Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-04-02
CLEVELAND POLICE
CAPTUR KlDNAPERS

taken into custody as suspects In con-
nection with the kidnapping OF Willie
Whitla, over four hours. Chief of Po-
lice Kohler said today he was confident
the people were in possession of the
lad all the time he was absent from
his home.
The woman confessed she was in
charge Of the boy said the chief.
She says she "a In Cleveland with
Willie for o days"
Attempts to make either the man or
reveal his or her name were
useless. The woman said when her
identity became known it would show
she was of a good family The man
said his name vas John Doe; the
woman claimed they were man and
wife. They have signified their will
ingness to return to Pennsylvania
without requisition papers.
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitla, their son and
daughter, together with Harry Forker.
brother OF Mrs. Whitla, all OF Sharon.
arrived here this afternoon.
At first, h woman refused to talk
10 the police. She is said to have been
slightly intoxicated when arrested.
Hoping her condition might be better
later, the police locked her up for a.
few hours. Shortly after daybreak.
Chief Kohler escorted her into his pri-
vate office and began q grilling exam
i%nation. She appeared frightened when
he threw a nurses own over her
shoulders. She was angry, tee. and at
tempted to pull the chiefs hair. She
became ~reconciled In a few minutes
and talked about the kidnapping In COM
monplace name
Il used TO get the newspapers every
day" she said. MY, / had a lot of fun
reading the prophesies of different
sleuths and near sleuths. There were
a lot OF things charged up TO the felix's
who had the boy that were not true"
That the woman Is clever and of good
education was proved by her converse
ton. She carefully warded off every
advance that the police made which
might have caused her to answer Ques-
tions which she should not have an
swered. She has not confessed she kid
naped the boy--far from it--she has
said h was In charge Of him, but that
is as far as her story goes.
John Doe" a Tartar.
John Doe" her mysterious partner,
proved 81 tartar. Every question he
was asked he answered guardedly and
but little of value was obtained from
him.
Chief Kohler asked him about him
self, his name and other questions.
"You tell me the first and
then I'll tell them back to you. Listen
to what the woman tells you. What
ever she says goes" Doe told the chief
The woman said during the night:
II am the kid that framed up this
lob, all right"
Since the day following the abduc-
ton, rumors have been rife that "a
prominent woman. who formerly lived
In Sharon, might be implicated In the
case. Efforts to locate her after the
kidnapping were futile. This woman
knows all that could be known con-
corning the Whitla family.
Mr.. Whitla's financial standing would
be known TO the woman within a few
dollars. She also was acquainted with
the great love OF the parents for the
child. The suppositton here Is every
point of the case was arranged by the
woman. The man, OF course, stole the
boy from the school, but outside this
the woman was the leader.
1t is said by detectives today the kid
naping case has cost the Whitla family
$40. 200.
Woman Admits Guilt.
When arrested last night. the woman,
who was somewhat confused. admitted
that she had been responsible for the kid
mapping. When placed I'm custody In the
central police station she said to Captain
Shattuck: II am the one who planned
the whole thing There will be trouble
for me and hell in Sharon tomorrow"
Beneath the woman's skirt was found
s,7s0. All of It but $40 was bound In pack
ages with the original slips placed on the
money when Whitla took It from the bank
still around 1t.
Captain Norman Shattuck and Detective
Frank Wood made the arrests I'm the east
end OF the city. When near the police
station the man broke away from Detec-
tive Wood and ran towards an alley. The
policeman fred two shots from his re-
volved into the air and the man stopped.
The woman made no attempt to escape.
They Were Drunk.
The woman appears to be we'll educated
and is refined I'm manners. She says she
spent IS years OF her life In a convent I'm
Pennsylvania, but denies that she has ever
been In trouble before. Both the man and
the woman deny that they know the name
OF each other. They admit they are not
man and wife. According to the police
they were intoxicated when placed In
custody. Due to their condition they were
not questioned closely by the police and
were locked In their cells.
Captain Shattuck Is said to have secured
his description OF the k~idnapers from
Willie Whitla.
Willie Whitia told Captain Shattuck on
Monday that the woman who kept him
q prisoner had smallpox scars on her face.
The woman In custody has red spots on
her cheeks and appears to have a
smallpox. She Is a tall blonde. probably
70 years old. She was dressed In q black
silk skirt. a gray coat and black hat. Tho
man Is dark and smooth faced.
Yesterday detectives heard that q man
and a woman answering the description OF
the kidnapers had been seen on the out
skirts OF the city. They came down town
and bought articles OF clothing. rendering
d and 80 bills In payment. II was learned.
Later q report came that the people had
left q package In a downtown store which
proved to consist of discarded clothing.
Captain Shattuck and Detective Wood
trailed the man and woman around the
business districts Of the city for several
hours during the afternoon. but delayed
taking them into custody. Shortly after
nightfall the police learned that the two
had gone TO the east end OF the city. The
police walked up behind the pair and Cap
tain Shattuck took the woman by the arm
Detective Wood seized the man. The
couple staggered. say the police, as il
they were intoxicated They made no pro-
test against accompanying the officers.
The man was downcast and would not
talk. The woman chatted with the police
man at her side at first and asked to be
released.
IT was then she admitted she had
planned the kidnapping. In the meantime
the man attempted TO escape and the re-
volver shots OF Captain Shattuck brought
him to a standstili. Whitla says he has
II fba p1rrphar ~ the ctlrranov hills ha,.daa