In my research on perfume history, I’ve come across stories of ancient civilizations, shipwrecks, and poisonings, and today I can add a missing persons case to my vault of random perfume knowledge.

The year was 1874 and two young boys were playing in the front yard of their house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Walter Ross was 5 years old and his younger brother Charley, was 4. And tell me this is not the most Victorian child you’ve ever seen:

Never Take Candy from Strangers

As the two were playing, a fancy carriage rolled up and two strangers asked if they would like some candy and some fireworks. (This is actually where the saying don’t take candy from strangers came from!)

The boys of course said yes and got into the carriage. The kidnappers went on a bit of a tour of Philadelphia before stopping at a drugstore. Walter, the older brother, was given 25 cents and told to go into the store to purchase the fireworks. When Walter returned, the carriage, and his younger brother, Charley, were gone.

The First American Ransom Note

Within a few weeks the family started receiving ransom notes…very poorly written ransom notes. They were asking for $20,000, which in today’s money, is close to half a million dollars. The kidnappers thought that the Ross family was wealthy because they both had a nice house and owned a store. But that wasn’t actually the case thanks to a stock market crash in 1873.

The family couldn’t pay the ransom and seeing no other alternative they went to the police. The disappearance of Charley Ross immediately became national news and caught the interest of the Pinkerton Detectives. Posters with Charley’s face were put up everywhere. Songs were written. But there was still no sign of Charley and the ransom notes ceased.

Kidnappers Caught

A break in the case came quite by accident in December 1874. Two ex cons were caught in the act of robbing a judge’s house. There was a shootout and both men were killed. As one lay dying it is believed he confessed to the abduction and killing of Charley, but the witnesses to his death were not entirely sure what he was saying.

Charley’s older brother Walter was brought in to identify the bodies and Walter confirmed that they were the men who had taken his younger brother.

Missing Child on a Perfume Bottle

Charley was never found and his parents spent the rest of their lives trying to call attention to his case. One way they did so was the commission of these perfume bottles with Charley’s face and name. The thinking was that if people had an object in their house that was meant to last a long time they would be more likely to not only keep the boy in their thoughts but they would be able to recognize him as his face was so prominently displayed. This is where the idea for the missing children on milk cartons came from – a perfume bottle with a missing Victorian child’s likeness.

You’re probably wondering why perfume of all things. During this era figural bottles were really popular. Here are some examples. Another interesting tidbit was that during this time period, people would buy these bottles either empty or they would have a scent in them and then once gone they would refill the bottle with their own recipes. There were also recipe books you could purchase to make your own scents.

Sadly, Charley was never found. So if you ever find one of these bottles at an estate sale or auction, say a little something for this lost Victorian child.