Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-23

RANSOM PAID ABDUCTORS
Receive $4,000 Package and Sur
render Boy at Cleveland.
ESCAPE, LEAVING NO TRACE
Detectives Continue Work on the
Case Despite Fathers Apparent
Unwillingness to Prosecute.

SHARON, Pa, March 23.-Willie Whit
la, the ransomed boy, after an expert
ence of five days with kidnapers. was re-
turned to his mothers arms few min-
utes after IL o'clock today.
The reunion took place around the fam
lily hearthstone in the Whitla home. and
no prying eyes were permitted to witness
the greeting Of mother and son. only the
immediate relatives of the family being
present at the joyful Homecoming Of the
lad.
Accorded an ovation by the populace OF
Sharon that could not have been heartier,
the little fellow and his father arrived
here at 1905 this afternoon, after an alb
sence of 125 hours. Fully 5000 persons
extended them a demonstratire greeting
Pushing their way through the dense
crowd surrounding the railroad station
Mr.. Whitla. Willie, his uncle and a de-
tective boarded cab and were quickly
driven in the direction of the Whitla
home.
ing of enthusiastic neighbors and citizens
followed the cab through the streets
Business was practically at a standstill
public schools were dismissed and jolifi-
cation that will last until late tonight was
given full sway.
Wept and Danced for JOY.
Within short time the party arrived
at the Whitla residence, where second
large crowd which had congregateC
Throughout the morning was in evidence
AS the cab and cheering throng were
sighted these surrounding the Whitls
home shouted and danced with joy. Whel
the boy ard his father attempted 10 aIigh
from the cab they were in me midst of ;
remarkable demonstration. Tears wer
in many eyes and all Sharon seemed mac
with JOY.
With difficulty the father. boy ane
others of the party succeeded in eXtricat
ing themselves from the crowd and Wen
into the house. Here the mother, who
had been patiently waiting with happ,
anticipation since aast night to see nel
boy. affectionately c.asped her child 10 hel
bosom. and for several minutes the,
ciGng to one another and sobbcd.
MY boy. My dear, dear boy, you art
back in mothers arms, crying and hug
ging the little fellow, the mother show
cred him wits kisses and seemed re-
luctant to leave him from her arms Il
answer the calls of the multitude gath
cred in front of the house.
Family Appears on Porch.
After being in the house five minutes
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitla. Billy. his uncle and
aunt. Mr.. and Mrs. Buhl, and his grand
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. William Whitla
both of them over eighty years old, came
out to the front porch. The crowd cheered
and rushed toward the house. For d
moment it seemed as though some of the
people would he crushed They We're re-
strained by the detectives. howver. ana
consented to keep stli while the family
posed for a photograph. AS soon as tn
was over the demonstration broke forth
again.
Willie climbed to the railing surround
ing the porch. and apparently paying nc
attention to the great crowd, yelled te
several school companions whom he saw
in the street
Some person in the crowd yelled. WAS
he worth S10,OGO?''
Yes, ten times over rs p led the father
Father Returns His Thanks.
Cries of speech were next made by the
crowd and Mr.. Whitla said:
ITO every person who has SISTED my
wife and myself in the recovery of Will
liam we extend our sincere thanks. Ii
seemed to us that the entire country was
in sympathy with us, and this had the
effect of keeping us up under the fearful
strain during the days Willie was away.
To the newspapers. police and others We
are thankful. All we wanted was Will
back again.
During these remarks Willie very
unconcerned and making desperate
efforts to carry on a conversation with 1
boy comp anion in the crowd.
BY | 30 O'Clock the crowd began to dis
perSe.
From the time the boy left Cleveland
this morning. until his arrival this after
noon the trip resembled the triumpha
journey of some great parsonage. y,
most of the railroad stations there were
gathered crowds of curious people to
see the boy who had been kidnapped.
His arrival here was remarkable. Along
East State street to the Whtla home
many found poin;s of vantage on the tele-
graph poles. In number of instances
ladders. groaning under the weight of hu-
manity. rested against the houses. The
route of about JGa yards from the rail
road station to the Whi:la hcme was
through two solid walls of people. Whis-
ties of the big mills and manufacturing
establishments were pulled wide open and
the noise was deafening.
Reported Arrest in Cleveland.
1t is reported here today that "a
Sharon man is under arrest at Cleve-
land, Ohio, i'm connection with the
Whitla kidnapping case.
The man was arrested at Cleveland
last night. According to the informa :
tion the man, a foreigner, has been a
visitor to Mr.. Whitla's office several
times since the boy was abducted.
When he left here for Cleveland is not
known.
CLEN NELAND. Ohio, March 23-In-
sspector Rowe of the police department;
said today that - arrests had been made
in connection with the Whitla kidnapping
HOW THE RANSOM WAS PAID