The San Francisco call., 1909-03-22
Boys RANSOM
MONEY DODGfD
BY kIDNAP[RS
Father Places $4,000 in Park
as Instructed in Letter
Sent to Home
Second Missive Causes Mayor
of Ashtabula to Dispatch
Police After AbductOrs

FOnCe A1Ief AD0uCt0rS
CLEVELAND, o., March 21.-The full
story of the frustrated attempt to pay
over $4,000 in ransom for the return
of Willie Whitla became known to-
day. ]. P. Whitla, the father, was in
structed in letter from the kidnapers
TO leave the money in Flatiron park
Saturday night. If no detectives were
about, the kidnapers promised they
would secure the money and deliver
the boy safely to the father at the
Hotel Smith, Ashtabula, at 3 o'clock
this morning
Whitla deposited the money as re-
quested, but the Ashtabula police
learned of the plans to pay the ran
som and went to the park The kid
napers are supposed to have seen
them, for at o'clock the money was
intact and not a man had approached
the spot at which it was left.
Kidnapers Seem Frightened
Whitla had score of detectives
and % members of the Pennsylvania
constabulary in readiness in this city
to start a search for the kidnapers as
soon as he had secured the boy.
whitla believes that the failure to
effect a settlement with him last night
will frighten the kidnapers and they
will not communicate with him again
The letter from the captors of Will
lie came to the boys parents in Sharon,
Pa. Friday afternoon. He called in
private detectives, who wanted to place
decoy package of bills at the desig-
mated spot, but WhitIa did not agree
with this. Finally he consented to
permit the detectives to accompany
him TO this city and await his sum-
mons to start a search for the kid
napers.
Promised Letter Sent
At 8 o'clock whitla left Cleveland
for Ashtabula, accompanied by Detec-
tive McCabe. A few minutes after
9 o'clock the kidnapers, in keeping
with their promise in their first let
ter, sent a second letter addressed to
C. A. White at the Smith, hotel.
AS no one called for the missive, the
clerk opened the envelope and Mayor
Cook and Chief of Police Laskey were
apprised of its contents. The mayor
ordered all the police to institute a
search for the kidnapers.
Promptly at 10 o'clock whitla left
went to the designated spot alone
Money Left Undisturbed
Three policemen, who had been sent
out from the Ashtabula central sta
tion, saw Whitla deposit the money.
Five hours later Whitla started aft
er his boy. On the way policeman
informed him that three officers had
been on guard at the park and no one
had called for the money.
Whitla was overcome at this news
He went to the park and found his
package of money undisturbed. Dur
ing the remainder of the night and
all day today the officers in vain
searched the country around Ashtabula.
Whitla came to Cleveland and later
returned to Sharon.
A man and a boy, believed to be
Willie Whitla and one Of his kidnapers.
were detained tonight by the police of
Cuyahoga Falls. The man says he is
from Harrisburg, Pa.
Parents Near Collapse
SHARON, Pa, March eli p. Whit
la. father of Willie Whitla, the kid
naped boy, returned today from a fruit
less trip to Cleveland.
1--WE know no more now" said Whit
la, "than we did before
1t is the general belief here that the
with whitla until the excitement has
abated.
The terrible anxiety and uncertainty
as TO their little boys fate have had
their effect on both his parents The
father refuses to sleep at all, and keeps
up through sheer will power. The
mother, who will not allow her daugh-
ter, Salina. out OF her sight, is show
| ing the effects of the worry and to-
day physicians gave orders that she
be not allowed to see any visitors
Hundreds of letters from all over
the country continue to pour in from
friends and strangers alike, rendering
/ sympathy
While in Cleveland, it is said, Whitla
met a representative of the kidnapers
and agreed to pay the ransom de-
manded and guaranteed there would
be no prosecution.
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