The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-11
there will be some exposing. Sincerely
yours. j. J. BAILEY,
Cleveland, Ohio


ION March 16, 1909, I received an
answer to the same, which read:
q Friend Bailey: You knew the cir
cumstances and the promise MADE
you when you left here. but II you
are really desperately in need of mon
ey, as you profess to be, 1 will outline
a little plan, which, with your coop
Grafton, can be very. successfully car
ried out, viz:
q The abduction of J. P. Whitla's
son. 1 can arrange to have the boy
brought to Warren, Ohio, due there at
11:1S with escort
(There is no signature to,the letter..
Il left Cleveland at 8:15 a. and
arrived at Warren at 1906 a. m. then
proceeded to Niles, Ohio, by street car.
boarded an Erie train and arrived at
Warren at 11:18 a. m. but falling to
see the boy and his escort I got off at
Warren and remained in the vicinity
of the depot
About ten minutes later, boy and
escort arrived and 1 was then inform
ed that they drove from Sharon to
Warren. 1 informed party to take the
boy up along the Pittsburg & West
ern track, leave him there and that 1
would attend to the rest of 1t which he
proceeded to do.
after making inquiries as to the
next train to Cleveland. 1 brought the
boy to Niles, o., from there to Ashta-
bula and then to Cleveland. On March
% I received a letter from Mr.. Forker
stating that some one had informed
Mr.. Whitla that they had recognized
his boy on March IS in Niles, o., and
that James Boyle of Sharon was with
him, also that Mr.. Whitla was afraid
to diVulge the information for fear the
boy might come to some harm and tell
ing me to be careful and be on the
alert, and that when I received the
money to Immediately surrender the
Youngstown letters, to send same to
him, Mr.. Forker, at Sharon, and on
70 NJ q
ransom money to him, Mr.. Forker. and
he would turn over the same to the
party who took Willie Whitla to War
rem.
Gave Up the Letters.
Upon learning that my name was
mentioned in connection with the case
made it point to meet Mr.. Whitla
personally in Cleveland at Forty-third
street and st. Clair avenue; showed
him the letter that passed between Mr..
town letters and Mr.. Whitla promised
that If 1 would substantiate the truth
of the Youngstown letters, he would
see there would be no prosecution.
ST then surrendered to Mr.. Whitla
all the letters that were in my possess
sion and the world knows the result.
was arrested, and convicted, and de-
prived by my own counsel of the right
of telling my story on the stand. 1 in
formed my wife the boy was brought
in the pest house and we were to be
handsomely rewarded for taking care
of him.
This unfortunate woman was dup
ed from start to finish in regard to the
boy and was duped from the moment
let the letters go into Mr.. Whitla's
possession. As my counsel afterwards
informed me, I had nothing to show
or to prove and that it was matter
of veracity-their word against mine.
L had given up every scintilla 1 had
and now 1 am settled for This story
is as true as there is a God above u.s."
The statement is signed:
James Boyle, Mercer, Pa, May 10,
1909"
FOrker Denies All.
Sharon, Pa, May Harry Fork
er was seen regarding the statement
issued by Boyle. He said: ~
Il know absolutely nothing of this
case. [ only know Boyle and know
other members of his family as resi-
dents OF Sharon. 1 have never had
any dealings with him. L do not know
the woman who is said to be his wife.
I can conceive of no reason why Boyle
should make such a statement unless
it be to get even with the Whitla fam
lily for his prosecution, following the
abduction. Boyle never showed me
any letters. Boyle did not see me in
Cleveland"
Records Are Lacking.
Youngstown, O., May 1.-THE asso-
citation of the name Of Harry Forker
by James Boyle, the convicted kid
naper of Willie Whitla, with the allie
cations that he was connected with the
death of Dan Feeble, jr, here in June,
1895, has not been confirmed by the
police records in Youngstown.
Patrolman Michael Donnelly, still an
active member of the police depart
ment, talked with Feeble only an hour
prior to his death. The two men were
seated at the foot of the stairs of the
building in which Feeble lived. Leav-
ing Feeble, Donnelly was less than a
block away on his beat when he heard
noise in the direction of the Mauser
building. He returned and found Rec
BILE on the sidewalk living. but uncon-
scious No one was in sight. Feeble
had been in the habit of sitting on his
window sill before retiring. No one
has ever been suspected of knowing
the exact manner of his death Dan
Shay, mentioned by Boyle, was a sa-
loon keeper here and died about two
years ago.
Both Slept Well
Pittsburg. Pa, May 11.-After the ex-
citing and wearing incidents of yester
day, Mrs. James Boyle had a good
nights rest in. the Western peniten-
tiary last night and awoke TODAY much
refreshed. She is in good spirits and
has regained much of her old time
vivacity. Her arrival at the penitenti-
airy last night was after the hour for
retiring and she was given only night
dress, while all her other clothing and
ornaments were taken from her. She
awol1e this morning to find only the
prison garb in her cell.
Marching in line with the other pris-
oners Mrs. Boyle smiled as she went
to her prison breakfast and ate heart
lily. She was given permission by the
matron to make cushions and other
fancy work for her cell and materials
were promised her if she cared to do
so. 1t will be determined today after
physical examination what charac-
ter of work she will be given. Proba-
bly, she will be placed either in the
kitchen or in the sewing room.
RovIe silent we'll also last night He