The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-25
VICTIM OF SENSATIONAL KID
MAPPING RECOGNIZES MAN
AND WOMAN IN CASE.
STRANGE WOMAN SUICIDES
Person Suspected Of Having Been Con-
nected With the BIackmaiiine Scheme
Drinks Poison Near House Where
Boy Was Held by Captors-Much
Mystery Is Yet Unsolved.

Cleveland, March 24.-Willie Whitla
today identified the man and woman
held on suspicion by the Cleveland
police as the persons who kidnapped
him from the school at Sharon, Pa,
last Thursday and held him for the
$4,000 ransom, which was paid by his
father Monday. Willie said that the
man who gave the name of James H.
Boyle was the one who took him from
school and carried him to Cleveland
and placed him in the house in the
east end, where he was held until the
money was paid, and that the woman
was the one who cared for him at the
house where he was detained and who
acted the part of a nurse.
Boyle says the woman is his wife.
The police have no other identification
of the couple than the names given.
So far as the name is concerned the
police believe it is correct. Boyle is
said to reside in Sharon and is
plumber by trade. He is said to have
a widowed mother four brothers and
a sister. The woman declared that her
identification would cause a sensation
in Sharon.
Mr.. Whitla would say nothing re-
garding the woman. He said he knew
Boyle slightly.
Before Jury.
Immediately after Willie had seen
the prisoners they were taken to the
county court house and there ap-
peared before the grand jury. They
were examined to aid in an attempt
Tha ~,
the laws of Ohio against the man and
woman, if an indictment is found,
would be blackmail.
AS Boyle and his wife are held by
the police on suspicion only, an indict-
ment will afford a means of placing
them under arrest formally.
Immediately after leaving the grand
jury room Mr.. and Mrs. Whitla, Will
lie and the janitor of the Sharon
school left for Sharon.
AS the prisoners have not waived
extradition they will be held here for
two or three days until the necessary
papers for their removal to Sharon
can be arranged.
Commits Suicide.
A woman known as Mary Diener,
who the police say may have been an
associate Of the kidnapers or was i'm
plicated in the plot, committed suicide
today by taking morphine. The
woman drank the poison while stand
ing in front of a drug store in the east
end, not far from the house in which
young Whitla was detained here. She
died in an ambulance while being
taken to a hospital.
Attorney Whitla, accompanied by
Mrs. whitla and their son, arrived
here at o'clock today Two private
detectives who represented Whitla
first went to the police station in an
effort to see Chief of Police Kohler
to arrange for the Identification. The
chief would not admit the detectives,
and stated he would have nothing to
do with them and would deal only
with Whitla and his son. This was
reported to Whitla, and another dis
pute occurred, which promised for
time to stop the proceedings. Whitla
telephoned to the chief from the hotel
that he had arrived and that he was
ready to see the chief. Chief Kohlef
replied that he was at the police sta
ton, where the prisoners were being
held, and that Whitla could see him
there If he cared to assist in the pros
ecution of the man and woman in GUS
tody.
Only the Boy.
Mr.. Whitla then went to the police
station, but was not allowed to see
the prisoner himself. He was in
formed by the police that the only
identification ne desired was that
which the boy could make. The chief
also told Mr. Whitla that if he did not
care to make the Identification in the
usual manner he could return to
Sharon and that the prisoners would
be prosecuted here on the charge of
blackmail.
Whitla then agreed to have Willie
see the woman and the man. An hour
later Mr.. and Mrs. Whitla and their
child appeared.
The man was the first one taken be-
fore them. Boyle was little pale
and nervous. There was faint smile
upon his lips. He was seated before
the party, which formed a semi-circle
in front of him.
Chief Kohler asked Willie If he had
said the boy, brightly. "Why, that is
the man I left Sharon with He took
me to Cleveland, then to Ashtabula
and back to Cleveland. He had a mus
tache when I first saw him at the
school house, but he must have cut it
off later. This is the way he looked
when I last saw him in Cleveland"
When Willie concluded Boyle was
taken back to his cell and the woman
was brought in. She was defiant and
naughty in her demeanor She stared
at Willie and other members of the
party Her only relapse from the in
dignant was when she first saw Will
lie The woman smiled.
Immediately Willie walked up to
her and, extending his hand, said:
How do you do?'
Hello. Willie" the woman replied,