Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-22
SEARCH FOR BOY
GOES VAINLY ON
FRIENDS OF WILLIE WHlTLA
FOLLOW ALL CLEWS
FATHER RETURNS FROM CLEVE-
LAND, DIsHEARTENEp
Parents of Child Stolen for Ransom
Almost Observation-Disclosures
Forced to Deny
Visitors
tBy Associated Press. !

| SHARON, Pa, March al.
Whitla, father of Willie Whitla, tn
kidnapped boy, returned today from
fruitless trip to Cleveland.
I'VE know no more now said M
Whitla, than we did before"
1t is the general belief here that tn
abductors, realizing to what an exten
| the public is aroused over the kfdnap
| ing, will not dare to open up CORE
| spondence with Mr.. Whitla until tn
excitement has abated.
The terrible anxiety and uncertaint
| as to their little sons fate has had 1t
effect on both of the parents TIL
| father refuses to sleep at all, and keep
up through sheer will power.
| The mother, who will not allow he
daughter, Salina, out of her sight, l
| showing the effects of the worry ant
physicians gave orders today that sh
be not allowed to see any visitors.
Hundreds of letters continue to pou
| in from friends and strangers alike
| rendering sympathy.
The squad of twenty-three of tn
state constabulary, which arrived her
| last night, is undergoing enforced idle
| ness, owing to the state law prohibit
| ing an armed body of men from on
state entering another. :,
CLEVELAND, March 2.-The full
story of the frustrated attempt to pay
over $4,000 in ransom for the return OF
Willie Whitla became known today.
j. P Whitla, the father, was in
structed in a 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 in hotel
at Ashtabula at o'clock this morning.
Whitla left the money as directed,
but the Ashtabula police learned of the
plans to pay the ransom and went to
the park The kidnaperS are supposed
to have seen them, for at O'Clock the
money was intact and not man had
approached the spot at which it was
left.
Whitla had a score of detectives and
twenty-three members of the 'Pennsyl-
vania constabulary in readiness in this
city to start a search for the kidnapers
as soon as he had recovered the boy.
Whitla fears the failure to effect a
settlement with him last night Will
brighten the kidnapers and they VIII
not communicate with him again.
The letter from the captors of the
boy came to the parents in Sharon, Pa,
on Friday. Instructions were given
Whitla to go alone to Ashtabula Satur-
day night and place the $4,000 at 10
p. m. under the base of rock in the
park. If the money was obtained by
the kidnapers they promised that the
stolen boy would be sent to the Smith
hotel in Ashtabula unframed. Whitla
was instructed specifically that he was
to be accompanied by no one when he
went to deposit the money.
Calls in Detectives
Immediately on receipt of the letter
Whitla called in private detectives in
his employ They wanted to place de-
coy package of bills at the designated
spot, but Whitla would not agree to
this. He finally consented to permit
the detectives to accompany him to
this city and await his summons to be-
gin a search for the kidnapers.
Whitla left Cleveland for Ashtabula
at o'clock. He was accompanied by
Detective McCabe. The latter was to
act as his bodyguard, but was not to
go with Whitla to the park
In keeping with their promise in
their first letter the kidnapers sent a
second letter a few minutes after 8
o'clock addressed to G.. A. White, care
If the Smith hotel, Ashtabula.
When no one called for the missive
lalf an hour later the clerk became
curious and opened the envelope, and
Mayor Cook and Chief of Police Las
Sey were apprised of it's contents.
The mayor ordered all of his police |
o institute search for the captors.
Whitla left the package of bills in |
he park PROMPTLY at 8 o'clock. He |
vent to the designated place alone, |
ceiling certain that his compliance |
With the request of the kidnapers |
would prove the means of delivering |
lis boy back to him.
Three policemen who had been sent |
ut from the Ashtabula central station
aw Whitla leave the money in the |
ark. They told Chief Laskey of their
iscovery and received instructions to
emain on guard at the park and cap
ure the kidnapers should they appear.
Whitla returned to the city in the
Meantime. and had established COM
1unication with his detectives in
Cleveland. They advised him to go to
he hotel for his boy exactly at the
Ime set. He promised to observe the
rders.
WhitIa started after his boy five
ours later. On the way policeman
lformed him that three of their num-
err had been on guard at the park
nd no one had called for the money.
Whitla was overcome at this news.
lie went to the park and found his
ackage of money undisturbed. Dur
lg the remainder of the night and all
ay today the officers searched in vain
lie country around Ashtabula.
Whitla came to Cleveland and re-
lrned later to Sharon.
Tony Muscarelli, aged 10. said to-
light it was he who carried the note
'om the kidnapers to the hotel. He
lid himself and another boy were met
4 the street by a man who told them
take the note. The boys describe
lie man as being of dark complexion,
bout so years old and weighing $40
)unds.
A man and a boy believed to be
4 1t Ii !
ere detained by the police of Cuya-
oga Falls tonight. The man claims
: is from Harrisburg, Pa.