The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-03-24
WH|TLA BOY FOUND
Detectives Say Father Paid Alb.
ductors $4,000.

tOiu mat W TIC SdlICu DIT d ScTtdIII
Confectionery Store In Cleveland He
Would Be Told How He Could Sc.
cure His Boy-Father Carried Out
lnstructions-Boy Walked Into Hol-
ienden Hotel Last Evening In Good
Health and Spirits.
Cleveland, March 23.-Little Willie
Whitla, who has caused his parents
great anxiety and the police of the en-
tire country worry since he was kid
naped from school in Sharon Pa, last
Thursday, was returned to his father
at the Hollenden hotel here last night
at $3.50 o'clock.
In compliance with an agreement
entered into between the boys father
and an agent Of the kidnapers here,
the boy was placed on a streetcar on
the outskirts of the city and started to
the hotel shortly after 8 o'clock.
Two boys, G. W. Ramsey and Ed
ward Mahoney, recognized the lad on
the car and taking him in charge. con-
Quoted him to his father, who was in
waiting according to a prearranged
plan which he had followed at the die.
tation of the kidnapers.
The boy wandered about the hotel
lobby uua1nounced for several min
utes asking bellboys for his father be-
fore the latter knew his son was in
the big foyer. The moment Mr.. Whit
la heard that a strange boy was in
the hotel sauntering about in aimless
fashion, he rushed across the lobby
grasped him in his arms and smoth-
cred his face with kisses.
An attempt had been made to dis
guise the lad. He wore a pair Of
smoked glasses ard a large tan cap
which was pulled down over his ears
and his father said it would have ben
difficult to have recognized the boy in
such garb had he passed him on the
street
Willie is in good health. He says
that he has been well treated and ever
since his capture has been constantly
indoors. He believes he was taken
from Sharon to Warren ard thence to
New Castle Pa It is his opinion eX-
pressed in happv schoolboy way that
he was in Ashtabula on Saturday
night at the time his father was to
leave his $4,000 in Flatiron park
Mr.. Whitla refused to say whether
he had paid the ransom or not. He
said that he received letter yester-
day from the kidnapers at his home in
Sharon saving that If he called at a
confectionery store in the East End
of Cleveland he would be told how to
sec~re his boy unharmed and "well-
fed"
Shortly after noon he left Sharon
for Cleveland He was unaccompa-
MED. His immediate family and the
private detectives he had in his en-
plov had been apprised by him of the
proposed secret meeting, but he in
sisted that he must make the trip
alone. unhearalded. and that no attempt
at the capture of the kidnaDers must
be made by them. Mr.. Whitla was
certain that if he spoiled the plans OF
his sons captors he would never see
the lad again. His experience at Ash
tabula served as warning.
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon he
went to a candy store In the East End.
With him he carried the $4,000, en-
pecting that it would Re demanded
of him there He was met by wom-
an who detailed to him the terms OF
the kidnapors. With distracted eager
ness Mr. Whitla agreed to them i'm
mediately. Detectives in his employ
say that he paid the money but on
this point the father declines to COM
NIT himself. Half an hour later he
returned to the Hollenden hotel and
awaited developments.