Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-05-14
BOYLE GETS LIFE
AND HIS WIFE 25
YEARS AND A FINE
WHITLA BOYS ABDUCTOR AND HIS
AIDE MUST PAY EXTREME
PENALTY.
BOTH ARE SILENT In COURT.
Kidnaper Does Not Create Scene He
Threatened and Counsel Makes
Plea for Leniency.
WOMAN RECEIVES A FINE. TOO.

MERCER. Pa, May 10.-James II.
Boyle was sentenced today to life i'm
prisonment in the Western penitentiary
at Pittsburg for the kidnapping Of Billy"
Whitla.
Mrs. Boyle, indicted as Mary Doe,
received sentence of twenty-five years,
with fine of $4,000 and the costs Of the
prosecution.
Boyle did not create the scene in court
he had threatened, but did not utter a
word prior to his sentence. His counsel,
however. made plea for both Boyle
and his wife, pleading for leniency in
both cases.
He stated that until a recent period
the extreme penalty for kidnapping in
this state was ten years, and in view of
the fact that the boy had been treated
with every consideration and that all
care had been taken not to inf1ict unnec-
essary mental anguish upon the parents,
he felt leniency might be asked for with
propriety.
Both Defendants Collapse.
Both Boyle and his wife collapsed
completely upon hearing their sentences
pronounced. When they were started
back to the Jail from the courtroom,
Boyle managed to walk with assistance
down the steps, but upon reaching the
front door he became limp and unable
to stand. He was lifted into the old
fashioned omnibus in which the prison
ers have been transported for several
days between the courthouse and the
jail When he was placed upon the seat
inside the vehicle he was left for mo.
ment unsupported and fell nearly out of
it before he was caught. He was utter
ly unable to support himself and had to
be held all the way to the jail and car
ried to his CELL
Mrs. Boyle was in even worse condi-
ton She was unable to walk down the
steps from the courthouse to the street
and was carried by Sheriff Chess and
Chief of Police Livermore down three
flights of stairs to the street. She was
lifted into the omnibus and when the
iail was reached she was again lifted
out by these officers and carried to her
cell. where she wept violently. No hand
cuffs were placed on either prisoner on
the journey back to their cells and it
was considered unnecessary to manacle
them in the condition they were III.
Has Nothing to Say.
After Judge Miller of counsel for the
Boyes had completed his plea for leni-
ency in behalf of his clients, Judge Will
liams, the presiding judge, told Boyle
to stand up and asked him II he had
anything to say as to why sentence
should not be pronounced upon him.
Boyle merely said: Il have not" and
addressed the prisoner and told him OF
the Nervousness of the crime of which
he had been convicted. The court said
MIR. Boyle, the crime of child steal
ing in ancient times was punishable by
death. In Pennsylvania the law is more
lenient."
The judge then described the different
acts passed by the legislatures on kid
naping, bringing it down to the present
time He said: 1T has been stated by
the attorneys that you took good care OF
him because he was your prize package.
You had to treat him well to get what
money was demanded.
Gives Boyle's Record.
"Since your arrest we have investl
gated your record. We find you have
been convicted in Mercer county court
previously to your arrest for kidnapping
You have been charged with larceny, re-
ceiving stolen goods, assault and battery
and escaped from Jail and many other
shady transactions. All these have had
their influence with this court in making
us to come to the decision that we have
reached that your punishment shall be
the maximum sentence, Imprisonment Tor
life
After the sentence had been imposed
on Boyle, he arose and said to the COURT
your honor, you are wrong about my
record"
Il think not. 1t is matter of court
record" replied the judge.
When Mrs. Boyle was ordered to stand
up to receive sentence, she was asked IL
she had anything to say.
II did not do it, and | think the evil
dence upon which | was convicted was
very fimsy,'' she said.
THAT was a matter for the jury to
determine" said Judge Williams, and
then after a brief review of the case he
imposed the sentence.
Boyle told something today of muir
der in which he duplicates the alleged
third party to the abduction. 1t was
committed, he says, in Youngstown, o.,
twelve or fourteen years ago. He says
man by the name of Weigel was with
a party of others on the third floor of a
house: that there was some drinking and
then a quarrel, during which Boyle al
leges the third man hurled or pushed
Weigel from a window to the pavement
below. There was an investigation and
verdict of accidental death was re-
turned.
May Mean New Trial.
w. S. Anderson, counsel Tor boyle III
the kidnapping case, lived at the time at
Youngstown, and is said to have made
an investigation. He says accidental
death was the only verdict possible on
the testimony presented at that time. If
BOYLE has any new testimony, his counsel
SAYS he did not disclose it to them. His
counsel state that if Boyle has letters
from the third party which would show
the payment to him of hush money in
connection with the murder it might have
had some effect in the kidnapping case.
and if they can be produced now they
may serve to get him new trial.