The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-22
fight against the rats Is TO be carried
on in order to make the city healthful

Cleveland, March 21-The full story
OF the frustrated attempt to pay over
$4,000 In ransom for the return of
Willie Whiua became known today. ]
p, Whitla, the father, was instructed
In a letter from the kidnappers to
leave the money In Flatiron park Sat
urday night. II no detectives were
about the kidnappers promised they
would secure the money and deliver
the boy safely TO the father In a hotel
at Ashtabula at o'clock this morning.
Whitll deposited the money as re-
quested. but the Ashtabula police
learned Of the plans to pay the ran
som and went to the park The kid
nappers are supposed To have seen
them, for at 6 o'clock the money was
Intact and not a man had appeared at
the spot at which II had been left.
Whitla had score OF detectives and
twenty-three members OF the Pennsyl-
vanla conetabulary In readiness IN
this city to start search for the
kidnappers as soon as he had safely
secured the boy.
Whitla believes that the failure TO
effect a settlement last night will
frighten the kiJnapers and thoy will
not communicate with him again. The
letter from the captors of Willie came
TO the parents in Sharon, Pa, Friday
afternoon.
Instructions were given him TO go
along to Ashtabula on Saturday night.
rle"e the $4,000 under a rock at the
base Of a gorge In the park at 10
o'clock AT o'clock on the following
morning. If the money was obtained
by the kidnapers, they promised that
the stolen boy would be sent TO the
Smith hotel In Ashtabulo, unframed
Whitia was instructed specifically that
he was 10 be accompanied by no one
when he went to deposit the money.
Immediately upon receipt Of the let
ter Whitla caslej on the private de-
tectivos in his employ They wanted
to place a deooy package Of bills at the
designated spot, but Whitla would not
agroe to this He finally consented to
permit the detectives to accompany
him to this city and await his sum
mons To start a search for the kid
napers.
At 8 o'clock Whitla left Cleveland
for Ashtabula He was accompanied
by Detective McCabe. The latter was
TO act as his bodyguard. but was not
to 20 with Whitls to the park.
A few minutes after 9 o'clock the
lkidnapers. in keeping with their prom
ise In their first letter, sent second
letter addressed to G. A White. the
Smith hotel In Ashtabula.
Half an hour later, when no enc
called for the missive. the clerk be-
came curious and opened the envelope
and Mayor Cook and Chief Of Police
Laskey were apprised OF Its contents.
The mayor ordered all of his police to
institute a search for the captors.
Promptly at S o'clock Whltla left
the package OF bills in the park He
went to the designated spot alone. feel
ing certain that his compliance with
the request of the kidnapers would
prove the means Of delivering his boy
back to him.
Three policemen who had been sent
out from the Ashtabula central sta
tion saw Whitla leave the money In
the park. They told Chief Laskey of
their discovery and received instruc-
tions> to remain on guard at The park
and capture the kfdnapers should they
appear.
In the meantime Whitla returned to
the city and had established COM
munication with his detectives in
Cleveland. They advised him to go
to the hotel for his boy exactly at the
time set. He promised to observe or
ders.
Five hours later Whitia started after
his how On the way policeman in
formed him that three officers had
been on guard at the park and no one
had called for the money,
Whitla was overcome at this news.
He went to the park and found his
package of money undisturbed, Dur
ing the remainder OF the night and all
day TODAY the officers In vain searched
the country around Ashtabula
Whitla came to Cleveland and later
returned to Sharon.
Sharon. Pa, March 2l.-J. p. Viii
tia, father Of Willie Whitla, tho Kid