Charley Ross The Kidnapped Child, 1876 [ Kidnapping , True Crime ]
$85
In stock
Description
First edition of the first book on the kidnapping of Charley Ross , one of the first ransom cases in US history, written by the boy’s father.
Ross, Christian K. The Father’s Story of Charley Ross The Kidnapped Child Containing a Full and Complete Account of the Abduction of Charles Brewster Ross From the Home of His Parents. Philadelphia : John E Potter and Company. 1876. First edition.
Called the first kidnapping for ransom in the United States, in 1874, four-year-old Charley Ross and his brother Walter were playing in their front yard in Germantown, Pennsylvania when they were lured into a stranger’s carriage with the promise of candy and fireworks. Walter was given a quarter and sent into a store to complete a purchase but when he returned, the carriage had departed. Charley Ross was never seen again.
This book, written two years later, represents Christian K. Ross’ refusal to give up hope for his son, published and then reprinted in 1878 in order to raise money for the continued search for Charley Ross. The text goes on to compare Charley’s case with various successful child rescues in American history, including portraits of kidnapped and recovered children and the facsimiles of ransom notes sent to Christian Ross as well as those from other kidnapping cases.
Christian Ross and his wife are estimated to have interviewed some 50,000 potential Charleys in a search that continued for the rest of their lives.
8vo, 431pp, brown cloth boards with decorative black embossed title to front. Corners bumped and worn. Wear to edges with cloth worn through along front board hinge. Spine soiled and darkened. Pages toned. Occasional smudge and soiling at margins. Small chip from the bottom of the illustration plate between pgs 272-273. Small tear to fore edge margin pg 279. Includes 18 illustrations of kidnapped children and facsimile ransom letters. Good condition.
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy Light On Masonry, one of the earliest books on the disappearance of William Morgan
