American Watchman And Delaware Advertiser

Philadelphia, March 25.

Kidnapping.--The following facts, which have been detailed to us by a respectable citizen, bear a singular appearance of mystery and may possibly lead to a discovery of an atrocious crime. On Monday morning last, an inhabitant of Montgomery county, who resides about fifteen miles from this city, was called on by a large, well proportioned and well dressed stranger, who informed the farmer that he had visited him at the request of his (the farmer's) brother, living in Philadelphia, who wished the visitor to bring the farmer's son, about thirteen years of age, to the city. The farmer at first declined, but as he was urged by the stranger on the ground that the boy's uncle wished it for important reasons, he consented, and his son left him in a gig in company with the pretended messenger. On the evening of the same day, when it may be remembered a severe storm was raging, our informant, who keeps a tavern at the distance of three miles from the city, heard a voice crying for help near his door. He opened it, and a boy rushed in drenched with rain and was immediately followed by two men. The boy claimed the protection of the tavern-keeper, begged him not to permit the men to carry him away, stated that he had been taken from his father that morning on false pretences, that he had been carried to Kensington and taken to the wharf where he had been placed in the cabin of a small sloop, and that he had succeeded in making his escape, but for the last half-mile he had seen that he was pursued. One of the men stated that the boy was his apprentice--a fugitive one. The tavern keeper unable to ascertain the facts from these contradictory stories, and considering that he had no right to keep the boy, suffered the men to carry him away. The next morning by accident as it would seem, the identical farmer, the father of the boy, stopped at this tavern and related the circumstance first mentioned, and evinced much uneasiness. When the tavern keeper informed him of the occurrences of the preceding night, he became the more alarmed. Both came instantly to the city, and learned from the boy's uncle, that he had not sent for him, nor had he seen him. The child has not since been heard of, although every exertion has been made by the distressed father and friends to find him, or some clue that may lead to the discovery of his present situation.

Journal.