New-York tribune., 1921-07-21
Alleged Victim
OF l6kidnaper
Returns Home
Sharon, Pa, Business Man,
Believed Held for Ram
som of $4,000, Rmshes
Back as Police Locate HIM
Was Seen With Woman
Beat Officers on the Return
Trip, but They Met Later,
and Will File Charges


SHARON. Pa, July 20.--ThomAs NJ.
Randolph, q business man here, who
was believed to have been kidnapped
last Monday night and held for $50, 900
ransom, arrived at his home in this
city at z o'clock tonight. Randolph
Stoneboro after he is alleged to have
learned that officers had located him
at hotel in that town.
Exhausted and talking incoherently,
Randolph was taken to the Sharon po-
lice station and will be given hearing
tomorrow.
said he would be held by the authori-
Randolph's return followed informa-
tion secured by the police as to the
whereabouts of the missing man. A
telephone conversation from a Stone
boro hotel to the Randolph home, in
which the person speaking from the
hotel declared sixteen kidnapers were
holding him is reported to have given
the police their first real clew to Ran
dolph's whereabouts. A report which
reached the police later that Randolph
had been seen in Stoneboro with a
woman, who had left there on an af
ternoon train, brought quick action,
and several officers were dispatched to
Stoneboro to head off Randolph.
Beats Officers Home
Soon after the officers had left this
city, information was receivd here that
Randolph, anticipating the arrival of
the police, had left Stonbcro and was
driving to his home. Their quarry gone,
Al / sGr,l i
took q short cut over the country and
reached Sharon but few minutes az
ter Randolph had entered his home.
First information that Randolph was
in Stoneboro came to the local au-
thorities from District Attorney Rick
ard, of Mercer, this afternoon. He
said a man answering the description
Of Randolph had registered at the
Homer Hotel, in Stoneboro, with a
woman about 10:30 o'clock Monday
night, giving the names of Mr.. and
Mrs. J. r. Hutchinson.
Hutchinson is said to have driven
to the hotel in his car with the woman,
who it is believed was from Cleveland.
Soon after Randolph reached his
home here the police entered and were
cIoseted with him. District Attorney
Rickard, who has charge Of the case,
said it was doubtful if another state
ment made by Randolph would be
given out tonight, but that, in any
event, he would be held by the authori-
ties on charges to be preferred later.
Members of Randolph's family re-
fused to comment on his return, de-
claring that any information given must
either come through Randolph himself
or the police.
Rivaled Whitla Case
The kidnapping" of Randolph. pro-
prietor of hook store, for time
bade fair to rival in country-wide in
terest the kidnapping of six-year-old
Z Willie Whitla, son of a prominent at
torney and distant relative of Ran
dolph. The Whitla boy was stolen from
school in July, 1908, by Jimmy" Boyle
and his wife, Helen Boyle. Both were
convicted and sentenced to Western
Penitentiary for long terms Helen
Boyle was pardoned less than a year
ago.
Since disappearing, two letters in
which Randolph implored his family
to accede to the demands of the kid
napers and pay $4,000 ransom have
been received by relatives. He also IS
stated to have talked with members OF
the family on two occasions over the
long distance telephone.
just before leaving town Randolph
left an order at the Office of the Herald,
a local newspaper, for a daily copy to
be sent to j. r.. Hutchinson at Sandy
Lake. This is the name he is alleged
to have registered under at the Homer
Hotel in Stoneboro,