The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-03-23
THE KIDNAPPED
BOY RESTORED
TO HIS PARENTS
Father Found Him in Cleye.
land and Delivery Was
Made in Secret
RANSOM MONEY WAS PAID TO
ORDINARY DRESSED WORKING MAN

l SUOssusUbu OUSOO0O UUOIbuvlVO tu1Uuv
Boy Put Aboard Street Car and Sent
to Hotel Where Father Awaited His
Arrival-Had Been Well Cared for
During Captivity.
| Cleveland, March 23-"Billy" Whit
la. the kidnapped boy and James Whit
la. the rejoicing father, left Cleveland
today for Sharon, Pa. Hundreds clcg-
ged the corridors of the Hollenden
hotel i'll anticipation of catching a
glimpse of the lad whose wherea bouts
had become puzzle tc the detectives
of the land. Gee, papa" said the
youngster. as he was being helped
into a 'taXicab, 81 hope mamma is on
the front porch waiting for us" "She
will be there" was the simple answer
from the father as he clasped the hand
of his boy.
Mr.. Whitla was not inclined to dis
cuss the matter of the ransom or the
plans of the family in dealing with the
kidnappers. 81 am SO glad to have
the boy in my arms" said the faith
er, half smiling and half crying. that
have. given no thought to the kid
|nappers. That will be up to the po.
lice and as long as live and breathe
am not worrying over their move.
ments."
The $4,000 ransom of Billy Whitla
was paid his kidnappers in little
grocery store at East Fifty-third street
and Standard avenue, an hour before
noon Monday. The money was receiv.
ed by an ordinarily dressed working.
man who gave his, name as Hayes.
In compliance with an agreement
entered into between the kidnapped
boys father and an agent of the kid
nappers here today. the boy was placed
on street car on the outskirts of the
city and started to the hotel shortly
after 8 o'clock. Two boys, G. w. RAM
sey and Edward N1ahoney recognized
the lad on the car and taking him in
charge conducted him to his father
who was in waiting according to pre-
arranged plan which he had followed
at the dictation OF the kidnappers. The
boy wandered about the hotel lobby
unannounced for several minutes ask
ing the bellboys for his father before
the latter knew that his son was in
the big foyer.
In Mothers Arms.
The ransomed boy, after an expert
ence of five days with kidnappers was
returned to his mothers arms a few
minutes after IL o'clock today. The
reunion took place around the family
: hearthstone in the Whitla home OF
which no prying eye were permitted
to witness the greeting of mother and
son, only the intimate relatives of the
l family being present at the joyful
/: homecoming of the lad. He was ac-
corded an ovation by the populace of
/ Sharon that could not have been
4 heartier. The little fellow and father
arrived here at 1906 this afternoon
after an absence of 125 hours. Fully
5000 persons extended the lad a
demonstrative greeting.
The moment the anxious father
heard that a strange boy was in the
hotel sauntering in aimless fashion
he rushed across the lobby, grasped
him In his arms and smothered his
face with kisses.
Tried to Disguise Boy.
| An attempt had been made to dis
guise the lad. He wore a pair of
smoked glasses and a large tan cap
which was pulled down over his ears
and his father said it would have been
difficult to recognize the boy in such
a garb had he passed him on the
street. Willie is in perfect health. He
says that he has been we'll treated
and ever since his capture has been
constantly indoors. He believes that
he was taken from Sharon to Warren
and thence to Newcastle, Pa. 1t is
his opinion expressed in happy school
boy way that he was in Ashtabula on
Saturday night at the time his father
was to leave the $4,000 in Flatiron
park.
Shortly after noon Whitla left for
Cleveland. He was unaccompanied.
His immediate family and the private
detectives he had in his employ he
appraised of the secret meeting. but he
insisted that he make the trip alone.
Every one of them was warned that
he must be allowed to go unheeded
and that no attempt at the capture
of the kidnappers was to be made
Nhitla was certain that if he spoiled
the plans of his sons captors last
night that he would never see the lad
again. His experiences at Ashtabula
served as warning.
About 1 o'clock in the afternoon he
went to the candy store in the east
end. With him he carried $4,000.
expecting that it would be demanded
Of him there. He was met by a
woman who detailed to him the terms
of the kidnappers. With all the eager
ness of distracted parent. Whitla
agreed to them Immediately. Detec-
tives in his employ said that he paid
the money. but on this point the
father declined to commit himself.
Half an hour later hn refnrnad tn