Little Falls herald., 1909-03-26
RANSOM IS PAID
Kidnapped Pennsylvania Boy Re.
i turned TO His Father.
latter GIVES up $4,000
Goes to Cleveland unaccompa.
/ MED and Secures Child.

MED and secures CnlI0.
Cleveland, March 23.-Little Willie
Whitla, who caused the police OF the
entire country worry since he was
Kidnapped from school in Sharon last
Thursday, was returned to his father
1t the Hollenden hotel here. In com
Dliance with an agreement entered
into between the kidnapped boys faith
or and an agent of the kidnappers
here the boy was placed on q street
ear on the outskirts Of the city and
started to the hotel. Two boys, g. w.
Ramsey and Edward Mahoney, recog-'
mixed the lad on the car and taking
him in charge conducted him to his
father, who was in waiting according
20 q prearranged plan which he had
followed at the dictation of the kid
nappers. The boy wandered about
1.-THE hotel lobby unannounced for sew
leral minutes asking bell boys for his
father before the latter knew his son
! was in the big foyer. The moment
the anxions parent heard that a
strange boy was in the hotel saunter-
ing In aimless fashion he rushed
across the lobby, grasped him in his
prms and su,othered his face with
kisses.
An attempt had been made to dis
guise the lad.
He wore a pair of smoked glasses
and large tan cap, which was pulled
down over his ears, and the father
said it would have been difficult to
have recognized the boy in such a
garb had he passed him On the street.
Well Treated by His Captors.
Willie is in perfect health. He says
that he had been we'll treated and
ever since his capture has been con-
stantly indoors. He believes he was
taken from Sharon to Warren and
thence to Newcastle, Pa. 1t is his
opinion, expressed in a happy school
boy way, that he was in Ashtabula on
Saturday night at the time his father
was to leave his $4,000 in Flatiron
park. Whitla at first refused to state
whether he had paid the ransom or
not He said that he received a let
ter from the kidnappers at his home
In Sharon saying that if he called at
q confectionery store in the east end
Of Cleveland he would be told how to
secure his boy unharmed and "well
fed."
He went to Cleveland unaccompa-
MED. His immediate family and the
private detectives he had in his EN-
p]oy he apprised of the proposed Sc
cret meeting, but insisted that he
make the trip alone. Every one OF
them was warned that he must be al
lowed to 60 unheeded and no attempt
et the capture Of the kidnappers now
be made. Whitla was certain that il
be spoiled the plans of his sons cap
tors he would never see the lad again.
His experience at Ashtabula served as
warning.
He went to candy store in the
east end. With him he carried the
$4,000, expecting that it would be
demanded Of him there He was met
by a woman who detailed to him the
terms Of the kidnappers. With all
the eagerness of distracted parent
Whitla agreed to them Immediately.
Whit]a returned to the Hollenden
hotel and awaited developments.
Unaware Of His PeriE.
In the meantime little Willie, the
Kidnapped boy, feeling comparatively
safe, in the hands of his kidnappers,
for he was being treated kindly and
even at this time does not realize
what terrible danger he was in, was
being prepared 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.
The, kidnappers were satisfied. But
Whitla senior declines to name the
woman in charge of the confectionery
store and almost dares. the police to
locate her. So the boy was brought
from his hiding place-where it was
east end OF the city, which would
bring him into town quickly. The kid.
napper placed the boy on the car
paid his fare, and with: a friendly
wave OF his hand to the little boy
disappeared in the darkness.
Before retiring for the night Mr.
: Whitla admitted that he had paid
j $4,000 to the woman in the candy
store. 1t was in currency and bills
The woman did notecount the money
MIR. Whitla believes the woman was
m Italian, bat he refuses to disclose
her identity s.
REPAIRING ST0CKADE FENCES