The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-03-26
BOY WAS
KIDNAPPED
BY THUGS AT SHARON,
PENNSYLVANIA.
THUGS DEMAND OF $4,000 FOR
BOYS RETURN GRANTED, BUT
BOYS DOES NOT RETURN.

Cleveland, Ohio, March %. - TIT
whole story Of the frustrated attemp
to pay over $4,000 in ransome for thu
return of Willie Whitla, the lad stole,
from the schoolyard at Sharon, Pa, re
Gently, has become known. j. P. Whit
la, the father, was instructed in lette
from the kidnapers to leave the money
in park Saturday night. If no de
tectives were about the kldnapers prom
ised they would secure the money ant
deliver the boy safely to the father il
hotel at Ashtabula at 3 clock Sun
day morning.
Whitla deposited the money as re
quested, but the Ashtabula polio,
learned of the plans to pay the ransom
and went to the park. The kidnaper
are supposed to have seen them, for a
6 o'clock the money was intact and mo-
a man had appeared at the spot wher.
it was left.
Whitla had score Of detectives anG
% members Of the Pennsylvania con
stabulary in readiness in this city tc
start search for the kidnapers as soor
as he had recovered the boy.
Money Under Rock in a Gorge.
The letter from the captors of Willie
came to the boys parents in Sharon
Pa, on Friday. Instructions were given
Whitla to go alone to Ashtabula Sat,
urday night and place the $4,000 at 8
n ypIn1k nndar Of ho 80 4.
gorge in the park. If the money was
obtained by the kidnapers they prom
ised the stolen boy would be sent to the
Smith hotel in Ashtabula unframed at
3 O'Clock the following morning. Whitla
was instructed specifically that he was
to be accompanied by no one when he
went to- deposit the money.
Immediately on receipt of the letter
Whitla called in private detectives in
his employ. They wanted to place a de-
coy package Of bills at the designated
spot, but Whitla would not agree to this
He finally consented to permit the de-
tectives to accompany him to this city
and await his summons to begin
search Tor the kidnapers.
Whitla left Cleveland for Ashtabula
at O. clock. He. was accompanied by
Detective McCabe. The latter was to
act as his bodyguard, but was not to
with Whitla to the park.
In keeping with their promise in their
first letter, the kidnapers sent second
letter few minutes after o'clock
addressed to G. A. White, care of the
Smith hotel, Ashtabula.
When no one called for the missive
half an hour later, the clerk became
curious and opened the envelope and
Mayor Cook and Chief Laskey were ap
prised of its contents. The mayor or
'dered all of his police to institute a
search for the captors.
Whitla left the package Of bills in the
park promptly at 8 O'Clock. He went
to the designated spot alone, feeling GER
tain that his compliance with the re-
quest of the kidnapers would prove the
means of delivering his boy back to him.
Three policemen who had been sent
out from the Ashtabula central station
saw Whitla leave the money in the park.
They told Chief Laskey of their discov.
cry and received instructions to remain
on guard at the park and capture the |
robbers.
Whitla had established communica-
ton with his detectives in Cleveland
meantime. They advised him to go to
the hotel for his boy exactly at the
ime set. He promised to observe orders.
Whitla started after his boy five min
utes later. On the way policeman in
formed him that three of their number
had been on guard at the park and no
one had called for the money. Whitla
was overcome at this news. He went to
the park and found his package of
money undisturbed. During the remain
der of the night and all day today the
officers searched in vain the country
around Ashtabula.
Clue to One Scoundrel.
Tommy Muscarelli, 10 years old, says
that it was he who carried the note
from the kidnapers to the hotel. He
said he and another boy were met on
the street by man who told them to
take the note. The boys describe the
man as being of dark complexion, about
80 years old and weighing 14O pounds.
A man and boy, believed to be Willie
Whitla and one of his kidnapers, are
detained by the police of Cuyahoga
Falls. The man claims he is from Har.
risburg, Pa.
Later Report.
Cleveland. Ohio, March 23.-Little
Willie Whitla. who has caused the DO.
lice of the entire country endless worry
since he was kidnapped from school in
Pa, was recovered by his
father at local hotel at $3.50 O'Clock
night.
In compliance with an agreement en-
tered into with the kidnaped boys ia
Their and agent of the kiadnapers here
Monday, the boy was placed on street
car on the outksirts Of tho citv and
started to the hotel shortly after
D pollock. /,
Willie is in perfect health. He SAYS
be has been we'll treated and ever sipce