Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-07-22
AN ArrAKrNrLr rxnuM Az noy
The Murderer Of Father. mothor,
aBrOIhor nud Sister.

CHICAGO, July IA special from Topeka
khn., says: The trial OF Willie Sells, aged
10, for the murder Of his father, mother
brother and sister will begin at Erie this
state Monday. The youth OF tho criminal
the nnmber and relation Of the victims, the
entire lack OF provocatlnn tho munnrr Gl
Tho killing and all the circumstances of The
cilsn make It almost unprecedented in the
ahnnls Of crime.
The morning Of March 8th, Willie ma
his appearance ut the farmhouse d
neighUor, Mr.. Mendall md In an ok, ed
tone stated that a strange man had been nj
his home during the might and he thought
had hurt his father as he was lying on the
iloor with blood on his face. As this visit OF
young Sells was ut O'Clock In the morning
Mr.. Mendall questioned him closely. Willie
said he awakened and saw man standing
IN the doors between the room Willie and his
brother slept In and the one occupied by
the parents and sister. / got my clothes on
the foot OF the bed and was putting
looked at me and then ran out
into the yard. did not try to arouse my
brother, but put on my pantaloons and
went Into the room where my parents were
sleeping to get my boots and overcoat.
saw my father on the floor with blood on
his face but thought his nose WIS bleed.
ing as he was frequently troubled that way.
s0e II could find the stranger. When
passed out the door he was standing In the
yard but ran. l.pursued him for half a
mile when he mounted horse held by an
other man, and they both rode away ns
fast us they could.
Upon hearing this story Mr.. Mendall ac-
companied Willie home. When they arrived
the boy remained outside. Mr.. Mendall
entered, procured light and WAS con-
ironted with the most horrible spectacle
that can be imagined. The floor was
covered with blood In which he fairly had
to wade. The ceiling WINS spattered and the
walls stained. The old man 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 cut In the
same manner. A few feet away In q bed In
Il cover lay the body of Miss Ida Sells with
her skull crushed and throat cut from ear
TO ear, and In the adjoing room In the same
bed In which Willie had been sleeping, was
the body Waite Sells with large cash In his
forehead, one of his eyes chopped out and
his throat cut similar to the others. Mr..
Mendall found a hatchet covered with blood
and hair lying on chair, and about a foot
from the body Of the father WINS butcher
knife which was also covered with blood.
After hurried examination Mendnll re-
turned to the yard and told Willie OF the
crime. The boy said nothing and showed
no particular feeling. He accompanied
MIR. Mendall to MIR. Rlce's house nearby,
where he went TO sleep or pretended to
sleep until morning. The officers In the
morning made mn examination but found
no truce or the stranger or horse tracks,
although Millie's tracks were plainly In
len,cd III the mud, Returning to the Sells
huuSn Il wash hnSin Oi bloody water was
uund rn tle stove in which the pprpHtra-
nr hii washed his hands. II was dis
ovcred that Wilin hnd washed
lis hands and wrists nut above
the wrists blood was found
on the arms. There WIS blood under his
llnger nails also, and his understanding was
considerably stained. There was purse
containing 1900 under MIR. Sells pillow, and
two watches hanging IN plain sight wore
undlsturhcd so that there is no probability
that the crin,p was committed for the pur-
pose Of robbery. Previous TO this horrible
occurrence the hoy had borne good repu-
tatiun and 10 thi4 day stoutly donies the
preparation of the deed and afllrms that Il
he committed II II was In hts sleep or while
his reason was dothroned. II il said that
he was constant reader Of dime novels
and had several times Expressed desire Ia
become n hero.