Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-03-27

doors ahead of them and into the
lobby
Willie didn't see his father, mother
or sister In the lobby. Walking over
to the clerk, he asked Have you seen
my papa?"
who is he, boy" he was asked.
ooh, I'm Mr.. WhitIa's Willie" he re.
piled
The crowd nearest the boy who
heard the words rushed in around him
The lad was showed up against the no
tel counter and the scene closely re
sembied panic.
Across tho lobby the father, his eyes
red from weeping, heard the piping
voice Of his SON Frantic with JOY al
the sound. he rushed through the Office
corridor and in a moment was fighting
his way through the spectators. Plung.
ing and squirming, knocking bystand.
ers right and left, the frenzied parenJ
made his way to the bewildered boy
In knickerbockers standing solemnly
with automobile goggles In front Of
the clerks desk.
coming. lie opened his lips to speak.
The words were never spoken. Grasp.
ing While in his arms, the happy faith.
err lifted the boy into his arms and
planted score of kisses on his lips.
Its my boy. my darling Willie" he
cried
Tears gushed from his eyes. He
pressed the child to his breast and
Rugged him tightly
Willie smiled little. He was glad
to see his papa, but he did not realize
what all the fuss was about.
When the crowd realized that the
kidnapped child had been returned q
Its parents cheers rang out. For three
minutes the handclappng and shout
ing continued. There were cheers foi
the boy and then cheers for the father
AS soon as he could push his way
through the crowd Whitla senior went
to his room on the second floor He
carried the hog in his arms. Through
the door come these words spoken by
the father to the boys mother ON the
long distance telephone: "Oh, mother
| have While here In my arms. He III
safe. Glory to God, mamma: 1t Is tbs
happiest night of my life"
Willie Tells His Story.
Whitla received the newspaper meDl
later. Willie told his story as best he
could. 1t was not lucid story ini
every way. buG 1t was romantic fromi
his childish lips He could not remem
Der every place he had been, bot he
gave an idea OF his travels so that i'll
will be possible for the police to cover
part of the traa made by the Kid.
pappers.
Papa said the boy II have beeul
buggy riding, been on cars and in 81
nice big white house that looked like Oh
hospital | have beer treated nice ana4
had lots Of good things to eat.
cone man tall and with a blagbi
moustache. came to tae school house,
and told my teacher that you wanteal
me at your Office went to the bugggi
with him | got in and then he got il
Then we rode away On the way dowul
town he asked me to address a letteni
to You I did this and then dropped il
into a mail box He was awfmlly kind
Abductor Was Good to Him.
1--WE went from sharon to Warren.
We had the incest trip. The man, who.
was the same one who brought me tcs
the car line. was nice to nae. He tuekeda
the robe about my legs and made me
/. IL IL ma ri
enjoyed il, Gee, he was good.
when we got to a place the man'
said was Warren, the man left the
buggy in the road. Then we got on
what | think was an electric car L
don't Just remember what it was. but
1t was something like a street car i
don't know what became of the horse
and buggy. was sleepy when we gol
on the car and | slept much OF the.
way to the place where we We're go
ing.
when we got to town that the
man called New Castle they took mr.
to a big building and turned me over
to woman. She was good to me The
hospital. or whatever the building
was, was clean place. inetS WAC o
man there who think was doctor
He looked like doctor, because BE
had whiskers, short gray whiskers,
ION Saturday night | was taken
away from the hospital and | think we
went to a town called Ashtabula We
travelled in bugg. and on foot. EARLY
in the morning we went back to the
hospital l heard one OF the men say
There will be nothing doing tonight,
guess
Told Willie He Was on Vacation.
"They told me all along that ! was
| Just on little vacation. | wasn't 50
ing to be hurt. they told me. So jus
acted nice and had good time play
ing around the hospital. knew
/ would get back home all right an
! Just supposed Mr.. Jones was one o
my friends who was treating me nie
because You wanted him to treat M
that way, papa. dear"
| rrrt.- - 4,I1 +hn story clnWlV