The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-03-25
STOLEN BOY RECOVERED.
Bandits Restore Boy to His Father Mon.
day Night in Hotel at CIeve-
land, Ohio.
GOT THE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

man went to one of the Public
School buildings in Sharon, Pa,
about half past 8 o'clock last
Thursday morning, and told the
teacher that little Willie Whitla,
eight years of age, was wanted at
home. The teacher excused the
boy, and it was not until after
dinner time that it was found that
the person calling at the school
for the boy was kldnaper.
The kidnapers informed Mr..
Whitla that he could have his boy
for $4,000, and also informed
him where to put the money so
they could get 1t and not be
caught by the officers, and init
mated that they would kill the
boy if the terms were not com.
piled with. Ten thousand dollars
seemed like a good deal of money
but money was not to be compar
ed with the life of their precious
boy, and he let them know that
he would pay the money. His In
structions were to leave the mon.
ey at certain place IN a park at
Ashtabula, O on Saturday night,
and at 3 o'clock Sunday morning
the boy would be delivered to
him at a certain hotel. He placed
the money as directed, and wait
ed for the boy; but the bandits
were afraid to go to to the place
for the money, and at 3 o'clock,
Mr.. Whltla went to the park and
got his money.
Mr.. Whltla later got another
letter telling him to go to Cleve.
land and ut 2 o'clock, Monday aft
ernoon, Call alone at certain
candy store IN the East end of the
city, and there he would be told
how to get his boy. With the
$4,000 IN five, ten, and twenty
dollar bills, together with all the
letters he had gotten from them,
he called at the candy store
promptly on time and there met
heavily yelled woman who ex-
amined the money carefully to
see that none of it was counter
felt, and looked at the letters.
After taking the cash, she apol-
oglzed to Mr.. Whitla for the sor.
row and trouble they had occas-
loIed him and his wife, but told
him to return to the Hollenden
hotel in that city and wait patient.
ly until 8 o'clock that evening,
and the boy would be there. Mr..
Whitla went to the hotel as dl.
rected, and while he puffed away
constantly at one cigar after an
other, he never experienced such
long afternoon before, and when
So'clock came and his boy was
not there, he became almost fran.
tic with grief. He felt now that
he had been duped again, and
that both boy and money were
gone.
AT $50 o'clock little boy with
his cap pulled well down over his
ears, pushed his way through
the crowd to the desk of the
clerk in the Hollenden hotel and
asked eagerly, where's my Pa.
pa" The kindly face of the clerk
was turned upon the inquirer,
and he SAID, "Who Is your papa?"
But the ears of the balf.crazed
father sitting back IN a corner
had been quick to catch the fa
mlliar tones, and he sprang for
ward, grasping the boy and GOV
ering his face with kisses, the
stolen boy was again in his faith.
er's arms.
In the meantime little Willie,
the kidnaped boy, feeling com
paratively safe In the hands of the
kidnapers, for he was being treat
ed kindly and even at this time
does not realize what terrible dan
der he was in, was beng prepar.
ed for his return to his father
The woman at the candy store
had done her duty. She COM
municated with the captors of
the boy and TOLD them that the
father had made no attempt TO
trap them.y The kidnapers were
satisfied. So the boy was brought
from bis hiding place--where II
was no one knows--tc a car line