Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-03-25
A CHILD KIDNAPPED
Willie Whida, Aged s, Taken
from School at Sharon, Pa
NO CLUE TO THE PERPETRATORS
Willie Whtla, 8 Years Old, Taken
From His School at Sharon, Pa
Held For $4,000 Ransom Terms
Compiled With, But Plan Fails.

years old, was kidnapped from school |
| at Sharon, Pennsylvania. A we'll
dressed man drove up to the school
and told the janitor that Willie 5
father had sent him to bring Willie
to his Office. Not suspecting any
thing wrong the teacher fixed Willie
| up and sent him on, in light pleasan-
try saying she hoped he was not be-
ing kidnapped.
! All too soon she found that it was
a stern reality. A letter was received
| Friday in Willie's own hand which
read:
Dear Father:
Two bad men have me, and if you
don't send $4,000 they will kill me
in 10 days. Willie Whitla.
There was nothing on the envelope
| to denote where the letter had been
mailed.
| Frank III. Buhl, millionaire uncle
of Willie s took decided interest in
the case and will freely pay the $1O,-
O00 for his safe res1very.
| It was reported from that city
that Two men and a hoy answering the
description of the kidnappers and
their victim have been seen there,
consequently the supposition is that
Mr.. Buhl has received word which
made him believe his nephew was in
Cleveland or that vicinity. The bug
gy in which the child was taken from
school was located at Warren
, Ohio, and as the Cleveland papers
were among those specified, in which
the demand Of the kidnappers for a
$4,000 ransom should be answered
by personal advertisement, all evi-
dence seemed to indicate that devel-
opments in the mysterious case was
l centered about the Lake City.
A clue was secured Sunday, in
which little credence is placed, how
I ever. On March l the local postofice
: department received circular an.
e nouncing a reward for man de-
e scribed as Samuel G.. Leavanson, OF
: Canton, O., said to be wanted there
: for the theft of $4OO. Janitor Wes
e ley c. SlOss, Of the school from which
d Willie was taken, when shown the cir
4 cular bearing a portrait Of the mar
t wanted, declared it bore a strong re
It semblance to the abductor
Il A Cleveland, O., special on Sunda,
d says: Whitla was instructed in /
o letter from the kidnappers to leav
d $4,000 in Flat Iron Park Saturda,
8 night. IF no detectives were abou
. the kidnappers promised they woul
x deliver the boy safely to the fathe
C IN hotel at Ashtabula at o'cloc
Sunday morning. Whitla deposite
: the money as requested, but the Ash
7 tabula police learned of the plans
pay the ransom and went to the parl
u The hdnapers are supposed to hav
or seen them, for at 3 clock the none
was intact and not a man had a,
preached the spot.
. Whitla believes that the failure
effect settlement with him wi
n frlghten the kidnapers and they wi
II not communicate with him again.
The police of Ashtabula are unwi
u ling to believe that the hdnape
n have left that section Of the countr
in The letter from the captors of Wi
IS lie Whitaa came to the boys paren
Al oAd1Ou Iludy dIIciuOOU.
> Upon receipt of the letter Whit
:, called In private dectives and ask,
a. their advice They were anxious
la, capture the kidnapers and plead,
80 with him to permit them to place
= decoy package of bills at the desi
: mated spot and let officers lie in we
g and capture the men who came aft
- the money.
ap- Whitla would not agree to this.
IN finally consented to permit the det.
On tives to accompany him to this q
the and await his summons to start
eut search for the kidnapers.
ing Promptly at 10 o'clock Whitla l
by the package of bills In the park.
to, went ito the designated spot alo
ant feeling certain that his complial
ion with the request Of the kidnap
would prove the means of deliver