The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-22
POLICE FOIL PLAN.
To GET WH|TLA.l LAD
FROM K|OhAPERs
FATHER LEAVES $4,000 IN PARK
As ORDERED BY A6DUCToRs
BUT POLICE OFFICERS GUARD
THE PLACE.

CLEVELAND, o., March 22.-The
police OF Ashtabula renewed the
search today for Willie Whitla. the
S-year-old son OF J. p. Whitla, promi.
nent attorney OF Sharon. Pa. who Is
held by kidnapers for $4,000 ransom.
The boy would be at home today.
no doubt. had not the police OF Ash
tabila interfered in the negotiations
that were on between NH. Whitla and
the kidnapers. The latter instructed
the father to leave $4,000 In Flatiron
park Saturday night II no detectives
were about the boy would be deliv-
cred safely to hotel at o'clock yes
terday morning
The father deposited the money as
requested and waited until o'clock,
when be went TO the park to see II
the money had been taken. II was in-
tact, however, because the police had
guarded the park To arrest the kid
napers Mr.. Whitla returned 10
Sharon yesterday, where the search Is
also being pushed.
The police OF Ashtabula are unwill-
ing TO believe that the kidnapers have
left that section OF the country. Al
though Whitla instructed them to dis
continue their search. as he believed
II useless, they are attempting to And
the hiding place OF the kidnapers.
The letter from the captors OF Billy
Whitla came To the boys parents In
Sharon Friday afternoon.
Instructions were given him. TO go
alone TO Ashtabula on Saturday night,
place the $4,000 under rock at the
base Of gorge In the park at 10
O'Clock. At 3 o'clock on the follow
ing morning, II the money was OBJ
tanned by the kidnapers. they promis-
ed that the stolen boy would be sent
10 the Smith hotel in Ashtabula. I'M
harmed
That theremight be no mistake
made. another letter, II was promised.
would be written TO Whitla under the
name OF &c. A. White" Saturday
night He was TO receive this letter
at the Smith hotel in Ashtabula. Whit
la was instructed specifically that he
was to be accompanied by no one
when he went to the park to deposit
the money.
Consuits Detectives.
Immediately on receipt Of the letter.
Whitla called in private detectives In
his employ and asked them their ad-
vice about paying the money They
were anxious to capture the kidnap-
ers and pleaded with him TO permit
them to place decoy package OF bills
at the designated spot and let officers
lie in wait and capture the men VINO
came after the money.
Whitla would not agree TO this. he
finally consented TO permit the detec-
tives to accompany him to this city
and await his summons 10 start
search for the kidnapers.
special interurban car was char
tered to carry the searchers from
Cleveland to Ashtabula In case they
were called. c. b. Perkins. of Pitts
burg. chief OF the detective squad, was
placed In charge OF the men.
At s o'clock Whitla left Cleveland
for Ashtabula. He was accompanied
by Detective McCabe. The latter was
to act as his bodyguard. but was not
10 60 with Whitla TO the park.
A few minutes after 8 o'clock, the
kidnapers. In keeping with their prom
Use, sent letter, addressed TO &C. A.
White to the Smith hotel I'm Ashta-
bula A boy, who was unknown to
any OF the clerks at the hotel, handed
the letter to Albert Temple. a night
clerk. Temple called the name out sew
eral times. and receiving no response.
threw the letter into a mail box be-
mind the counter and awaited the per-
son TO call for II.
Half an hour later. when no one
called for-the- missiye, the clerk be-
came curious and opened the envel-
ope.
Failing to grasp the importance or
the letter to the man to whom IL was
addressed, the clerk handed the letter
to q travelling man and suggested that
IL might prove a clue to the kidnapers
The latter read II and at once NOTED
Mayor 40. ID. Cook and Chief OF Po-
lice ]. w. Laskey. The mayor order
ed all of his police to institute a
search for the captors.