Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-11
BOYLE AND WIFE
SENT TO PRISON.;
CONFESS CRIMES
SENSATIONAL STATEMENT I'M
PLICATES THIRD
HARRY FoRKER ACCUSED BY
TWO KIDNAPERs
Husband Is Sent to Penitentiary for
Life and Woman Gets Twenty-Five
Years-Both coIlapse-At-
tempt Suicide

M ERCER, Pa, May 10.-Before hi
AH was taken from here to the pen
AAA itentiary at Pittsburg today tc
begin a life sentence, James Boyle. the
convicted kidnaper, made the state,
ment which both he and his wife have
been promising, and which they said
would shake the country"
The statement follows:
The complete history of the kidnapping Of
Willie Whitla, the origin of same, and what
led UP to it.
On the morning of - - between the
hours of - -, Dan Reeble, jr.. was
found dead on the sidewalk in Youngstown,
and over the prostrate form was Harry
Forker Of Sharon, Pa, holding in his right
hand a package of letters gathered from
the sidewalk near the body.
As he was about to depart he was inter-
cepted by the writer and man who has
since passed to his reward, Dan Shay, a
saloon keeper.
In Mr.. Forkers hurry TO leave the scene
he failed to find two envelopes that con-
tanned four letters. The same were picked
up by Shay and later taken to his place Of
business.
He Read the Letters
The writer and Mr.. Shay examined and
read the contents of same, which proved be-
yond a doubt the presence of Mr. Forker
there at that time.
The letters were written by a lady, two
from a party in New York, and the others
from Cleveland, Ohio. At later date Mr.
ForHer was apprised of the fact that the
writer held these letters in his possession
and asked if he could use the same.
A letter was Immediately sent the writer
by Mr. Forker stating that he (Forker)
would like 0 have a personal talk with the
writer and meeting took place a day or
so after. Mr.. Forlser acknowledged he
would pay for the letters.
The amount not being considered suffi-
cient. was refused, and from that day on
and UP until March, 1s0S the writer on
the pretext of exposing the letters and the
coincidence of Mr.. Forker being discovered
bending over the prostrate form of Mr..
Reeble. had received at different times
amounts of money from Mr.. Forker to re-
main silent.
About six months ago, when returned to
Sharon. with my wife, 1 met Mr Forker
and informed him that unless L received
$4,000 between then and the time I intended
TO leave Sharon L would hold the secret no
longer.
Could Not Raise Money
He then informed me that It impos-
sible for him to get that amount but some-
time in April, 1908, he was to get certain
amount of money and would then settle
with me- -
on my leaving sharon on March 12, 1909, I
went to Cleveland. and wrote to Forker as
follows:
"Dear Sir: have decided not to wait any
longer in regard TO the money propositions
and If do not hear from you soon there
Will be some exposing"
March 16 1909, l received an answer 10
the same which read follows:
''You know the circumstances and the
promise I made you when you left here, but
if you really desperately are in need OF
money as you profess to be l Will outline
a little plan which with your cooperation
can be very successfully carried out, VIZ:
the abduction of ]. P. Whitla's son. l can
arrange to have the boy brought to War
rem, Ohio. due there at HIS, with escort
CTnere was no signature to the letter.
left Cleveland at S;15 a. m. and arrived
at Warren at 10:06 a. m, then proceeded to
Niles, Ohio, by street car l arrived at
Warren at 11:1S a. m, but railing 10 see the
boy and his escort, got off at Warren and
remained in the vicinity of the depot.
Tells Escort Where to Go
About ten minutes later the boy and es-
cort arrived and 1 was then informed that
they drove from Sharon to Warren.
warned the party to take the boy up along
the Pittsburg & Western track, leave him
there and that would attend to the rest
of it. which he proceeded to do
brought the boy to Niles, Ohio from
there to Ashtabula and then to Cleveland.
On March % 1 received letter from Mr..
Forker stating that someone had INFORMED
Mr. Whitla that they had recognized ms
Rovle of Sharon was with him, also that
Mr. Whitla was afraid to divulge the infor-
nation for fear the boy might come 10 harln
and telling me to be careful and be on the
alert and that when received the money
TO Immediately surrender these youngstown
letters, to send same to him at sharon.
and on Tuesday, April %, TO return half OF
the ransom money to him, and he would
turn over the same 10 the party "ho eoOA
Willie Whitla TO Warren.
ON learning that my name was mentioned
in connection with the case, l met Mr..
Whitla personally in Cleveland at FIFTY
third street and ST. Clair avenue; showed
him the letter that passed between Mr.
Forker and myself, also the Youngstown
letters. and Mr.. Whitla promised that If l
would substantiate the truth OF the foungs-
town letters he would see there would be
no prosecution
Then Gave UP Letters
7 then surrendered through Mr.. Whitla all
the letters in my possession and the Worla
knows the result. was arrested and con-
yicted and deprived by my own counsel OF
telling my story on the stand. l informed
nv wife the boy was brought in order TO
escape being quarantined IN the pes.nouse,
and we were to be handsomely teWdroeu lor
taking care of him.
This unfortunate woman was duped from
start to finish in regard to the boy, and
was duped from the moment let the letters
90 into Mr.. Whitla's possession AS my
counsel afterward informed me, had moth
ing to show or to prove and that 1t was
matter of veracity-their word against mine
/ had given every scintilla had, and now
1 am settled for
This story is as true as there is a God
above us.
(Signed) JAMES bOhLt1 Mefcer' H@-
May TO- 1909.
James Boyle was sentenced this
morning to life imprisonment in the
Western penitentiary at Pittsburg Tor
the KIDNAPPING of Billy Whitla.
Mrs. Boyle, indicted as Mary Doe.
received a sentence of twenty-five
years, with fine of $4,000 and the costs
of the prosecution.
Boyle did not utter a word prior to
his sentence. His counsel, however,
made a plea for both Boyle and his
wife, asking leniency in both cases
He stated that until recent period
the extreme penalty for kidnapping in
this state was ten years, and in view
of the fact that the boy has been treat
ed with every consideration and that
all care had been taken not to inhict
mental anguish upon the
parents he felt leniency might be
asked for with propriety.
Collapse Completely
Both Boyle and his wife collapsed