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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1909)
RANSOMED FROM KIDNAPERS; HAPPY REUNION WITH PARENTS ^SKlLLlE "WH1TLA " - -- - HA*nE,s t: . whitla . TATHE.R OF BOV . * * Cleveland. Ohio, March 25.—.Tames P. "Whltla and son •'Billy’' left this morn ing for their home In Sharon, Pa. They were escorted to the railroad station by a cheering crowd of people. The kidnaped youngster was clasped In the arms' of hts father from the moment they left the hotel until they reached the train. Mr. Whltla today was not inclined to discuss the matter of ransom or the plans of the family in dealing with the kidnapers. "That will bo up to the police,” he said, "and as I live and breathe. I am not worrying over their movements.” Ten thousand dollars ransom for Billy Whltla was paid to his kidnapers in a little grocery store at East Fifty third street and Standard avenue at 1 p. m. Monday. “Hayes” Takes Package. The money was received by an ordi narily dressed workingman who gave bis name as Hayes. He picked up the package filled with yellow backed bills, smiled nonchalantly and left. Mrs. Bernard Hendrickson, tempor .stily In charge of the store for her mother, Mrs. Margaret Uhle, forgot to notice which way the man went. The Hayes man stepped into the store »t noon and asked If a package had been left there for him. Mrs. Hend rickson, without noticing his appear ance, fold him there had not been. An hour later a prosperous looking man, who said his name was Williams, came In with a small package in his pocket. “Williams” Brought It. “He said he wanted to leave it for a •man named Hayes.” said Mrs. Hend rickson. “He asked If Hayes had been here. She said he had. Williams left the package and not two minutes later Hayes came in and asked: 'Is my pack age here?' "I told' him It was. He smiled, and without another word he took it from -where It lay exposed on top of the cigar ■case ami went away.” Mrs Uhle has conducted the store for 17 years. She was not In the store when the passage of the ransom took place. Only her daughter, wife of an employe of the natural gas company, was a witness to the transfer. _t._ BOY TELLS THE REPORTERS ABOUT MOVES OF CAPTORS Cleveland, March 25.'—Wl'.lie told his story as best he could. It was not a lucid story in every way. but it was romantic front Ills childish lips. He could not remember every place he had been, but lie gave an Idea of his travels ao that It would be possible for the po lice to cover part of the trail made by the kidnapers. "Papa," said the boy in a tone of -childish prattle, “I have been buggy riding, been in a big white house that looked like ours. 1 have been treated nice, and had lots of good things to •cat. “One man, tall and with a black .mustache, came to the school house Thursday, and told my teacher, Mrs. Anna Lewis, that you wanted me at your office. I went out to a buggy ■with him. I got in and then he got In. We rode away. On the way down town he asked me to address a letter to you. L did this and dropped it in ■u mall box. He was very kind. "We went from Sharon to Warren. We had the nicest trip. The man, who was the same man who brought me to the car line tonight, was nice to me. Bit; tucked the robe about my legs and made me comfortable. It was a nice ride, and I enjoyed it. "When we got to a place the man *aid was Warren the man left the buggy in the road. Then we got cn what I think was an electric car. I •don’t just remember what it was, but it was something like a street car. 1 don’t know what became of the horse and buggy. I was sleepy when we got on the car and 1 slept much of the way to the place where we were going. "When we got to a town that the /nan called New Castle he took me to a big building and turned me over to a woman. She was good to me. The house, or whatever the building was, was a clean place. There was a man there who I think was a doctor. He looked like a doctor, because he had whiskers, short whiskers. "The people In the hospital told me to uo just what they told me to do. If 1 did not obey they said they would lake me to a place called the pest house, where folks that have smallpox have to go. It was not a clean or pretty place, they told me. I would have been good, anyway, but when I thought there was a chance to go to the pest house I did not do a thing I should not have done. "On Saturday night I was taken away from the hospital and I think ;ve went .to a town called Ashtabula. "We traveled in a buggy and cn foot. Early In the morning we went back to the hospital. I heard one of the men say “There will be nothing doing to night. I guess." Whhla’s Koivie “I might have been right here In Cleveland, though, papa, for some of the town I saw tonight from the car looked like the place we went to Sat urday night. “They told mo all along that I was Just taking a little vacation. 1 was i oi going to be hurt, they told me. So 1 just acted nice and had a good lime playing around the hospital. I knew I would get back home all right and Just supposed 'Mr. Jones' was one of my best friends, who was treat lup me nice because you wanted him to treat me that way, papa, dear.'' Too boy told the story slowly. At times he stopped and kissed and hugged the father. His father sat as if in a trance. The music of his boy's voice seemed to charm him. —4— DRAMATIC STORY OF BOY'S RETURN BY THE KIDNAPERS Cleveland, Ohio, March 25.—Little Willie Whitla, who has caused the po lice of the entire country endless worry since he was kidnaped from school tn Sharon last Thursday, was returned to his father at the Hollenden hotel here at 8:30 o’clock last night. In com pliance with an agreement entered into between the kidnaped boy's father and an agent of the kidnapers here the boy was placed on the street car on the outskirts of the city and started to the hotel shortly after 8 o'clock. Two hoys, G. W. Ramsey and Edward Mahoney, recognized the latter on the car, and taking him in charge conducted him to his father, who was in waiting, ac cording to a prearranged plan which he had followed at the dictation of the kidnapers. The boy wandered about the hotel lobby unannounced for sev eral minutes, asking bellboys for his father before the latter knew his son was in the big foyer. The moment that the anxious parent heard that a strange boy was in the hotel sauntering in aim less fashion he rushed across the lobby, grasped him in his arms and smothered his face with kisses. An attempt had been made to dis guise the lad. He wore a pair of smoked glasses and a large tan cap, which was pulled down over his ears, and the father said it would have been difficult to have recognized the boy in such a garb had he passed him on the street. Willie is in perfect health. He says he has been well treated and ever since his capture has been constantly indoors. He believes he was taken from Sharon to Warren and thence to New Castle, Pa. In his opinion, ex pressed in a happy schoolboy way, that he was in Ashtabula on Saturday night at the time his father was to leave his $10,000 in Flatiron park. Shortly after noon Mr. Whitla left Sharon for Cleveland. Ho was unac companied. His immediate family and the private detectives he apprised of the proposed secret meeting, but in sisted that he make the trip alone. Every one of them was warned that he must be allowed to go unheeded and no attempt at the capture of the kid napers be made. Whitla was certain that if he spoiled the plans of his son's captors last night he would never see the lad again. His experience at Ashtabula served as a warning. About 2 o'clock in the after noon he went to a candy store in the east end. With him he carried tho $1.0,000, expecting that It would be de manded of him there. He was met by a woman, who detailed to him the terms of the kidnapers. With "all the eagerness of a distracted parent Whitla agreed to them immediately. Half an hour later he returned to the Ilollenden and awaited developments. Back to Hotel. His entrance to the hotel was shrouded In secrecy. By a prc.vious arrangement made with the hotel management he did not register. De tective G. B. Perkins, who has super intended the search for the boy, was in the lobby calmly smoking arid pre tending to be unconcerned, but the hearts of both parent and detective were beating anxiously. The agent of the kidnapers promised that the boy would be started toward the hotel shortly after nightfall. As the hour of the appearance of the child ap proached, Whitla became nervous. Ho disregarded the advice of the detectlvo to keep out of sight of the newspaper men and the crowds of curious people, who had learned that he was In the city. Emerging from his room he walked up and down the hall on the second floor with hands clasped across his breast. Then, unable to stand the suspense longer, he went Into the lobby and seated himself In a chair. A few newspaper men walked over to talk with him, but he refused to converse with them. "In heaven’s name, men, do not say anything to me; I am on the verge of nervous prostration,” he said. "I ex pect the boy will be back tonight, but I cannot say positively whether he will be returned safe and sound. Do not ask me to reveal the alleged settle ment. That might ruin all of the plans.” For more than an hour Whltla wait ed In the lobby smoking cigars and muttering to himself. Detective Per kins sat near him and pleaded with him to have patience. A friend ap proached and Whltla retired Into a corner of the hotel and talked to him. He was very nervous. Boy Starts Home. In the meantime little W’illie, the kid naped boy. feeling comparatively safe In the hands of his kidnapers, was be ing prepared for his return to his father. The woman at the candy stpre had done her duty. She communicated with the captors of the boy and told them that the father hail made no at tempt to trap them. The kidnapers were satisfied. But Whltla. sr„ de clines to name the woman In charge of the confectionery store, and almost dares the police to locate her. So the boy was brought from his hiding place—-where it was no one knows—to a car line In the east end of the city, which would bring him into town quickly. The kidnaper, according to Willie, was cheerful enough. The mysterious one and the youngster skipped in schoolboy fashion toward the trolley Jesting In the meantime. A few rods from the car line the man stopped the boy. Pulling a pair of smoked glasses from his pocket he adjusted them to the lad’s head, with the remark: "You'll look better In these.” Besides the black cap worn over the boy’s ears, a slip which Willie was to hand to the conductor was put In the boy’s pocket. It read: "Send this boy to the Hollenden hotel double quick.” With all arrangements made and his tracks apparently well covered, the kidnaper took the boy’s right hand In his brawny left and they continued briskly along toward the car line. The lad skipped galy enough with his companion, the promise of seeing his “dad” and “ma” urging him forward. They chatted with each other. Willie says the man told him that If anybody asked him who took him to the car line to tell them It was "Mr. Jones.” "Just tell them your name is Jones, too, if you vrant to,” said the kidnaper. "AH right, Mr. Jones,” answered Willie. Presently a car cam< Into viewr nnd the mysterious Mr. Jones drew the boy closer to him. "Well, Willie, you are going down town now, and you will see your papa pretty soon,” ha said. This delighted Willie. He swung onto the car quickly according to the conductor. “Mr. Jones paid the boy’s fare and then got off the car and dis appeared, after waving a friendly adieu. This farewell to his little captive was continued until the car had disappeared In the Inky darkness of the night. Discover the Boy. The boy gazed about the car for a familiar face. He saw none he knew. Presently Ed%vard Mahoney, who is a 17-year-old boy of Jolly visage, came into the car. He sat down in the seat with the boy. Mahoney, like most ev ery other person In Cleveland last night, was looking for little Willie Whltla, the kidnaped boy. So when his eyes lighted on Willie he started a con versation. "What's your name?" he queried. “Jones,” answered Willie, true to his kidnaper friend. Rut Mahoney was not to be fooled. He called his friend Ram sey over from another part of the car and showed him Willie. He sugestcd that It might be the missing child. When Willie showed them his transfer slip, saying that he should be put off at the Hollenden hotel, and they were convinced they had accomplished more than all the sleuths In the country. The boys took WllUe to the hotel. Ho skipped through the door ahead of them and Into tho lobby. The boys partly lost track of him In tho crowd, so anxious was tho youngster to catch a glimpse of a face he loved. And then again Mahoney and Ramsey W'oro not suro of their abilities as sleuths when they got Into view of a crowd. WllUe did not see his father, mother or slstor in the lobby. Walking over to tho clerk, he asked: "Have you seen my papa?" “Who Is the boy?” ho was asked "Ob, I am Mr. Whltla’s While?" he replied. The crowd nearest the boy who hoard the words rushed In around him. The lad was shoved up ngatnst tho hotel counter and the scene closely re sembled a panic. Father Claims Son. Across the lobby the father, his eyes red with weeping, heard the piping voice of his son. Frantic with Joy at tho sound, he rushed through tne of fice corridor and In a moment was fighting hls way through the spectators. Plunging and squirming, knocking by standers right and left, the frenzied parent made his way to the bewildered boy In knickerbockers standing solemn ly with automobile goggles In front of the clerk’s desk. The kidnaped boy saw hls parent coming. He opened hls lips to speak. Tho words were never uttered. Grasp ing WllUe In hls arms, the happy fa ther lifted the boy and planted a score of kisses on hls Ups. ‘‘It’s my boy, my darling WllUe, ’ hs j cried. Tears gushed from hls eyes. 1 He pressed the child to hls breast and hugged him tightly. WllUe smiled a little. He was glad to see hls papa, ! but he did not realize what all the fuss was about. When the crowd realized that the kidnaped child had been returned to ! hls parents a cheer rang out. For i three minutes the handclapptng and j shouting continued. Thore wore cheers I for the boy and then cheers for the fa- j ther. Stripping oft the boy's cap and the smoked glasses, Whltla revealed hls j boy’s bare head for the first time. He | lifted the lad high above hls head so that everyone might get a view of the now famous youngster who came near to rivaling tho “lost Charlie Ross,” of | kidnaped fame. Phones the Mother. As soon as he could push hls way through the crowd Whltla, sr„ went to hls room on the second floor. He car ried the boy In hls arms. For several j minutes he was alone In the room with hls schoolboy son. Then through tho | door came these words, spoken by the : father to the boy's mother, on the long distance phone: : "Oh, mother, I have White here : 1 In my arms. Ht Is safe. Glory to : God, Mamma; It Is the happiest : night of my life.” : . i I There was a pause. The mother was j pleading for the husband to return with the bov to his home at once. "I am sorry, mother,” Whltla said. ' "I can not get a train out of here un- | til S o’clock' In the morning, but I will come homo as soon as possible. You can trust rt»o with him, little mother, can't you?" Detective Reed next answered the phone. Whltla praised him for his work and told him of the recovery of , the child. Five minutes after the father had entered his room fully 2,000 persons , were gathered In the hallways and lobbies of the hotel. Those who were unable to get Into the hotel stood on the sidewalk and shoved for a glimpse of the boy. Again and again they i called his name and Implored his fa ther to bring him out and let them look at him. The father carried the boy on his shoulder down Into the lobby. Mount ing a raised platform In the center of the lobby Whltla gave everyone a chance to see the boy. Speaks to Crowd. Cries of "Speech!” "Speech!” caused , Whltla to say a few words. His | quavering voice was too full of Joy for him to make a connected speech, but he poured out the happiness of his heart In the few words that he uttered. With Ills right arm around the boy s neck and little Willie nestling In the folds of his father's coat the father said: "This Is my son. He was lost, and is found again. If I live 1,000 years I can never do enough to repay the [ press, the police and the people, who ! have done noble work In helping me to find my boy and in extending their sympathy to me and my family and relatives.” When Whltla ceased speaking there were demands for a few words from the boy. The lad for the first time showed signs of fright. Upon being restored to his father he wrapped his arms around his daddy's legs and hid Ills face under his coat. Whltla gent ly drew the lad's head from the folds of the coat and told him to say some thing to the cheering people. The boy turned his face upward, but he could not speak. The tears, bigger than raindrops, coursed down his cheeks. ! Again the crowd cheered as the boy was lifted from the platform by his father. Whltla, when he returned to his room, refused to see any one until after ho had personally thanked the Maloney and Ramsey boys who brought Willie to the hotel. He made each of them a substantial gift. HOW THE KIDNAPERS GOT WILLIE IN FIRST PLACE Sharon, Pa., March 26.—"Willie” Whltla, 8 years old, son of James P. Whltla, law yer, of Sharon, Pa., was kidnaped from the Eighth Ward public school of Sharon at 9:30 o’clock a. m., on Thursday, March IS, by two men. The men drove to the school building. One of them asked the Janitor to tell the boy's teacher that he was wanted at his father’s office lmme- , dlately. The teacher dismissed the lad and he left the building. When the boy did not return at noon his parents made Inquiries at the school. Search was be gun, but no trace of the boy or man could be found. At 2 o’cock p. m. the mall carrier de livered a letter at the Whltla home saying that the boy had been kidnaped and would be held for $10,000 ransom. The letter said the kidnapers wquld keep watch on all advertisements In Cleveland, Pittsburg, Youngstown and Indianapolis papers. The advertisement should be headed “A. A-,” said the letter, and should read: "Am ready to open negotiations." Three hours after the kidnaping the search berjun. NOTORIOUS NEGRESS UNDER ARREST Cedar Rapids, la., March 25.—Mrs. Annie flooley, a notorious negress who Is accused of hugging pedestrians, was •arrested today. The woman has the habit of hiding in the dark alleyways and seizing victims and hugging them and making proposals to them while going through their pockets. She is charged with several robberies in which much money was secured^ SMOKING CAR TURNS TURTLE; NO ONE HURT Yuma, Arlz., March 25.—Passenger train number 9, westbound on the Southern Pacific, was wrecked 300 miles west of Yuma today, but no one was seriously Injured. The smoking car is reported to have turned turtle. Three hundred thousand concrete cross ties have been ordered for the Italian state railways. DRINK IS CAUSE OF MAN’S SUICIDE Ottumwa, la., March 25.—Walter Pitcher, aged 45, suicided at his home at Floris, yesterday by shooting him self. Drink was the cause. MEXICAN ARCHIVES BURNED. Mexico City, March 25.—The building of the chamber of deputies In Mexico City burned this morning. The archives and records for the past 25 years were destroyed. PARIS STRIKERS VOTE TO RESUME THEIR WORK Paris. March 25. One thousand strik ing government telegraph and postof flce employes today voted to resums work. $15,000 FOR KIDNAPERS. Harrisburg, Pa., March 25.—The senate has adopted a resolution offering 115,000 for information leading to the arrest and con viction of the kidnapers of Wtllle Whltl* A SOCIETY LEADER TAKES OWN LIFE Mrs. Pierre LoriUard, Wife of Tobacco Magnate, Commits Suicide. Washington, March 29.—Weary of the gay whirl of society and face to face, ns she believed, with years of physical suffering, Mrs. Pierre LoriUard, Jr., aged 49. wife of the tobacco magnate, committed suicide by asphyxiation at her home near the fashionable Dupont circle In this city yesterday. Her trag ic death has shocked the first social circles of the capital as nothing olse In years. The members of the Lori Hard family, famous because of Its wealth, are gathering here to mourn over the unexpected blow. In spite of the coroner's certificate of death by suicide, members of the fam ily declare that Mrs. Ix>rillard died of heart failure. Details of Occurrence. The death was made more dramatic by occurring only a few’ hours after Mr. and Mrs. LoriUard had been the guests of Mrs. Townsend, on Massachusetts avenue, at a dinner given In honor of Lady Paget. In fact, it is believed that as soon as Mrs. LoriUard arrived at her homo at 2030 Illllyer place, shortly after midnight, she began to prepare for her death. About 8:30 In the morning the butler In the LoriUard residence detected an odor of pas permeating the rooms. With little dif ficulty the origin of the fumes was traced to Mrs. Lorlllard’s apartments. Opening the door of the bathroom just off her suite, the butler was horrified to behold the body of the mistress of the house stretched out lifeless on the floor. Her face was turned to the mat on the floor. The alarm given by the butler brought Mr. Lorillard from his apartments across the hall. Together they carried the limp body to Mrs. Lorlllard’a room. Panic itricken, the servant was sent for a doc tor, while Mr. LoriUard attempted to re vive his wife by means of artificial res piration. Doctor Called. Dr. M. E. Cuthbert, the family physi cian, was summoned and arrived about the same time that l)r. H. B. Deale was admitted to the residence. Both resorted to every scientific method within their power to restore life, but after an hour's efforts gave up In despair. Shortly afterward Dr. J. Ramsey Nevitt, the coroner, was notified. He visited the Lorlllard home and after an Investigation ordered Deputy Coroner Qlazebrook to perform the autopsy, on the completion of which Dr. Nevitt issued a certificate of suicide by gas poisoning. He said later that gas was escaping from one or more Jets In the bathroom when the body was found, and the lungs indicated death by gas poisoning. When Coroner Nevitt notified the police of Mrs. Lorlllard’s death an officer was sent to the residence to Investigate, but he was denied admission, being referred to the coroner for such Information as the police department might desire. Husband Saw Her Last. The last person to see Mrs. Lorlllard alive was Mr. Lorlllard. He bade her goodnight as they separated to go to their apartments after returning home about midnight from the Townsend residence Mrs. Lorlllard was seemingly In the best of spirits. She had Joined freely in the so j rial festivities of the evening at the | Townsend home, where had gathered the Brazilian ambassador and Mine. Nabuco, the Danish minister and Countess Moltke, the secretary of the navy and Mrs. Mey er, Senator Mrs. Lodge, Senator and Mrs. Aldrich, Senator Root, Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Bacon, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Endlcott, of Boston; Lady Clifford, of England; Col. and Mrs. Campbell, Col. and Mrs. Mc Cawley, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Moore, Hon. Maude Paunccfbte, Commodore Rod gers, Rear Admiral Cowles and Captain Archibald Butt, military aid of the presi dent. Mrs. Lorlllard's bed had the appearance of not having been occupied during the night. Mrs. Lorlllard had disrobed after arriving home, and when found her body was clothed In a dressing gown. The dog collar of diamonds she wore at the dinner had been removed before she went to the bath room, but the costly circle of dia monds that adorned her hair had not been displaced. The note was found In Mrs. Lorlllard’s room. In Fashionable Set. The Lorlllards have lived at Hillyer place, which Is only a stone's throw from Dupont circle and In the heart of the fashionable community between Dupont and Sheridan circles, since January. Im mediately preceding that time Mrs. Lor lllard was In Europe, and while In France consulted an eminent physician In regard to her ailment. The family has been prominent each summer for several years past at Tuxedo park, and they have spent their winters In Washington. About a year ago they leased a fashionable resi dence In Connecticut avenue for the sea son, and the winter before entertained in a house In Massachusetts avenue. Mrs. Lorlllard before her marriage to Mr. Lorlllard In 1S81 was Miss Caroline J. Hamilton. She Is survived by two sons, one of them Is now traveling in the orient and the other is In college in New York. Since the Lorlllards began spending the winter social season In Washington they have entertained largely. This season they came here early in the present year. Sunday evening last Mr. and Mrs. Lor lllard entertained at one of the usual Sun day night dinners. They were prominent In the social and diplomatic life of the capital, numbering among their particular friends in the latter class of society the ; Italian ambassador and Baroness Mayor des Planches and the Belgian minister and Baroness Moncheure, the latter being an especially intimate friend of Mrs. Loril ! lard. SKIN GAME TOO MUCH OF A GRAFT—SUES THE SURGEON FOR $20,000 I Rockford, 111., March 29.—Dr. W. R. 1 Franklin, a prominent physician, is named as defendant in a $5,000 trespass i suit (a grafting affair in two senses of | the word), instituted today by O. B. Ravnass. who in his complaint avers that while he was a patient under the care of Dr. Franklin, the physician grafted the cuticle from the complain ant's thigh to his foot, and that with out the consent or knowledge of the patient, extra epidermis was taken and grafted on another patient of the phy sician. STEAMER WITH 44 MEN, MAROONED ON THE ICE Pictou, N. S„ March 29.—Forty-four 1 passengers have been marooned on ice in Northumberland strait on board the steamer Mlnto since Tuesday. How soon she will be able to work her way out could not be told today. It is estimated by a New York build er that there are buildings under con struction In the city which will uggre ■ gate in value more than $100,000,000. TERRIBLE HARDSHIPS MET BY EXPLORERS Shackleton's Men Nearly Died of Starvation in the Ant arctic. Christ Church, N. Z., March 19.— Lieutenant Shackleton's ship Nimrod had returned here with the exploring party aboard, all of whom are well. The members of the expedition give some additional details te these al ready published. Professor David and his company Ions recount that when they started on the Journey te the magnetic pole, the weather was so hot that they had to pull their two sledges In singlets. There was half a ton of provisions on each sledge. After a comparatively easy 250 miles Journey along the sea lee they had a hard and almost hope less climb to the inland plateau. They carried their lives In their hands, fight ing their way Inch by Inch and suf«> fered great privations on the return Journey. When rescued by the Nimrod they were e party of gaunt skeletons! tha Nimrod had almost given them up for lost. The members of Lieutenant Shackle ton’s party state that when they were compelled to turn back, their bodily strength was diminishing so rapidly that their temperature went down to far below. In some cases reaching to 93 degrees and In others considerably lowor than that They nearly died from starvation before finding one of the depots and always were on very short rations. Had this party been two days later In reaching the Nim rod she would have been frozen In for another season. They declare that any future explorer attempting to reach the pole must be provided with much larger supplies of food, because there I3 no doubt that the south pole Is sit uated on a high plateau and the coldest and stormiest weather In the world prevails there, there being 70 degrees of frost under the very mildest con ditions. Lieutenant Shaekleton declined to say anything regarding the protest made by the commonwealth of Aus tralia, because It had received no news of the Nimrod’s arrival at Stewart Island, although the commonwealth had voted 325,000 toward the expenses of the expedition. WORLD’S 1908 COMMERCE RECORD IS WAY LOW Washington, March 29. -International rommerce made a lower record In 190i than in 1907 In practically all the commer cial countries of the world. The figures of the Imports and export® of the principal countries of the world In 1908, compared with 1907, show, as above Indicated, In nearly every case a falling off In both imports and exports. In th® commerce of the United Kingdom, tot example, imports show a fall ef *5268.000,000 and exports a fall of 6238,060,010, In the full calendar year 1908 compared with the full calendar year 1907. In the case of Ger many, the imports show a fall of 6102.000, 500 and the exports a fall of 623.000,000; these figures being for the full calendar year 1908 compared with the calendar year 1907. In the case of France, the Import® show a fall of 625,600,000 and the exports a fall of 662,600,000. In the case ef Belgium, the Imports show a fall of 632,600,000 and the exports a fall of 623,000,000. Canada’® ‘mports show a fall of 6S3.006.000 and her exports an increase of 69,560,060, while most of the other countries in the list show sim ilar falling off, the chief exception being Argentina, which shows but a slight de crease In Imports and a material Increase In exports. The average monthly Impor tations of the 23 countries shown by th® table was 6997,000,000 In that portion of 1908 which they respectively represent against 61,089,500,000 In the corresponding period of 1907; and the average monthly exports 6901,000,000 against 6973,600,000 for the corresponding period ®f 1967. SUES STATE FOR $500,000; FALSE IMPRISONMENT Ashland, WIs., March 29.—Wm. M. French has sent a petition to the legis lature In which ho asks indemnity in the sum of $500,000 for alleged false .mprlsonment and as the victim of a conspiracy, in Ashland county JalL prison at Waupun, Northern Hospital for the Insane, the Iowa county Insane asylum and the Insane asylum at Rich land Center. French was a prosperous logger and Dwner of a drug store, farm and real estate when. In 1891, he shot and killed nls brotherlnlaw, Galvin M. Steel. Ho was found guilty of murder and sent to Waupun. The supreme court reversed the caso and French subsequently w-as declared Insane and was sent to Oshkosh and to other places. MOUSE RAN UP THE CLOCK; GIRLS STRUCK One Hundred Ceased Knitting and Leaped for Life—The Mouse Ran Down Again. New York, March 29.—Hickory, chlckory, dock, the mouse ran up the clock; but. In stead of striking one, the clock made a noise like a hundred girls, each trying to be hysterical first. For it was the cloch on Miss Mary Bloan's stocking that tho mouse ran up just as Miss Bloan and 99 other girls had begun their afternoon'a work in tho knitting mill at 753 Lexington ave., Brooklyn. That serenity which is supposed to coma from knitting was Immediately dispelled, when Mary Bloan jumped with a scream. Of course, 100 other girls, with as many screams, jumped on 100 knitting machines and showed 200 stockings, which would have shamed any framer of a tariff bill who talks about ad valorem on hosiery. A dozen of the girls fainted, and so many others wouldn't quiet down that It was necessary to call Dr. Ilartzell. of th« Bushwick hospital, to administer restora tives all around. The mouse escaped. KIDNAPED 25 YEARS AGO; CHICAGO POLICE FIND HER Chicago, March 29.—After having been kidnaped from Montreal 25 years ago, Mrs. Jason Warner was found by the South Chicago police last night. She said she had been stolen when she was 5 years old and was taken to a farm. Recently Mrs. Warner appealed to the Canadian police who found her family in Montreal. The Norwegian army Includes m corps on skates.