The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-05-19
BOYLE TALKS
Issues Statement in Reference
To The Kidnapping
OF Willie WHlTLA

er Of Mrs. Whitla, Suggested and
Planned the kidnapping of. His
Sisters Little Boy, For the Re-
turn Of Certain Letters.
Before he was taken from Mercer,
Pa, to the Penitentiary at Pitts
burg Monday, James oByle gave out
a statement in part as follows:
ION the morning Of = between
the hoars Of =, Dan Reen.e, Jr.,
was found dead on the sidewalk in
front of the Mauser block, East Fed
eral street, Youngstown, and over
the PROSTATE form was Mr.. Harry
Forker, Of Sharan, Pa, holding in
his right hand a package Of letters
that was gathered from the sidewalk
near the dead body of M. Reeble.
'As he was about to depart from
the vicinity he was intercepted by
the writer and man who has. since
passed to his reward, Mr.. Dan Shay,
saloon keeper Of Oak street,
Youngstown, Ohio.
In Mr. Forker's hurry to leave the
scene, he failed to find two envelopes
tHat contained Forker letters. The
same were picked up by Mr.. Shay.
The writer and Mr.. Shay examin-
ed and read the contents Of same,
which proved beyond a doubt the
presence of Mr. Forker there at the
time.
"The letters were written by la
dy, two from a party in New York
State and the others from Cleveland,
Ohio"
Boyle then proceeded to set forth
that he demanded and secured money
from Forker, under threat Of dis
closing the secrets contained in the
letters. He secured, he sets forth,
Various sums and finally demanded
$4,000. Forker, he says, professed
inability to secure the money for him,
but suggested the kidnapping of
Little Willie Whitla."
The statement embraces the fol-
lowing letter, Bailey being the as
sumed name Boyle employed.
Friend Bailey: You know that
the circumstances and the promise
I made, when you left here, but If
you are really desperately in need Of
! money, as you profess to be, will
outline little plan, which, with your
cooperation, can be very successfully
carried out, viz: The abduction Of
J. P. Whitla's son. can arrange to
have the boy brought to Warren,
Ohio, due there at 11:18, with es-
cort." (There is no signature to the
letter.
Resuming, Boyle sets forth the al
legged manner of the kidnapping, say
ing party brought the boy to him
at Warren, Ohio, whence he vent to
Niles, Ohio, to Ashtabula, and then
to Cleveland. He continues:
"On March %, I received a letter
from Mr. Forker stating that some
one had Informed Mr. Whitla that
they had recognized his boy on March
18, in Niles, Ohio, and that James
Boyle, of Sharon. was with him, also
that MI. Whitla was afraid to di-
vulge the information for fear the
boy might come to some harm, and
telling me to be careful and be on
the alert, and that when I received
the money to Immediately surrender
those Youngstown letters, to send
same to him. Mr. Forker, at Sharon,
and on Tuesday, April %, to return
| half Of the ransom money to him,
Mr.. Forker, and he would turn over
the same to the party who took Will
lie Whitla to Warren.
Upon learning that my name was
mentioned in connection with the
case, made it point to meet Mr.
W1hitla personally in Cleveland at
53rd street and St. Clair avenue,
showed him the letter that passed
between Mr.. Forker and myself, also
the Youngstown letters and Ar.
Whitla promised that if I would sub
stantiate the truth of the Youngs-
town letters he would see there
would be no prosecution.
81 then surrendered through Mr.
Whitla all the letters that we're ia
my possession and the world knows
the result. I was arrested and con-
victed and deprived by my own coun-
sci Of telling my story on the stand.
l informed my wife that the boy was
brought in ordr to escape being
Quarantined ia the pest house and
we were to be handsomely rewarded
for taking care Of him.
This unfortunate woman was
duped from start to finish in regard
to the boy and I was duped from the
minute I let the letters go into Mr..
Whit1a's possession. AS my counsel
afterwards Informed me, I had moth
ing to show or 70 prove and that it.
wes a matter of veracity-their word
against mine. 1 had given up every
scjntilla l had and now I am set
tied for. This story is as true as
there is God above u.s."
The statement is signed:
JAMES BOYLE,
Mercer, Pa, May 10, 1909"