Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-21
Efforts of Searchers Centered
at Warren, Ohio.
WOMAN TO BE ARRESTED
Trooper of State Constabulary Ask:
Sharon Police to Act.
RAILROAD DETECTIVES STORY
Tells of Child and Man on Train
Who Got OF at Ashtabula.
Parents Are Distracted.

SHARON, Pa, March o0.-The search
for William Whitla-the eightyear-old
son OF Attorney James P. Whitla of this
city. kidnapped from school Thursday
and spirited away in buggy
centers about Warren, Ohio, tonight, near
which place the boy was reported seen
two nights ago, and where the buggy IN
which he was taken from here was found.
The many police and detectives. assist
ed by q squad of twenty-three members
Of tho Pennsylvania state constabulary.
besides the friends OF the bereaved fam
lily, are thoroughly exploring every spot
around Buffalo, n. Y. In the hope OF Sc
curing evidence that will lead to the cap
ture of the a:bductors and the return of
the boy to hts parents.
One Of three members Of the state con-
stabulary who has been in and about
Sharon for the past two days assisting In
the search for the kidnapped boy and who
has been shadowing a woman from
Youngstown, Ohio, tonight called upon
Martin Grain. chief Of police Of this city.
to ask the aid Of the Sharon police in
securing the arrest of the woman.
No Clue to 90 On.
The father of the missing lad stated to-
night that there were no developments
today in the quest for his child. Warren
w. Schilling, a business associate Of Mr..
WnitIa, who has been giving his UNI
divided attention to directing the invest1-
CATION, said that the family was as much
at sea regarding the whereabouts of lit
tie Willie as On the morning of his dis
,s~a%
that the efforts of the searchers We're
directed largely to districts around home
Frank II. Bull, the millionaire uncle
Of the missing boy, returned from C!eve-
land today, where he had gone to inves-
tigate the report that the boy had been
found and that his abductorS had been
captured.
Mr.. Bull said his visit had been futile
and that all rumOrs emanating from the
Forest city had proved incorrect. Mr..
Buhl said he had an idea that the boy
would be found near youngstown, Ohio.
A long conference was held this after
noon in Mr.. Whitla's office, in which De-
tective J. i. Ward of Philadelphia. Mar
tin Grain. chief Of police Of this city. and
others taking q prominent part in the
search for Mr.. Whitlas son, participated.
Shortly after the conference several
officers left for parts unknown>on mis-
sion about which they would say moth
Ing. 1t was intimated that definite
clue als to the whereabouts of the boy
and the kidnapers had been received and
the men were on their way to investi-
gate.
The WhftIa family and their close
friends are extremely secretive in regard
to all matters concerning the search for
their son. However, today they denied
several sensational runlors published in
various papers and said that they had re-
ceived no communication whatever from
the men who had abducted their boy and
that they did not know where to reach
them.
No Reply to Advertisements.
According to Mr.. Schilling, Mr.. Whitla
has heard nothing from teh advertise
ments he inserted in the various papers
as specified in tho letter received from
the kidnapers.
However. the failure Of the abductors to
send any answer to the reply to their let
ter, he said, was not causing any addi-
tional worry on the score of injury to the
Doy or or more ransom being demanded.
Mr.. Schilling said he believed they
som larger at the start If they had in
tended to ask for more than they did.
1t is quite possible, it seems to me-
said Mr.. Schilling. that. having the
whole matter long and wen planned.
they have made sure OF putting the boy
where they can lay their hands on him
and have been accommodating In the
meantime, SO as to safeguard themselves.
Another thing | would like to say posi-
lively is that there is no limit placed in
the letter. as to the time in which the
ransom should be paid"
Attorney Whitla received news today
that boy answering the description Of
his son was seen entering Ashtabula,
the story. Conductor John Biakeley Of
the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
railway, noticed the boy and man whose
appearance tallies with that of the kid
naper, as they got on the train at War
rem, Ohio.
The boy sat several seats in front of
the man.. When questioned as to where
he was going, he seemed afraid to an
swer, and looked back at the man who
got on at Warren.
The man and the boy left the train at
the man asking how to reach
harbor by trolley.
Judge B. M. wilkins of Trumbull coun-
ty. Ohio, today granted permission to the
twenty-three members OF the Pennsylva-
mia state police to search every house in
Trumbull county for the boy.
Parents are Distracted.
The parents Of the missing lad are al
most distracted over his disappearance
and their inability to find him.
Mr.. Whitla shows plainly the effects Of
the great strain OF the past sixty hours.
He steadfastly refuses to take rest and
Is determined to leave nothing undone to
recover his son.
Mrs. Whitla remains at her home. at
tended constantly by her daughter Sa-
lima, whom she has not left out of her
sight since the disappearance Of Willie.
Only close friends of the family venture
to intrude on the mother.
They say she is bearing I'D we'll ,lnder
the strain and speaks hopefully OF the re-
turn of her boy, although sorroWing that
the time is so long.
Tn arrival Of the state constabulary has
raised the hopes of the people generally
that something will happen soon OF a
definite nature.
The coming of the state police. Mr..
Schilling was careful to explain to-
night, was at the instance of District
Attorney J. Mede Lininger. Mr.. WhitIa.
he said, had no hand in the matter
His concern" Mr.. Schilling contin-
ued. lis over the boy and not over the
capture of the criminals
Boy May Be in Warren.
WARREN. Ohio. March 2o-Warren to-
night Is alive with detectives in search of
Willie Whitla, the Sharon boy who was
Thursday. The general opinion
IS that the boy is located in or near War
rem.
This city is the last place where the
child was seen. The detectives believe
local friends of the kidnapers have the
boy.
Tonight troop Of Pennsylvania con-
stabulary, in charge of a local denutv