Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-04-01
KIDNAPPED BOY IS
GIVEN To FATHER
ASOUCToRS PUT LAD ON STREET
CAR AND SENT HIM TO
CLEVELAND HOTEL.
ATTEMPTED TO DISGUISE BOY
The Father Recognizes His Son in
the Hotel obby, Grasps Him in
His Arms and Smothers
Him with Kisses.


Cleveland, O.-Little Willie Whitla,
who has caused the police of
the entire country endless worry
since he was kidnapped from school in
Sharon last Thursday, was returned to
his father at the Hollenden hotel here
last night at $50 o'clock.
In compliance with an agreement
entered into between the kidnapped
boys father and an agent of the kid
napers here yesterday the boy was
placed on car on the outskirts of the
city and started to the hotel shortly
after o'clock. Two boys, G. w. Ram
sey and Edward Mahoney. recognized
the lad on the car and taking him in
charge conducted him to his father,
who was in waiting according to a pre-
arranged plan which he had followed
at the dictation of the kidnapers.
Boy Wandered About Lobby.
The boy wandered about the hotel
lobby unannounced for several min
utes asking bell boys for his father
before the latter knew his son was in
the biz foyer. The moment the
anxious parent heard that a strange
boy was in the hotel sauntering in
aimless fashion, he rushed across the
lobby, grasped him in his arms and
Smothered his face with kisses.
An attempt had been made to dis,
guise the lad. He wore a pair of
smoked glasses and large tan cap,
which was pulled down over his ears,
and the father said it would have been
difficult to have recognized the boy in
such a garb had he passed him on the
street.
Was Well Treated.
Willie is in perfect 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 and thence to
New Castle, Pa. 1t is his opinion, ex-
pressed in a happy schoolboy way,
that he was in Ashtabula on Saturday
night at the time his father was to
leave his $4,000 in Flatron park.
Whitla senior refused to state
whether he had paid the ransom or
not. He said that he received a letter
yesterday from the kidnapers at his
home in Sharon saying that if he
called at a confectionery store in the
East End of Cleveland he would be
told how to secure his boy unharmed
and well fed"
Father Makes Trip Alone.
Shortly after noon he left Sharon for
Cleveland. He was unaccompanied.
His immediate family and the private
detectives he had in his employ he
apprised of the proposed secret meet
ing, but insisted that he make the trip
alone. Every one of them was warned
that he must be allowed to go unaded,
and no attempt at the capture of the
kidnapers would be made. Whitla
was certain that if he spoiled the
plans of his sons captors last night he
would never see the lad again. His
experience at Ashtabula served as a
warning.
About o'clock yesterday afternoon
he went to a candy store in the East
End. With him he carried the $4,000
expecting that it would be demanded
of him there. He was met by
woman who detailed to him the
terms of the kidnapers. With all
the eagerness of distracted
parent Whitla- agreed to them
Immediately. Detectives in his en-
ploy say that he paid the money, but
on this point the father declines to
commit himself. Half an hour later he
returned to the Holenden hotel and
awaited developments.
Prepared for Return.
IN the meantime little Willie. the
kidnapped boy, treated kindly by his abb
ductCrs, was being prepared for his re-
turn to his father The woman at the
candy store had done her duty. She
communicated with the captors of the
boy and told them that the father had
made no attempt to trap them. The
kidnapers were satisfied. Whitla
senior declines to name the woman in
charge of the confectionery store.
So the boy was brought from his
hiding where, no one knows
to car line in the east end of the
city which would bring him down
town quickly Just before the boy was
put on the car, the man who had
charge of him put a pair of smoked
glasses on the lad. The boy was then
put on the car and the mysterious man
paid the lads fare and disappeared.
A Young Detective.
The boy gazed about the car for a
familiar face. He saw no one he knew
Presently Edward Mahoney, who is a
17-yearold boy of jolly visage, came
into the car. He sat down in the seat
Newspaper Career Ended.