The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-03-26
FATHER Gets
WILLIE WHITLA
Boy Returned 10 Him Upon Pay
ment Of $4,000
PROPOSITION OF KIDAAPPERS

Acting as Agent and Receiving the
Ransom-chiId Disguised and Put
Aboard Street Car, Which Quickly
Brought Him to Parent In Hotel
Cleveland, March 23.-Willie Whit
la, who has caused the police of the
entire country endless worry since he
was kidnapped from school in Sharon,
Pa, last Thursday. was returned to
his father at the Hollenden hotel here
last night at $3.50 o'clock.
In compliance with an agreement
boys father and an agent of the kid
nappers here, the boy was placed on
a street car on the outskirts of the
city and started to the hotel shortly
after o'clock.
Two boys, G. w. Ramsey and Ed
ward Mahoney, recognized the lad
on the car, and, taking him in
charge, conducted him to his father,
who was in waiting, according to a
prearranged plan which he had fol-
lowed at the dictation of the kidnap-
pers.
The boy wandered about the hotel
lobby unannounced for several min
utes, asking bellboys for his father,
before the latter knew his son was in
the big foyer.
The moment Whitla heard that a
strange boy was in the hotel saunter-
ing about in aimless fashion, he
rushed across the lobby, grasped him
in his arms and smothered his face
with kisses.
An attempt had been made to dis
guise the lad. He wore a pair of
smoked glasses and a large tan cap,
which was pulled down over his ears,
and the father said it would have been
difficult to have recognized the boy in
such garb had he passed him on the
street.
Willie is In good health. He says
that he has been well treated, and
ever since his capture has been con-
taken from Sharon to Warren, and
thence to Newcastle, Pa. 1t is his
opinion, expressed in a happy school
boy way, that he was in Ashtabula
on Saturday night at the time his
father was to leave his $40 900 in
Flatiron park.
Mr.. Whitla said that he received
a letter Monday from the ddnappers
at his home in Sharon, saying that if
he called at a confectionery store in
the east end of Cleveland he would
be told how to secure his boy I'M
harmed and well fed"
Shortly after noon he left Sharon
for Cleveland. He was unaccom- |
panied. His immediate family and |
the private detectives he had in his |
employ had been apprised by him of |
the proposed meeting, but he insisted
that he must make the trip alone, I'M
heralded, and that no attempt at the |
capture Of the kidnappers must then
be made.
Mr.. Whitla was certain that If he
spoiled the plans of his sons captors
asst night he would never see the lad
again. His experience at Ashtabula
served as a warning.
About o'clock Monday afternoon
he went to a candy store in the west
end. With him he carried the $I0,-
100, expecting that it would be de-
handed of him there. He was met by
/ woman. who detailed to him the
erms of the hdnappers. With dis
racted eagerness Whitla agreed to
hem Immediately. Half an hour later
lie returned to the Hollenden hotel
nd awaited developments.
In the meantime Willie, feeling
safe in the hands of his
for he was being treated
indy and even now does not realize
he danger he was in, was being pre-
AIRED for his return to his father.
The woman at the candy store had
one her duty. She communicated
nth the captors of the boy and told
hem that the father had made no at
empt to trap them. The hdnappers
ere satisfied. Il
But Whitla declines to name the ;
oman in charge of the confectionery
ore and almost dares the police to {
nd her. So the boy was brought |
ON the hiding place-where it was
0 one knows-to a car line in the
lst end Of the city which brought him q
Ito town quickly.
Before retiring for the night Whitla {
United that he had paid $40 200 to B
Ie woman in the candy store. Il was
currency and bills. The woman J
d not count the money. Whitla
sleeves the woman was an Italian, O
II he refuses TO dislose her identity. {
Mrs. Whitla Hears the News
Sharon, Pa, March 23.-The first n
t Of J P. Whitla, upon the recoy- r
y Of his son in Cleveland, was TO h
II his wife over the long distance
lephone and tell her that Willie d
rs safe in his arms again. Mrs. Il
hitla, evidently expecting the news. q
anifested the most perfect self n
ntrol. Not only was the family
enjoyed at the receipt Of the news, Il
{ the entire community seems to be s,
airing their happiness and a great
is being arranged. a.