The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-23
FATHER OF WILLIE WHlTLA
COMPLIES WITH THE DE-
MANDS OF KlDNAPERS.
STRANGE WOMAN IN CASE
Parent Goes to Candy Store in Re-
sponse to Letter and Delivers Money
to Woman, After Which His Boy
Appears in Foyer of HolIenden Hotel
Lad Says He Was Well Treated.

Cleveland, March 22.-Little Willie
Whitla. who has caused the police Of
the entire country endless worry
since he was kidnapped from school in
Sharon, Pa, last Thursday, was re-
turned to his father at the Hollenden
hotel here at $50 o'clock this evening.
In compliance with an agreement en-
tered into with the kidnapped boys
father and an agent of the kidnapers
here today, the boy was placed on a
street car on the outskirts of the city
and started to the hotel shortly after
s o'clock.
Two boys, G. w. Ramsey and Ed
ward Mahoney, recognized the lad on
the car, and taking him in charge
conducted him to his father, who was
in waiting according to prearranged
plan which he had followed at the
dictation of the kidnapers. The boy
wandered about the hotel lobby un-
announced for several minutes, asking
bellboys for his father, before the lat
ter knew his son was in the big foyer.
The moment the anxious parent heard
that a strange boy was in the hotel
he rushed across the lobby, grasped
him in his arms and smOthered 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 eyes,
and the father said it would have
been difficult to have recognizes the
boy in such a garb had he passed
him en- the street.
We'll Treated.
Willie is in perfect health. He says
he has been well treated, and ever
since his capture has been constantly
indoors. He believes he was taken
from Sharon to Warren and thence
to Newcastle, Pa, 1t is his opinion,
expressed in a happy schoolboy way,
that he was in Ashtabula on Satur-
day night, at the time his father was
to leave his $4,000 in Flatiron park.
Whitla, ST. refused to state whether
he had paid the ransom. He said
that he received a letter today from
the kidnapers at his home in Sharon,
saying that if he called at confec-
tionery store in the east end of
Cleveland he would be told how to
secure his boy unharmed and "wel1
fed" ...
Shortly after noon he left Sharon
for Cleveland. He was unaccom-
panied. His immediate family and
private detectives he apprised of tine
proposed secret meeting, but he in
sisted that he make the trip alone.
Every one of them was warned that
he must be allowed to go unheeded,
and no attempt at the capture of the
kidnapers be made.
Whitla was certain that if he
spoiled the plans of his sons captor
tonight he would never see mis- boy
again. His experience at. Ashtabula
served as warning.
Pays tho Money.
About o'clock this afternoon he
went to candy store in the east end.
With him he carried the $4,000, ex-
pecting that it would be demanded of
him there. He was met by a woman
who detailed to him the terms of the
kidnapers. With all the earnestness
of distracted parent Whitla agreed
to them Immediately. Detectives in
his employ say that he paid the
IuOuGy, Dul Oil lilio pOiiI SAO Ie'ShOA
declines to commit himself. Half an
hour later he returned to the Hol-
lenden and awaited developments. His
entrance to the hotel was shrouded in
secrecy. By a previous arrangement
made with the hotel management he
did not register. Detective c. " Per-
kns, who has superintended the
search for the boy in behalf of the
father, was in the lobby Of the hotel
smoking and pretending to be uncon-
cerned But the hearts Of both the
parent and the detective were beating
anxiously. The agent of the kidnap-
ers promised that the boy would be
started toward the hotel shortly after
nightfall. AS the hour for the appear
ance of the child approached Whitla
became nervous. He disregarded the
advice Of the detective, who had told
him to keep out of sight of the news
paper men and the crowds of curious
people who had learned he was in the
city. Emerging from his room he
walked up and down the hall on the
second floor, with hands clasped
across his breast Then unable to
stand the suspense longer, he went
into the lobby and seated himself. A
few newspaper men walked over to
him. but he refused to converse.
I'm heavens name, men. do not say
anything to me; am on the verge of
nervous prostration." he said.
Might Ruin All.
Il expect the boy will be back to-
night, but I cannot state positively
whether he will be returned safe and
sound. Do not ask me to reveal the
settlement. That might ruin all Of the
plans"
For more than an hour Whitla
waited in the lobby smoking cigars
and muttering to himself. He was
very nervous. In the meantime Will
lie Whitla, the kidnapped boy, feeling
comparatively safe in the hands of his
kidnapers, was being prepared for his