The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-25
IDENTIFIES
 KIDNAPPERS Whitla Family Visit Cleveland Jail. MYSTERY SURROUNDS CASE Parents of Boy Will Probably Drop
 Prosecution. Prosecuting Attorney of Cleveland Will Prefer Charges of BIackmail Against Kidnappers If
 Whitla Refuses To
 Prosecute.

Cleveland, O.. March 24-Willie iwhitla today identified the man and woman held on suspicion by the Cieve- land police, as the persons who kid mapped him from the school at sharon, Pa, last Thursday, and held him for the s1o,000 ransom. which was paid by his father. Attorney James P. Whit la, Monday.
 Willie said the man. who gave the name of James H. Boyle. was the one who took him from school and carried him through circuitous route to Cleveland. then to Ashtabula. back to this city and placed him in the house in the east end, where he was held un- til the money was paid. Willie declar- ed that the woman was the one who cared for him at the house where he was detained. and who acted the part of a nurse.
 Boyle said the woman is his wife. The police have no other Identification of the couple than the names given. So far as the man is concerned, the po- lice believe the name is correct. Boyle is said to reside in Sharon. and Is a plumber. He is said to have a. widowed mother four brothers and sister.
 The woman who Is accredited with being the wife of Boyle. declared soon after her arrest that her Identification would cause a sensation in Sharon.
 When the Identification was complet- ed MT. Whitla would say nothing re. garding the woman. He said he knew Boyle slightly.
 Immediately after Willie Whitla had seen the man apd women at the Gen. tral Police Station. the Whitlas were taken to the county court house and II They were examined for the purpose of aiding the jury in its attempt to find an indictment against the two prison ers. The charge. under the laws of Ohio. against the man and woman, if an indictment was found. will be black mall. This is based upon the payment of the s10.0o0 ransom money paid by MT. whitia--
 As Boyle and his wife are held by the police on suspicion only. an indfct- ment will afford meahs of placing them under arrest formally and then they can be held indefinitely.
 Immediately after leaving the grand lie and the janitor of the sharon school, which Willie attended. left for Sharon.
 As the prisoners have not waived Identification. they will be held here two or three days until the necessary
 
 be arranged between the Governors of Ohio and Pennsylvania
 A Woman Suicides.
 A woman known as Mary Diener, who, the police say, may have been an assistant of the kidnappers. or was fn,- plicated in the plot. committed suicide today by drinking morphine. The wo- man drank the poison while standing in front of drug store in the East End mot far from the house in which Willie Whitla was detained there. She died In an ambulance while being ta- ken to hospital. Attorney whitla. accompanied by Mrs. Whitla. their son and daughter, Willie and Salina: a boy schoolmate: Harry Croker, brother of Mrs. Whit la; aJnitor Sloss Chief of Police Crane:' Detective Kempler; District At torney Lininger; Former District At torney Cochran. and Detective Ward. all of Sharon, arrived here at l o'clock today. Their purpose was to identify the two prisoners if possible. Imms- diately after their arrival they went to the Hollenden Hotel.
 Two private detectives who repra- sented Whftla. first went to the police station in an effort to see Chief of Po- lice Koehler to arrange for identifca- ton. At once there was a clash The chief would not admit the detectives and stated that he'would have nothing to do with them and would deal only with Whitla and his son. This was re ported to Whitla and another dispute occurred which promised for time to stop the Identification proceedings Whitla telephoned to the chief. from the hotel that he had arrived and that he was ready to see the chief. Chief Koehler replied hotly that he was at the police station. where the prisoners were being held, and that Whitla could see him there if he cared to assist in the prosecution of the man and wo- man in custody. MT. Whitla then went to the police station but was not al- lowed to see the prisoners himself. He was informed by the chief that the only Identification he desired was that which the boy Willie could make. The chief also told MT. Whitla that if he did not care to make the Identification fin the usual manner. he could return to sharon and that the prisoners would be prosecuted here on the charge of blackmail.
 The father of the boy who was stolen then agreed to have Willie see the man and woman. An hour later Mir and Mrs. Whitla. their children and Janitor Sloss appeared before the chief of police.
 The man was the -Arst one taken before them. Boyle was a little pale and nervous. There was a faint smile on his lips. He was seated before the party, which formed a semi-circle in front of him.
 Chief Kohler asked Willie If he had ever seen the man before. Sure, said Willie. brightly. why. that is the man left Sharon with He took me to Cleveland. then to Ashtabula and back to Cleveland"
 The boy was asked the same ques- ton again to make certain of his memory, and again the lad declared he was positive.
 "He had a mustache when first saw him at the school house." Willie sup nlemented, but he must have cut 1t off later This Is the way he looked when I last saw him in Cleveland"
 Smiled Systematically.
 Boyle smiled sarcastically through out the recital but said not word. He eyed his accusers defiantIy. When willie concluded, Boyle was taken back to his cell and the woman was brought in.
 She was defiant and naughty in her yemeanor Blankly she stared at SNhitla and the other members of the marty. Her only relapse from the i'm