The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-23

back home all right and just sup
posed Mr.. Zones was one of my
friends, who was treating me nice
because you wanted him to treat
me THAT way, papa. -
The boy told his story slowly. At
times he stopped and lSissed and
bugged his father The father sat
as in trance. The music of his
boys voice seemed TO charm him
as no music ever had before. A
minrIte after the lad Finished his
narrative and the detectives were
standing around, admiring him.
the father said:
"Willie. / am happier tonight
than I have ever been before in my
life"
Little Willie slipped his arms
around his fathers neck and inn
printed kiss on his fathers lips.
The tears rolled down Whitlas
cheeks He gazed at the child for
a moment, and then stroking the
blond locks of Willie, he said
slowly:
God bless you, my darling boy
Whitla handed the boy TO Detec-
tive Perkins. and reached into
grip, produced a little night dress
fo- the boy. The gown has been
In the grip constantly since the boy
was laidnaped. The father has al
ways been determined that his child
should have a good nights rest
after his being found SO, in Sight
of the detectives. Whitla stripped
the little sweater. pants, stockings,
shoes and underclothes. the SAINT
ones that the boy wore away when
Re was kidnapped, from off the ciilds
form, and rcbimg him In the might
gown. prepared him for bed.
| The father and son knelt down
and prayed and then the little fell
low was tucked into his bed by
his father. He was asleep in a
few minutes.
At a conference with Captain
Shabtuck OF the Cleveland police
Whitla said he believed his boy
had been drugged aiter being taken
from school b ythe llidnaytr. He
came TO the conclusion, he said. be
cause OF the fact that the boy was
able to tell a fairly consecutive
story of his capture and trip TO
the lair of the kidnapers az ra
as Warren. The fact that Willie
fell asleep On the car between War
Ten and the Dlace the had believes
was New Castle Is considered fur
ther evidence of drugging,
Whit'a Is also of the opinion
that his son has been I'm 0leve-
land during al part OF the time
he has been in the hands of the
l0idnapers. lie says the fact that
one of the letters he received from
his boys capors were mailed in
Cleveland and that he held n coz
ference with an agent of the kid
naDers here. leads him TO this
conclusion.
Although Cleveland police believe
the agent who met Whitla in the
East End candy store is a party to
the kidDaping plot, Whltla refuses to
agree with them He says he thinks
the woman merely acted as am inter-
mediary in order to aid in the safe
return OF the boy. He asked the po-
lice not to arrest the woman all
though he has a fair idea of her
identity.
Whitla gave little announcement
to the police when they wanted to
start their search immediately after
the return of the boy.
yEWhy. men, while / appreciate the
great courtesy you are showing me
in Offering to trace down the kid
napers, cannot help you much at
this time" he said. 81 ann 50 happy
over the return of my boy that
have given htte consideration TO the
arrest Of his captors.
~Aiter the lad is safe at home with
his mother; after l have seen her
grasp him in her arms: after | have
seen the boy playing with his iittle
schoolmates again. then will be
glad TO talk about the capture of the
kidnapers. But now cannot give
you a dednite plan to work on. I"