The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-22
Story Becomes Known.

Cleveland O., March 21.-The full
story of the frustrated attempt to pay
over $1,000 in ransom for the return
of Willie Whitla became known to-
day. ]. p. Whitla. father of the boy,
was instructed in a letter from the
kidnapers to leave the money in Flat
iron park Saturday night. If no de-
tectives were about the kidnapers
promised they would secure the money
and deliver the boy safely to the faith
er in a hotel at Ashtabula at o'clock
this morning. Whitla deposited the
money as requested, but the Ashtabula
police learned of the plans to pay the
ransome and went to the park. The
kidnapers are supposed to have seen
them, for at 6 o'clock the money was
| intact and not a man had approached
the spot at which it had been left.
Whitla had score of detectives and
J % members of the Pennsylvania con-
stabulary in readiness in this city to
| start a search for the kidnapers as
soon as he had safely recovered the
| boy. Whitla believes that the failure
| to effect a settlement last night will
| frighten the kidnapers and the kidnap-
|
again.
The instructions.
| The letter from the captors of Willie
came to the boys parents in Sharon,
Pa, Friday afternoon. Instructions
were given him to go alone to Ashta-
bula on Saturday night, place the
| $4,000 under a rock at the base of
| 4
3 o'clock on the following morning
if the money was obtained by the kid
napers they promised that the stolen
boy would be sent to the Smith hotel
in Ashtabula, unharmed. Whitla was
| instructed specifically that he was to
be accompanied by no one when he
went to deposit the money.
Immediately upon receipt of the let
ter Whitla called in private detectives
in his employ. They wanted to place
decoy package of bills at the desig-
mated spot but Whitla would not agree
to this. He finally consented to permit
the detectives to accompany him to
this city and await his summons to
start a search for the kidnapers.
At s o'clock Whitla left Cleveland
for Ashtabula He was accompanied
by Detective McCabe. The latter was
to act as his bodyguard, but was not
to go with Whitla to the park.
A few minutes after o'clock the
kidnapers, in keeping with their prom.
Use in their first letter, sent a SECOND
letter addressed to c. A. White, tc
the Smith hotel in Ashtabula.
Half an hour later when no one
called for the missive, the clerk be.
came curious and opened the envelop,
and Mayor Cook and Chief Laske,
were apprised of it's contents. TIL,
mayor ordered all of his police to in
stitute a search for the captors.
Promptly at 10 o'clock Whitla left tn
package of bills in the park. He wen
to the designated spot alone, feeling
certain that his compliance with tn
request of the kidnapers would prov
the means of delivering his boy bacl
to him.
Watched by Officers.
Three policemen who had been sen
out from the Ashtabula central sta
/ tion saw Whitla leave the money il
the park. They told Chief Laskey o
their discovery and received instruc
tions to remain on guard at the par
and capture the kidnapers should the
f appear.
r In the meantime Whitla returned t
! the city and established communicable
$ with his detectievs in Cleveland. The
2 advised him to go to the hotel for hi
!, boy exactly at the time set. He prom
2 ised to observe orders.
n Five hours later Whitla started afte
= his boy. On the way policeman In
|, formed him that three officers had bee
4 on guard at the park and no one ha
e called for the money.
s Whitla was overcome at this new
s He went to the park and found hi
n package of money undisturbed. Dur
n ing the remainder of the night an
e all day today the officers searched
: vain the country around Ashtabula.
v Whitla came to Cleveland and late