The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-23
BILLY WHITLA
Continued from Page One.

fully 200O persons were gathered
In the hallway and lobbies of the
hotel. Those who were unable to
get into the hotel stood on the
sidewalk and shouted for a glimpse
OF the boy. Again and again they
called his name, and 6mplored his
father TO bring him out and let
them look at him.
whitla acquiesced, and carrying
the boy on his shoulders, walked
down into the lobby. Mounting
q raised platform in the center Of
the lobby, Whhtla gave everyone a
chance to see both father and re-
covered son.
legs and face under the coat
Cries of "Speech Speech" caus-
ed whitla to say a few words.
His quavering voice was too full
OF Joy for him to make con-
nected speech, hut he poured out
the happiness of his heart in the
few words he uttered
Wfah his right arm around the
boys neck and little Wille's head
nesting into the folds OF his
fathers coat, the father said:
"This Is my son. He was lost
and Is found again. IL live n
thousand years | can never do
enough to repay the press, the po-
lice and the people, who have all
done noble work in helping me
find my boy and II extending their
sympathy to me ana to my family
and relatives"
When Whftla ceased speaking
there were demands for few
words from the boy. The lad,
for the first time showed signs OF
fright. Upon being restored to his
feet, he wrapped his 'daddies"
Whitla gently drew the lads head
from oCt of the folds Of the coat
and told him TO say something to
the cheering hundreds. The boy
turned Ids face upward But he
could not speok. The tears, big
ger than rain drops, coursed down
his cheeks Again the crowd cheer
ed and the boy was lifted from
tine platform by his father and re-
turned to his room.
Whftla refused TO see any one in
his room until after ne had per-
sonally thanked the Mahoney and
Ramsey boys, who brought Willie
TO the hotel. He made each OF
them substantial gift
Wnatla received the newspaper
men later. Willie. told his story
as best he could. II was not lucid
in every way, but it was romantic
from his childish lips. He could
not remember every place he had
been. but he gave ain idea Of his
travels so that 1t viii be possible
for the police to cOEerya part of
the trail made by the kidnapers.
Papa said the boy in a tone
of childish prattle, ri have been
buggy riding, been on cars and in
a nice big white house that look
ed like a hospital I have been
nice and had lots OF good
things to eat.
zone man, tall, with black
mustache, came to the school house
Thursday and told my teacher.
Mrs Anna Lewis, that you wanted
me at your Office. went out TO
a buggy with him. | Igot in and
then he got On. Then we rode away.
On the way down town ne asked
me to address a letter to you
did this and then dropped II into
a madl OK. He was aw6ulIy kind.
fWe went from Sharon to War
ren. We had the nicest trip. The
man, who was the same one who
rought me to the car line, was
nice TO me. He tucked the robe
about my legs and made me com
Portable. II was a nice ride and
! enjoyed dt. Gee, he was good.
when we got to a place the
man said was Warren the man left
the buggy in the road. Then we
got on what ] think was an cleo
trlc car. ] don't just remember
what 1t was, but Il was some
thing like a sbreet car. don't
know what became of the horse
and buggy ] was sleepy when we
got on the car and slept much
of the way to the place we were
going.
when We got to a town that
the man called New Castle he took
me to a big building and turned
me over to woman who was good
to me. The hospital, or whatever
the building was, was clean
place. There was a man there
who think was a doctor. He
idooked like a doctor. because he
had whiskers, short gray whiskers
'"The people in the hospital told
me that I mpst do Just what they
told me Ito do. II did not obey
then they said they would take me
to place called the pesthouse.
where folks that have smallpox
have to go. II was not a clean
or pretty place to 90. they told me.
| would have been good anyhow
hut when ] Thought there was any
chance OF having TO go to the
pesthouse I did NOT do thing
that ] should not have done, |
walked the chalk like a good hoy.
papa, like you've told me TO do
"On Saturday night I was taken
away from the hospital. and think
we went to. town called Ashtabula
We travelled in a buggy and ON
foot. Early In the morning we
went back to the hospital I
heard one of the men say: There.
will be nothing doing ] guess.
~ might have been rdght here in
Cleveland though. papa. Tor some