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Newspaper
La Crosse Tribune
Location
La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America
Date
Mar 19, 1909
Page
1
Bold kidnapers seize a youth and demand a $10,000 ransom for wealthy Sharon Law. Parents would pay but relatives resist, sparking a tense dispute over the alleged abduction.
Cleveland, March 19. Police press swift action after Billy Whitla, son of James P. Whitla of Sharon, is stolen from his school. Abductors demand newspaper notices in four papers to secure his return, with J. P. Whitla telegraphing the ad to all papers except the Cleveland Press, which published in time.
In Sharon Pennsylvania the kidnapers demanded ten thousand dollars. The ransom payment was reportedly made today to save Willie Whitla’s life after the boy wrote the note to his father explaining two men hold him and threatening death within five days.
The letter says the kidnapers saw the notice in time to write a second letter agreeing to negotiate. It reached Mr. Whitla in Sharon at 10 this morning. They may be hiding there or have confederates in Cleveland who alerted them to the ad.
Willie Whitla, the eight year old son of Attorney James P. Whitla and brother-in-law of Sharon steel magnate Frank H. Buhl, was kidnapped from the Eight ward school. Two men sent a ransom demand and a prearranged plan to use newspaper ads for negotiations. The letter, mailed earlier, instructed the family to advertise readiness to pay in the Cleveland Press Pittsburg Dispatch Youngstown Vindicator or Indianapolis News under the initials A A J P W. The mother expressed she does not want the boy harmed.
The pope marked saints day with Mass attended by his two sisters and a sermon follow. He received personal congratulations from Bishop O Connell of Boston and Rome cardinals, and telegrams of congrats from foreign cardinals rulers and notable figures.
Office of the Board of Public Works La Crosse Wisconsin lists officers H 4 Beckwith president Arthur J Roberge secretary George Falk. Date January 7 1908.
Charles N. Gordon a former local solicitor is suspected of forging two checks for 36 70 each. The forgeries used the fictitious name Frank J Spellman and were cashed in Boston by A J Lundy and Mrs M H Southwick. Endorsers may face responsibility due to multiple signatures. Security Savings Bank has certified the checks as forgeries.
Mrs. Ida McArren departed last night for Chicago, leaving her home in the care of relatives and friends.
In Port Huron Michigan the Battle Run M B church faces a split over a stove used in the Gideon Browning murder. One faction offers to sell the relic to a vaudeville house for 100 dollars while the other prefers burying it. The church has no pastor and is redecorating to remove grisly traces of the crime.
George L. Kingsley plans to testify before the senatorial investigation committee and deny receiving $200 from State Warden Stone. He will state that George Gordon offered him work for Senator Stephenson but that civil service rules prevented it. Other wardens named by Stone may follow Kingsley’s lead.
Madison, Wis. March 19 State investigation into the insurance department led by Sen E T Fairchild and Assemblyman M J Cleary nears completion with findings pointing to conduct in the office of Insurance Commissioner George E Beedle and pending suits for fees by former commissioners Emil Giljohann is named in a test case for about 40000 dollars in fees collected during his term actions may extend to former Insurance Commissioner Zeno M Host and George E Beedle if the test case succeeds
In Bald Knob Arkansas a bank robbery ending with dynamite blasts and a firefight left the front damaged and robbers fleeing. Citizens and armed posses fired more than two hundred shots as three men attempted to crack the safe and escape on horses. Police across northwestern Arkansas hunt the trio amid reports of a second confrontation planned if caught.
Nashville Tenn March 19 John D Sharp was acquitted of involvement in the murder of former U S Senator E W Carmack The jury also found itself hopelessly divided on Col Duncan B Cooper and Robin J Cooper The judge ordered them sent back to the jury room to reach a verdict if possible
Early today a high grade Fifth Avenue building at 24 West Fifty-ninth Street burned rapidly in New York. Occupants fled in night clothing as firefighters searched the ruins for the Rev. Penoyer Simpson, former president of Marietta College, and his wife is mentioned as being in the building.
Madison Wis March 19 Deprive the rich of some of his power do away with his property qualifications as far as possible make him stand upon his real qualifications for the office This is the keynote of an article entitled Restrict the use of money in campaigns in this week's issue of Senator La Follette's magazine It is written by Senator A W Sanborn of Ashland He declares that the use of money as a factor in determining the qualifications of a man to hold a political office is fundamentally wrong and adds that it is necessary for each voter to have sufficient information in order for him
Rev. L. A. Mulhall a 64 year old prohibition advocate challenges all drinking men in Philadelphia to ten athletic contests including broad jumps running hops and jumps shot put hammer throw sprint walk swim dumbbell lift and an 84 mile bicycle ride.
Relatives in La Crosse say Mrs. C. C. Washburn widow of the late governor will probably be buried in Boston. She died March 12 in a Brookline sanatorium at age 90 after thirty years there. The former governor died in 1882. She leaves two daughters, Mrs. A Warren Kelsey of Philadelphia and Mrs Payson in Paris, with local Nevins family as extended relations.
In Chicago on March 19 Booth refused to testify during today's hearing. The proceedings featured Booth declining to answer questions while the judge and attorneys observed.
Ex Senator Jim McGillivray testified on the senatorial primary probe saying he spent $600 of Hatton funds in Jackson county mostly in $2 to $5 gifts. He claimed about fifty recipients and forgotten names while denying public denial of Stephenson money. Kingsley, Hatton, and Overbeck figures appeared as proceedings stalled for action by the attorney general.
Madison Wisconsin March 19 Col Rusk of Chippewa Falls and James Wickman of Eau Claire filed nomination papers for the office of judge of the new Nineteenth Judicial district.
A M Watson, seriously ill at his home 724 King Street, is slightly better this morning. Physicians hold strong hope for his recovery.
The forecast calls for La Crosse to see a low near 30 degrees and a high around 40 with light winds and about 0.02 inch of precipitation. Today’s Wisconsin outlook: partly cloudy, with tonight and Saturday slightly colder, and no major weather events anticipated.
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