Evening star., 1909-05-11
Accuses Whita Relative as
Chief kidnaper.
CHARGES ARE DISCREDITED
Claims He Was Promised Immunity
by Boys Father.
LETTERS USED TO BLACKMAII
Kinsman, He Says, Planned Abduc-
tion to Get Money to- Silence
Boyle About Their Contents.

MERCER, Pa, May 11.-Before he was
taken to the penitentiary. James II. Boyle.
sentenced to life Imprisonment for kid
naping Willie Whitla. issued a sensa-
tional statement, in which he charged a
prominent man OF Sharon. related to the
Whitla family, with inspiring the kidnap-
ing BoyIes statement, with the excep-
tion that "Mr. -'' is substituted wher-
appears. follows:
by James H. Boyle. Monday, May 10
1909
1.-The complete history of the kidnap-
ing of Willie Whitla, the origin OF same
and what led up to 1t.
ION the morning of - between the
hours of - Dan Reeble, jr., was found
dead on the sidewalk in front OF the
Mauser block. East Federal street,
Youngstown. and over the prostrate form
was Mr.. of Sharon. Pa, holding in
his right hand a package of letters that
was gathered from the sidewalk near the
dead body OF Mr.. Reeble.
''As he was about to depart from the
vicinity he was intercepted by the writer
and man who has since passed to his
reward, Mr.. Dan Shea, a saloonkeeper
of Oak street, Youngstown, Ohio.
Used Letters to Blackmatl.
'In Mr.. IS hurry to leave the scene
he failed to find two envelopes that con-
tanned four letters. The same were picked
up by Mr.. Shea and later taken TO his
place of business on Oak street.
The writer and Mr.. Shea examined
and read the contents of same, which
proved beyond doubt the presence of
Mr.. -- there at that time.
Int l,,l,
two from a party in New York state and
the others from Cleveland, Ohio. At a
later date Mr.. -- 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 MIR. stating that he,
Mr.. , would like to have a personal
talk with the writer. which meeting took
place day or SO after Mr.. ac-
knowledged he would pay sum of money
for the possession of said letters. The
amount, not being considered sufficient.
was refused. and from that day on and
up until March, 1908. the writer. on the
pretext of exposing the letters and the
coincidence of Mr.. - being discovered
bending over the PROSTATE form of Mr..
Reeble, had received at different times
amounts of money from Mr.. - TO re-
main silent.
Made Demand for $4,000.
"About six months ago when returned
TO Sharon with my wife l met Mr.. -
on East State street and informed him
that unless I received $4,000 between then
and the time I intended to leave Sharon
| would hold the secret no longer.
"He then informed me that 1T was i'm
possible for him to get that amount of
money. but some time in April 1909. he
was to come into possession of a certa in
amount of money, and would then turn
some over to me. which was satisfactory
at that time
''On my leaving Sharon March IL, 1909.
/ proceeded to Cleveland Ohio, and the
East State street, Sharon, d letter, which
read s follows:
Dear Sir: have decided not to wait
any longer I'm regard to the money propo-
sition, and if l don't hear from you soon
there will be some exposing. Sincerely
yours,
~. J. BAILEY, Cleveland, Ohio
Kidnapping Is Proposed.
March Is. 1909. l received an answer
to the same. which read:
Friend Bailey: You know the cir
cumstances and the promise | made you
when you left here, but if you are really
desperately in need OF money as you
II
which with your co operation can be very
successfully carried out, viz, the abduc-
tion of j. p. Whita's son. l can ar
range to have the boy brought to War
rem. Ohio, due there at Ills, with es-
cort.' "
There is no signature to the letter.
IL left Cleveland at Sis am. and ar
rived at Warren at 1906 am, then pro-
ceeded to Niles. Ohio. by street car I
boarded an Erie train and arrived ut
Nynrr nx IL hrrS foil 1ir,rr
the boy and his escort, 1 got off at War
rem and remained in the vicinity of the
depot.
Takes the Whitla Boy.
About ten minutes later boy and es-
cort arrived, and / was then informed
that they drove from Sharon to Warren.
L Informed party to take boy up along
Pittsburg and Western track. leave him
there and that l would attend to the rest
of it. and which he proceeded TO do.
After making inquiries as to the next
train to Cleveland. ] brought the boy to
Niles. Ohio: from there to Ashtabula
and then to Cleveland. March - | re-
ceived a letter from Mr. stating
that some one had Informed Mr.. Whitla
that they had recognized his boy March
Is in Niles. Ohio, and that James Boyle
of Sharon was with him; also that Mr..
Whitla was afraid to divulge the infor
nation for fear the boy might come to
some harm and telling me to be careful
and be on the alert. and that when l
received the money to Immediately sur
render those Youngstown letters, to send
same to him tMr y at Sharon. and
Tuesday. April %, to return half the
ransom money to him (Mr. --). and
he would turn over the same to the
party who took Willie Whitla to War
rem.
Says Whitla Made Promises.
Upon learning that my name was
mentioned in connection with the case l