The Washington times., 1909-05-11
KIDNAPER'S STORY
GIVEN NO )CREDENCE
Went to Doom With Lie on
His Lips, Is General
Belief.
Continued from First Page)

do not do something for Us. you Will
get the same"
On the face of matters it would be
hard to believe that such man could
have conceived any kidnapping plot. 1t
is practically Impossible he should have
done so to gain money. With each OF
his two brothers, Harry FOrker is be-
heved to have Inherited about $50, 900.
This sum was held in coal and OIL
lands and steel stock. It's yield is said
to be enormous-as high as 10 or l8
per cent. If he eyer had need Of
money sharon bankers have not sus-
pected II, and could not account for
ii. On the contrary, he is said to have
had available every day since the ar
rival of the Boyles in Sharon last
Thanksgiving Day several times the
whole amount of the ransom
Further Evidence.
But the evidence against BoyIess story
does not consist OF it's improbability
alone. One of the convicts attorneys
was J. ]. Anderson, well known in that
locality as a resourceful and shrewd
criminal lawyer. Anderson investigated
ST the time the circumstances OF the
death to which Boyle refers. 1t was his
judgment-not only at that time. but
when Boyle brought this story TO him
later-that Dan Rebel, jr., died acci-
dentally and that Forker was concerned
in his death only as pasSer-by VINO
came upon his body.
Boyle showed what he represented to
be aboriginal of a letter TO him from
Forker tc his attorneys. 1t was sub
stantially that which he now quotes n
his statement. II will outline a little
plan" and so on to "the abduction OF
]. p. Whitla's SON" But no motive was
indicated and BOyle's story to his at
tOrneys was that FOrker wanted re-
venge because Mrs Whitla and her sis
ter, Mrs. Bull. were unwilling TO help
Forl1er reunite his home by welcoming
the man is now separated. The ques-
tiops ask themselves:
Were there two originals?
rs Forl1er supposed to have had two
motives, and TO have written Boyle
twice proposing the Kidnapping
II should not be forgotten that these
letters are offered by hSqn who has
been arrested four times for forgery.
Mrs BoyIe's Statement.
Mrs. Boyle alone made it impossible
for your correspondent to accept this
story. when he came upon it in Mercer
county. She had it that Buhl was the
mal who is supposed 20 have PAID Boyle
blacknlail Further, and more import
ant, she had twice made the declaration:
Il am the frail little woman that
planned II all.
to old Mrs Boyle, with a purpose of
using II to get the kidnaper to plead
guilty. Mrs. Boyle answered him di-
rectly:
believe anybody in Mercer county would
Former Judge H. S. Miller, and ]. H.
Stranahan, Jr., were entered as Boyle's
counsel for the trial. In their confer
ences Boyle told this story to them.
Subsequently. Mr.. Miller said:
II have known Harry FoTker for
great many years. / am confident there
is nothing whatever in the story regard
ing him.
Mr.. Stranahan said:
Il do not believe there is any truth in
the story told by Boyle. I investigated
the matter thoroughly several days ago
and the essgtial part Of it will not hold
Fathers Connection.
As link in his story. Boyle has rep
resented that he met Mr.. Whitla in
either Ashtabula or Cleveland, told him
OF the alleged connection of his brother
in-law, and received from Mr.. Whitla
promise that II the boy YES returned
and Mr. Forker's name not ragged in.
light sentences would be Imposed on
the kidnapers. Whlle Billy Iathef
was on the stand there flashed for
minute an apparent determination to
probe this story.
O. did you know James BOyle2''
A. BARELY. I think I had hardly seen
him before he was arrested.
@ Had you ever seen him beforeE'
A. Yes Once"
With that the questioning ended
abruptly. There was general surprise.
The explanation is that if Mr.. Whitla
mad been questioned on what occasion
he had seen Boyle previously he must
have said
The only other time / saw Boyle was
when l appeared before you, Judge
Miller as judge Of this court, TO present
a petition that sentence be suspended
for Boyle after he had been found guilty
OF burglary"