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.
