Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-25
Woman Implicated in the
Whitla Case May Get
Off Free.
NOT IN STATE AT TIME
Ohio Grand Jury Brings in In
diCtments-Pair Fully
Identified.

oHarOn, Ia, March 25.-The Whitla
family today refused to be inter
viewed concerning the kidnapping case
of Willie Whitla They are tired of
the great publicity given them since
last Thursday and want no more of it.
The legal principals of the case are
occupying the attention of the detect
ives and attorneys today.
Woman May Be Exempt.
One claim is made that the woman
cannot be brought back to Pennsyl-
vania to answer the charge of kidnap-
ing, as it is said she was not in the
state when the commission of the
crime occurred.
Abduction Charge for Man.
The man will be brought to Mercer
county to be tried for abduction. The
woman it was said, can be tried for
conspiracy and used as a witness
against the man. 1t is admitted the
| legal end of the case is complicated
but what can or cannot be done will
not be known until several points of
| law are looked up.
Pair Are Indicted,
Cleveland, March 25.-The county
grand jury has just reported an indict-
ment against James Boyle and Helen
Boyle, alias Helen Faulkner, charging
them with blacknail. The charge is
based on the payment of $4,000 ran
som by J. p. Whitla for the recovery of
his son, Willie
q Identifies Prisoners.
Thomas F. Boyle of Sharon, Pa, to-
day Identified the prisoners as his
brother and sister-in-law He said he
knew but little of the latter except
she was his brothers wife.
i Mr.. Whitla returned to Sharon to-
day. He said he would aid the Off
GERS in every way in prosecuting Boyle
and wife. 1t is stated the prisoners
!, will be released to the Pennsylvania
authorities as soon as extradition pa
pers are signed.
Whitla Stays I'm Cleveland.
Cleveland, March 25-J. P. Whitla,
central figure in the kidnapping case,
did not return to Sharon with the
other members of his family Wednes-
day. He asserted he is in Cleveland
| to clear up some private law affairs.
The charges against James H. Boyle
: and the woman who claims to be his
, wife, who are held in connection with
the kidnapping of Willie Whitla are
: expected to be handed down by the
: Cuyahoga grand jury today
/ Identification Complete.
: Cleveland, Ohio. March 25.-James
H. Boyle and the woman whom he de-
clares is his wife, were positively
\ identified yesterday by Willie Whitia
as those who kidnapped him from the
v school at Sharon, Pa
Boyle is a plumber He formerly
v resided at Sharon. Pa, with his people
E He is said to have a criminal record
I'll There is considerable mystery about
q the identity of the woman This Is
: increased by clash between Attorney
l. James p. Whitla, the boys father, and
the police.
Following the Identification of the
couple another woman, named Mar,
1t Diener, who the police say was con
s. nected with the case, committed sui
e eide by taking morphine She tool
4 TIE poiSOIl OH lue SITtel anu QloQ Il
" the ambulance on the way to tn,
hospital.
ii Boy Identifies Suspect.
Willie said the man. who gave tn,
name of James H. Boyle. was the on
l. who took MIN from school and carries
=, him through tortuous route to Cleye
=, land, then to Ashtabula, back to thi
city, and placed him in the house ii
the east end, where he was held unit
the money was paid. Willie also de
er clared that the woman was the on
,r who cared for him at the house wher
" he was detained and who acted th
be part of a nurse.
an Boyle said the woman is his wifi,
re- The police have no other identifca.io
n of the couple than the names givel
O. So far as the man is concerned, tn
ms l------------------