Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-03-31
BOY IDENTIFIES ABpucToRs.
Willie Whitla Recognizes Pair Held.
Suspect Commits Suicide

Sleyelanu, OHlOsS MarCn Z4,---Wtl-
lie Whitia to-day identified the man
and woman held OF suspicion by the
Cleveland police as the persons who
kidnapped him from the school at
Sharon, Pa, last Thursday and held
him for the $40, 900 ransom which
was paid by his father, Attorney j.
p. Whitla, Monday.
Willie said the man, who gave tile
name of James III. Boyle, was the one
who took him from the school and
carried him through a tortuons route
to Cleveland, then to Ashtabula,
back to this city and placed him in
the house in the east end, where he
was held until the money was paid.
Willie also declared that the woman
was the one who cared for him at
the house where he was detained and
who acted the part of nurse.
Boyle said the woman is his wife.
TT police have no other identifica-
tion of the couple than the names
!, given. So far as the man is con-
cerned the police believe the name
is correct. Boyle is said to reside
in Sharon and is plumber by
trade. He is said to have widowed
mother, four brothers and a sister.
The woman. who is accredited with
being the wife of Boyle, declared
soon after her arrest that her identi-
tlcation would cause a sensation in
Sharon.
When Identification was complet-
ed, Mr.. Whitla would say nothing re-
garding the woman. He said he
knew Boyle slightly.
Immediately after Willie Whitla
had seen the man and woman at the
central police station they were
taken to the court house and there
appeared before the grand jury.
They were examined for the purpose
of aiding the jury. in its attempt to
find an indictment against the two
prisoners. The charge, under the
laws of Ohio, against the man and
woman, If an Indictment was found,
will be blackmail. This is based
upon the payment of the $4,000
ransom by Mr.. Whitla.
Suspect Commits Suicide.
A woman, known as Mary Diener,
who, the police say, has been
an associate of the kidnappers or
was implicated in the plot, commit
ted suicide to-day by taking NOR
phine. The woman took the poison
while standing in front of a drug
store in the east side not far from
the house in which Willie Whitla
was detained here. She died in an
ambulance while being taken to a
hospital.
Attorney Whitla, accompanied by
Mrs. Whitla, his son and daughter,
Willie and Annie, Saline, a boy
schoolmate Of Willie, Harry Forker,
brother of Mrs. Whitla, Janitor
Sloss, Chief of Police Crane, Detec-
tive Kempfer, District Attorney Lin
inger, Former District Attorney
Cochran and Detective Ward, all of
Sharon, arrived at 1 o'clock to-day
to see the prisoners.
Whitla telephoned to Chief Kohler
from the hotel that he had arrived
and that he was ready to see the
chief. Chief Kohler replied hotly
that he was at the police station
where the prisoners were being held
and that Whitla could see him there
If he cared to assist in the prosecu-
tion Of the man and woman in GUS
tody.
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitla, their chill
dren and Janitor Sloss appeared be-
fore the chief of police.
The man was the first one taken
before them Boyle was little pale
and nervous. Chief Kohler asked
Willie If he had ever seen the man
before
Sure" said Willie brightly. "Why,
that is the man / left Sharon with.
he took me to Cleveland, then to
Ashtabula and back to Cleveland"
Lad Positive.
The boy was asked the same ques-
ton again to make certain of his
memory, and again the lad declared
he was positive. "He had a nous
tache when | first saw him at the
school house." Willie supplemer ted,
but he must have cut it off later.
This is the way he looked when 1
last saw him in Cleveland"
Boyle smiled sarcastically, but
said not word. Then the woman
was brought in. She was defiant