New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-11
BOYLE LIFE PRISONER,
ACCUSES ANOTHER
LITTLE CREDENCE IN
RAMBLING STORY,
Says Brother-in-La5c of j. p. U'hitla
Planned kidnapping Wfe's
Sentence % Years.


penitentiary here tonight, shortly before
O'Clock. the former under sentence Of life i'm
prisonment, the latter sentenced to serve a
term Of twenty-five years
Sensations followed one another thick ard
fast at Mercer to-day The severity OF 4hs
sentence appalled, Mercer where IL was pro-
nounced. and surprised many elsewhere VINO
had not expected the extreme limit OF the law.
Then came the sensational scene in the court
room, when both prisoners collapsed and had TO
be carried from the room Hardly had thsv
reached their cells when the word was given
out that the woman had taken poison last night
and had narrowly escaped death at her own
hands and that razor had been found concealed
in Boyle's clothing
Before this thrill had lost its force Boyle gavs
out statement in which he tried TO impIicats
Harry Forker, brother of Mrs. whftla. in the
kidnapping case. In Mercer and Sharon the
story does not seem TO be generally credited,
and as the District Attorney has no faith in Il
there is little likelihood Of any formal action in
the matter.
The Boyles were taken cut OF Mercer 50
quietly and with so little warning that few knew
of their departure till it was over. With the
trial over, the prisoners safe in their prison
cells and the story OF another participant in the
kidnapping apparently officially discreditsd ths
famous Willie Whitla kidnapping case seems to
be at end.
BOYLES STATEMENT.
Boy1e's statement, given out to-day. foIowsr
BY James H. Boyle. Monday. May 10. 1902
The complete history Of the kidnapping ~
| Willie Whitla, the origin Of same and what led
up to IT,
On 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 pros
| trate form was Harry Forker, Of Sharon, Penn.
holding in his right hand package of letters
that gathered from the sidewalk near the
AS he was about to depart from the vicinity
| he was intercepted by the writer and a man
who has since passed to his reward. Dan shay.
a saIoonkeeper. OF Oak street, Youngstown, Ohio
In Mr.. Forker's hurry 70 leave the scene he
| failed 10 find two envelopes that contained four
/ letters The same were picked up BY Mr.. SHAY
/ and later taken to his place of business IN Oak
street The writer and Mr. Shay examined and
+ read the contents OF same, which proved be
! yond a doubt the presence or Mr.. FOrker there
I The letters were written BY a woman. two
/ from a party in New York state and the others
| from Cleveland. At later date Mr. Forksr
/ was apprised OF the fact that the writer hsId
: ssnt the writer by Mr.. Forzer. stating that hs,
/ Mr. Forker. would like TO have a personal talk
/ With the writer. which meeting took place day
\ or after Mr. For6er acknowledged he would
/ pay a sum OF money for the possession OF said
! letters The amount not being considered SUI
icient was refused and from that day on ard
until March. 1908. the writer on the pretext Hf
exposine the letters and the coincidence OF Mr.
Forker being discovered bending over the pros
trate form of Mr. Reeble, had received at DIFF
ferent times amounts OF money from Mr. Forksr
to remain silent
SAYS HE DEMANDED 5000.
About six months ago. when I returned to
Sharon with my wife met Mr.. FOrker on East
state street and informed him that unless re-
cefved $1,000 between then and the time in
tended to leave Sharon / would hold the secret
He then informed me that it was impossible
for him to get that amount OF money, but some
time in April 1909 he was 10 come in possession
| of a certain amount Of money, and would then
turn some over TO me. which was satisfactory at
/ that time -
| proceeded to Cleveland. Ohio, and on the same
evening 7 addressed to Forker- No. 2+49 East
state street, Sharon, letter which read as toi-
Mr. Harry Forker.
Dear sir. have decided not u wait any
longer in regard to the money proposition. and
if don't hear from you soon there viii be sons
/ exposing. Sincerely yours,
j J. BAILEY. Cleveland. Ohio
on March Is. 1909. 1 received an answer 20
the same. which read
Friend Bailey: You knew the circumstances
and the promise I made You when you left here
but If YOU are really desperately IN ned -
money as You profess 70 be viii outline 4 little
pIan which with YOUR cooperation can be very
enccaesfrIIIv carried out viz. the abduction -
I p Whitla's son. I can arrange 70 have boy
brought 70 Warren. Ohio. due there at IT'S
ct 3TheTs is no signature to the Iettsr.J
I left Cleveland at SIS a m, and arrived at
Warren at 10-06 a m, then Proceeded 20 NHes,
Ohio bv streetcar. I boarded an IRE tFain
and arrived az Warren at II is e NJ but falling
TO see the boy and his escort. i got on at War
ren and remained in the vicinity OF the depot
About ten minutes later boy and escort ar
rivAd and was then informed that they drove
from sharon TO Warren 1 Informed party 70
taI.s bov M along Pittsburg & Western track.
leave him there. and that would attend 20 the
rest Of it. and which he proceeded TO do AFTER
making inquiries 70 the next train 70 Cleve-
land. I brought the boy TO Niles. 0nio- ron
there to Ashtabula- and then to Cleveland
HEARS MR. wHTTIAA IS INFORMED.
On March % 7 received letter from 1fr.
Forker, stating that some one had informed Mr..
W-hitIa that they had recognized his boy on
March IS in Niles, Ohio. and that James BOYLE.
of Sharon, was with him. also that Mr. Whitla
VAS afraid TO 6Sv.Ilge the informatio for fear
the boy might come to some HARM and telling
me tc be careful and be on the alert and that
IIiba1 r received the money to immediately sur
render those youngstown letters TO send same
n him Mr. Forker. at Sharon and on Tuesday.
April % 10 return half Of the ransom money
to him. Mr. ForEer. and he would turn over the
same the party who took Willie Whitla 70
Warren
Irpon learning that my name was mentioned
in connection with the case. / made il point TO
meet Mr. Whitla personally IN Cleveland, at
53d street and ST. Claire avenue; showed him
myself also the Youngstown letters, and Mr..
WhftIa promised that II would substantiate the
truth OF the Youngstown letters he would see
there would be prosecution
7 then surrendered. through Mr.. Whitla, all
the letters that were in my possession, and tnS
world knows the result l was arrested and
convicted and deprived by my own counsel. Of
telling nv story on the stand. I informed my
wife the boy was brought in order to escape
being quarantined in the pesthouse. and we
were to be handsomely rewarded for taking cars
of him.
70 finish in regard TO the boy. and was dupsd
I IeFr he