Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-05
WILLIE SELLS TERRIBLE CRIME.
He Will Be Tried for the Murder OF
His Father, Mother. Brother and
-l ~ Sister.

E4
TOPEKA, Kan, July 19.-The trial of
Willie Sells, aged Is, for the murder Of
his father, mother, brother and sister,
will begin at Erie, this State, to-day.
The youth of the criminal, the number
and relations of the victims, the entire
lack of proyocation, the manner of the
killing and all the circumstances of the
case make it almost unprecedented in
the annals of crime.
The morning of March 8, Willie Sells
make his appearance at the farm house
of q neighbor, Mr.. Mendall, and in an
excited tone inserted that a strange
man had been at his home during the
night and he thought had hurt his
father, as he was lying on the floor with
blood on his face. AS this visit Of
Young Stells was at | o'clock in the
morning, Mr.. Mendall questioned him
closely, and Willie said he wakened
and saw man standing in the door be-
tween the room Willie and his brother
slept in and the one occupied by the
parents and sister.
II got my clothes off the foot of the
bed" said the boy, land was putting
them on when the man turned, looked
at me, and then ran out into the yard.
did not try TO arouse my brother, but
put on my trousers and went into the
room where my parents were sleeping to
get my boots and OvercOat, l saw my
father on the floor with blood on his face,
but Thought his nose was bleeding, as he
was frequently troubled that way.
When I passed out of the door the
stranger was standing in the yard, but
ran. l Pursued him for half mile,
when he mounted horse held by an
other man, and both rode away as fast
as they could CO."
Mr.. Mendall accompanied Willie
home. When they arrived the boy
remained outside. Mr.. Mendall enter
ed, procured light, and was con-
fronted with horrible spectacle. The
floor was covered with blood. The cell
ing was spattered, and the walls
stained. Old man Sells was lying on
the floor with the whole back part of
his head crushed in and his throat cut
so deep that his head was almost severed
from his body. Near him, also on the
floor, was the body Of Mrs. Sells, with
her skull crushed and throat cutSin the
SdU1e IudIluOEs n, lew ie0U away IA u
bed in a corner lay the bodyof Miss Ina
SELLS, with her skull crushed and throat
cut. In the bed on which Willie had
been sleeping was the body of Waite
Sells, with large cash in his forehead
and one of his eyes chopped out. Mr..
Mendall found a alarge hatchet covered
with blood and hair and bloody butch
er knife. bA
The bsy. accompanied Mr.. Mendall
to Mr.. Rice's house, near by, where he
went to- sleep, or pretended to sleep,
until next morning. The officer in the
morning made an examination, but
found no trace of the stranger or horse
tracks, although Willie's tracks were
plainly indented in the mud. 1t was
discovered that Willie had washed his
hands and wrists, but above the wrists
blood was found on his arms. There
was a purse containing money under
Mr. Sells pillow, and two watches
hanging in plain sight which were un-
disturbed, so that there Is no probabili-
ty that the crime was committed for
the purpose of:robbery.
I Previous to this horrible occurrence
the boy had borne a good reputation,
and to this day stoutly denies the per-
petration of the deed, and affirnns that
lffhe committed it, it was in bis sleep OF
while his reason was dethroned. It is
Isaid that heEwas a constant reader OF
dime novels, and had several times ex-
pressed a desire to become hero, "
: ERIE, KAN, ,Jnly N.-The arguments
in the Sells case were concluded to-day.
J. P. Woods, the boys guardian, and
J. w. Cogswell spoke for the defense
The former, who has stood by the boy
!. almost like father through the trial
made an earnest plea for him. J. @
IStrattom summed up the case for the
State in five hours epeech, after
4 which the case was submitted to the
i jury. & In one hour and two minutes
the jury came in with verdict Of muir
der in the first degree, as charged in the
complaint. The prisoner accepted the
verdict as a matter of fact, and was re
turned tothe Jail to await the result O
a motion for new trial, which will bt
made Immediately.