternitive left yu but to part with your mony or yu child for one or the other yu must, we told yu before it shal not exceed 10 ours from the time we receive the mony til yu receive yu child and yet it may be a few ours longer. we must have time to examine the money to see that yu have not got it secretly marked up. we tel yu for your own interest not to mark the notes in any way whatever for if you break the terms of agreement with us we shal then break it with yu and yu had much better keep your money for we tel yu positively we would not keep our word. we would not liberate the child. but on the other hand if yu come to us in good faith with the intention of parting with yu money for the sake of getting yu child and saving him from death then we pledge ourselves by all the powers that be sacred in heaven and earth yu shall have yu child saf and sound as soon as we can get him to yu with safety to ourselves we think we told yu once how we would return him tu yu. but this is the way we propose to do. we will take him to some ministers house at night put a label on him stating this is Charley Ros take him immediately to 304 Market st phil or washington lane germantown yu will find a sufficient sum in his pocket to pay yu for yu trouble no reward will be paid. we have sent word to his parents stating where he is. Mr. Ros we do not intend the party where we leave him shall see us at all they will be perfect innocent so you should not give them any trouble. we will send you word immediately stating where he is left. but the probability is he will be brought home long before yu the get letter but this will make it perfectly safe and sure for yu to get him. Mr. Ros it is true yu have got tu rely entirely on our honor for the fulfillment of this part of the contract but you can rely with implicit confidence. bad as we are and capable of the blackest deeds yet we have some honer left. your large rewards have in a measure proved this there are 4 of us to divide the $20,000 among and either one of the 4 could went and got the whole amount to himself if he had been without principal. how easy could any one of the 4 went on the sly and had us all coped and revealed where the child was secreted but yu see we have not done it. we have no fear of one another though it were a million dollars. we have told yu for your own interest not tu mark the money which yu intend tu ransom your child with. keep faith with us and we will keep faith with yu and yu shal have yu child safe and sound in 10 or 12 ours. provide yourself with the amount in United Sates notes from 1 tu 10 in denomination. not national bank notes when yu are all prepared with this and are ready to meet us drop a word in the herald New York yu can take as many of yu friends as yu choose but do it quietly if yu want tu get yu child. Mr. Ros first get yu child then let the detectives assist yu. yu see they have not the power to do anything. time has proved this and if yu rely upon them so it will ever prove. Mr Ros put yu child when yu get him on exhibition and yu wil relize all your money back in 6 months for there is not a mother in phila that will not pay a dollar to see him.
NEWBURG, N.Y. Oct. 11.—Mr. Ros: You say the money is ready how is it then we can’t come to a speedy compromise if yu was anxious to get yu child and wiling to pay yu money then there is no troble about it we are anxious to give him up but only on the conditions we have before told yu you ask again how we are to deliver him to yu we told yu in our last letter plainly how we would return him to yu is not that way satisfactory yu don’t want us surely to turn him loose on the road at the ded our of night we wil never bring him to you personaly nor wil we ever take him to any one you appoint but we will take him to a strange family where it is least expected and where you will be sure to get him if the way of delivering him is not satisfactory to yu then we cannot come to terms for we are determined in delivering him to yu that no person shal see our face when we do go with him we shal be completely disguised yu ask to state plainly how yu are to pay the money that is imaterial to yu what disposal is made of it so long as yu comply with our demands which you already know all you have to do now in order to have yu child restorded to yu is to make up yu mind that yu have got to part with so many dollars and it maters not to yu what becomes of the money so long as it satisfies our demand we return yu the child. yu may have a doubt that yu may not then get yu child. we cannot give yu the child before we get the money for then we part with every compulsion to make yu pay it. we cannot hand you the child as yu hand us the money for all the power and all the law is on your side. the thing is all embodied in a nutshell. the child is of no entrensic value to us whatever, any further than to compel yu to ransom him if yu pay the ransom and we do not give him up to yu would any one else give a dollar for their child when they would have no assurance whatever of getting him. you certainly would not be full enough to pay the ransom the second time when we had not kept faith with yu the first time but yu ask he might be dead and then we could not give him up— yes he might have been dead a dozen times through your neglect to redeem him but as it hapens he has lived in spite of his close confinement again yu say we might hurried his death as we have threatened it so many times. That is true—we might but it has not come to that crisis yet so long as the inducement is held out of geting the ransom he is in a measure safe but there wil be a time when the inducement wil exaust itself when this death takes place it wil be our policy and interest to make it know n to yu at once that others may be wiser than yu—if yu should pay the ransom and then not get yu child would any one else have faith enough in us to pay a ransom when Ros did not get his child after paying for him—Mr. Ros you can rest assured with all confidence when yu pay yu mony yu wil get yu child but it wil be imposible unless you do. yu have ben living in hope of geting him without the ransom but the detectives in the case are powerless. yu get a clue every few days or rather a false clue. only a few days ago yu child was seen in New Haven. i tel you positively and tu save you trouble and anxiety that yu child has not been seen by any human being since the third day of July other than the party who have been in charge we could not take him five miles without being arrested; when we return him to yu it will be in the night time if at all when yu hear yu child is seen here or there yu can have no faith in it. for he wil not be see by any one while we have him that yu can rest assured of. yu say yu money is ready. are your eady to take a short journey and have this thing settled. Mr. Ros this continual correspondence looks to us as if it was but a ruse to get a clue to our whereabouts. We tel yu positively should they succeed in capturing one of us it would certainly prove death to yu child. Do you believe it or not—whether or not it wil not alter our decree. If yu banish all hope of ever getting yu child til yu ransom him and drop the detectives yu wil then take a rational view of the thing and see it in its true light. We told yu we were going to urope last month; part of us did go, but we expect them back in few days and then we can settle the business if yu are ready. We wil see the personals in the New York herald.
OCTOBER 15—we had almost concluded after writing this not to send it for you ask questions that answered planly—but we wil see what you want now—if yu are ready to pay we are ready to return the child to your satisfaction.
Letter 22
PHILA Oct 31 Mr Ros we told you at the beginning of this bisnes we would deal with none but you the reason of this must be apparent to yu the fate of your child would depend upon your actions in dealing with us we know you would not intentionally sacrifice your child in breaking faith with us we told you in dealing with us you must act in good faith and any breach of faith on your part would be meeted out in crtain death Mr Ros if you have any relation or friend that you can delegate to this important bisines then we are ready to deal with him we care not who he may be if it be mr hines or the states attorney—we are willing to negociate with him but mr Ros we want you not to deceive yourself in this bisines for we tell you plainly his acts will involve the life or death of your child we shall regard him as your substitute in every particular and hold the life of your child responsible for his actions. Mr Ros from your answers we understood you agree to the terms we previously dictated. send your substitute to New York tuesday 3rd november with the means to settle this bisines. remember the money must be in every particular as we directed for you can accomplish nothing with us in using any stratagem for we will not release the child under any other circumstances then your carrying out the terms in good faith with us it is unnecessary for us to pledge ourselves in any way in regard to the child being immediately returned to you. all we can do or say is —it shall be our first move to restore the child after we see the money is all right. we shall spare no trouble or expense in returning the child to you safely. though it cost us five thousand we would not hesitate to use it in order to return the child. but it will not cost us ten dollars and you shal have him as safe and sound as he was on the first day of July last when he was playing in front of your door with Walter. your substitute on arriving in new York must put a personal in herald. say. John i am stoping at _____ hotel with his name in full. Mr Ros you say the money is ready and your substitute. and we are ready. then Novemer the 3d wil prove or disprove the sincerity of your action. Mr Ros you see by this we have come among you once more.
Letter 22 ½
NEW BRUNSWICK, November 3—Mr. Ros. it looks very strange to us that you should quible about the name to address us. is your object to keep the detectives informed of our whereabouts by having us writing you so often. it looks so but time will prove all things. our advice is to you and it is better than all the detectives combined can give you is to act squarely in this bisnes if you have any regard for your child. we think we have cautioned you enough on this point. we are satisfied the detectives are working the thing up to their interest we know all about their doings and how they are bleeding you and Mr louis out of your money you will open your eyes to their games. by the by we could tell you much about them but our place it to keep mum and yours to investigate before you give more money out. it makes us jealous to see you pay out your mony foolishly when they can give you nothing in return but a parcel of fabricated lies. we confes we are bleeding you to—but we have an equivalent to give you in return, if you child is any equivalent. you will find sooner or later that there is no other earthly party in this world to deal with than ourselves if you want to recover your child. Mr. Ros why could not your relative give any name so that we could have a name to address him? it matters not what the name is we shall regard him as yourself in every sense of the word so look to whom you appoint to transact this business for you. we tell you positivey and absoluty that on his acts right or rong square or crooked in dealing with us the life or death of yu child shall hang now. Mr. Ros you may appoint any one you please to transact the bisines with us but we want you to bear in mind that his acts are your acts and it shall be consumated just as you will it – and if you want your child safe and sound this is the final day of salvation. we have been at least under $15 a day expensive since we had him but that is our own affair. you may have been under five times that expense for what we know. Mr Ross you must not be deceived from this because we are under expenses from keeping him that we will turn him loose should you not meet our demands. we tell you positively we could not do it we would not do it should it benefit us the whole amount of $20,000 than for the redemption of your child. you may think from this should you pay the demands. we might not then return your child. Mr Ros when you have paid our demands in good faith you have answered all we can ask of you and we tell you as we have told you before that your child is not worth one cent to us after that ony to return him to you and we would not fail in any event to return him to you for $10,000. Strange as this may appear to you yet it is our interest to do so. should you not come to our terms it is our interest that you never get him and you may rely on it you never will alive. you may think this is to cruel for any sivelized person to perpetrate but we tell you positively it is the lot of one of us to perform it if it comes to this crises. you will not be able by any quibbling to stay the hand of fate much longer from him. we have kept him over one hundred days longer than we expected. now it is for you alone to say whether he shal live or die. this is the last letter we shall we ever send you till we send you the final one revealing to you whether he is either alive or dead just as you will it to be. you need not ask more questions for they will not be noticed no answer will be returned. if you appoint anyone to conduct this business for you let him come to New York make it known through personal with any address he choses. this address will do (John Johnathan is stopping at so and so. Johnathan or who he may be must not leave the hotel till he hears from us. if you mean square bisiness have your personal in Friday’s Herald (N.Y.) and be in New York on Saturday morning. Mr. Ros bear in mind this is the last and final letter you ever receive from us unless you come to New York to close this bisiness.
Letter 23
PHILA., Nov. 6. – Mr. Ros: we told you in the last positively we would not write you any more. this dozing about puts us to no small amount of trouble we had left phila for New York thinking you were ready to close up the business. we told you positively procrastination is dangerous. had we accomplished what we have been fishing for the last three months your child would now have been dead but we have not yet caught the fish we wanted. yours is but a small item compared with something else. Walter said you owned the two new houses right opposite you or we should never troubled you. Mr. Ros you have asked to keep this negotiation a secret between ourselves it is a wise policy in your doings not that we fear being traped in our own game. This is positively the last from us. if you are sincere you would be anxious to settle this business if you regard the life of your child. we mean to fulfil every promise we made you in good faith. the result depends entirely with yourself whom you appoint to transact this business for yu we want at least two days notice before you come to New York for we may be 500 miles off and we ask for time to get there yu can say tuesday no 10. Saul of Tarsus. (choose your own name say i will be stoping so and so all day. do not leave the hotel wherever you may be stoping for one minute during the day). this thing must come and shall come to a close in a few days.