The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-22
WHITLA BOY STILL MISSING Nothing Heard From
 Kidnappers. RUNNING DOWN EVERY CLUE Lad's Father Returns From Fruit
 less Trip to Cleveland. Letters From All over the Country Continue to Pour in From Friends
 and Strangers Tendering
 Sympathy:
RUNNING DOWN EVERY CLUE

Sharon, Pa, March 21.-WearyA and worn and showing In his face the ter rible strain under which he has been laboring for the last three days, J. P. Whitla, father of Willie Whitla, the kidnapped boy, returned this morning from a fruitless trip to Cleveland. where he expected to find a trace of his missing son.
 Upon what information the hope was based was not given out, but yesterday afternoon a conference was held at Mir. Whitla's office. after which Mir. Whitls. Gilbert B. Perkins, head of a detective agency in PittsburgS and B. F. Ward of a Philadelphia detective agency. left Sharon without making their destination known. In fact their departure was taken so quietly. that 1t was not even known here last night that MT. Whitla was in the party But few hours were sufficient to con- vince them that all the Cleveland clues were false and sorrowfully they re- turned to the home of the missing lad, where the mother and sister awaited the news of their mission.
 we know no more now" said Mr Whitla today, then we did before and we seem to be no further along with the search than we were last night
 And yet in spite of all his efforts having been in vain. so far MT. Whitla and his family have not given up hope of recovering the boy, It Is the gem eral belief here that the abductors. re- alizing to what an extent the public Is aroused over the kidnapping. will not dare open up correspondence with Mir. Whitla at present but hoping that something may divert the public atten- ton. will then communicate with the father privately and await his assu- rance that the whole matter will be Kept quiet till after the boy has been returned. the reward paid and they have had time to get away.
 The father refused to sleep at all and keeps up through sheer will power. The mother, who will not allow her daughter. Salina, out of her sight. is showing the effects of the worry.
 None of the family attended church today. In nearly all the churches the subject was touchingiy alluded to- - Hundreds of letters from all over the country continue to pour In from friends and strangers alike, rendering sympathy. But among all the eorre- spondence there has been no word from the abductors nor from any one who seemed to be In any way in touch with them.
 The squad of twenty-three of the otdtS ConStduuldry WHiCn dTTlpcu HeTe last night. under Lieutenant John Van Vorhis. is undergoing an enforced idleness Owing to the State laws prohibiting an armed body of men from one State entering another, the. lieuten- ant will not allow his men to cross the Ohio line without permission. He is awaiting authority from Governor Harmon. of Ohio. a.
 A clue was secured today In which little credence Is placed, however. On March 1 the local police department received a circular announcing a re- ward for a man described as Samuel c. Leavanson. of Canton, O.. said to be wanted there for the theft of S400 Janitor W. c. Sloss. of. the school, from which Willie Whitla was taken, when shown the circular bearing a portrait of the man wanted. declared it bore a strong resemblance to the abductor.