The Mena weekly star., 1909-03-25
SAFE WITH PARENTS
KIDNAPPED PENNSYLVANIA BOY RELEASED BY A5DucToRs IN
 CLEVELAND, OHIO.
THE slO 900 RANSOM PAID T0A WOMAN
The Transfer of Money Took Place in Candy Store and the Boy Was Sent Alone to Hotel Where MT. WhItla, the Father, Was stopping The Mother Notified.


 Cleveland. Mar. 24.-Little Willie Whitla, who has caused the police of the entire country endless worry since he was kidnapped from school In Shar- oa, Pa, last Thursday, was returned to his father at the Hollenden hotel here Monday night at S:3o o'clock. In compliance with an agreement en- tered into between the Kidnapped boys father and an agent of the kidnapers here Monday the boy was placed on a street car on the outskirts Of the city and started to the hotel shortly after o'clock. Two boys, G. w. Ramsey and Edward Mahoney, rec ognized the lad on the car and taking him in charge conducted him to his father who was in waiting ac- cording to a prearranged plan which ne had followed at the dictation of the lddnapers. The boy wandered about the hotel lobby unannounced for sever. al minutes asking bell boys for his father before the latter knew his son vas in the big foyer. The moment the anxious parent heard that strange boy was in the hotel saunter- ing 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 1t would have been difficult to have recognized the boy in such a gar5 had he passed him on the | street.
 Willie Is in perfect health. He says 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 Newcastle, Pa. It is his opinion ex- pressed in a happy school-boy way, that he was in Ashtabula on Saturday night at the time his father was to leave his $10.o00 in Flatiron park.
 Whl,la ST., refused to state whether he had paid the ransom or not He said that he received a letter McssstJsy from the kidnapers at his home in sharon saying that If he called at . confectionery store in the East end of Cleveland he would be told how to secure his boy unharmed and well fed"
 Shortly after noon he left Sharon for Cleveland. He was unaccompanied His immediate family and the private l detectives he appraised of the proposed secret meeting but insisted that he make the trip alone. Every one of them was warned that he must be al lowed to go unheeded and no attempt at the capture of the kidnapers be made.
 Whitla was certain that if he spoiled the plans of his sons captors Mon day night he would never see the lad again. His experience at Ashtabula serving as a warning.
 About two o'clock Monday afternoon he went to a candy store in the east end. With him he carried the $1o.000 expecting that 1t would be demanded of him there. He was met by wom- an who detailed to him the terms of the kidnapers. With all the eagerness of distracted parent Whitla agreed to them immediately.
 Sharon, Pa. Mar. 24.-The first act of J. F. Whitla upon the recovery of his kidnapped son in Cleveland Mon day night was to call his wife over the long distance telephone and tell her that Willie was safe in his arms again. Mrs. Whitla evidently expecting the news, did not collapse, but manifested the most perfect self-contral Not on ly was the family overjoyed at the re- ceipt of the news, but the entire com munity is sharing their happiness and a great demonstration Is being ar ranged for the return home of father and son.