River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-08-12
Sentenced to Death.

If all that is related of 16-year-old
Willie Sells, who, at Erie, Kas., Tues
day, was sentenced to be hanged for
murder in the first degree, be true he is
absolutely the wickedest young ruffian
that evil deeds ever entitled 10 a foot
ing on the gall0ws. At | o'clock the
morning of March s last the boy. who
lived with his parents, brother and sis
ter, in Neosho county, six miles south
of Erie, appeared at the farmhouse of
a neighbor, Mr.. Mendall, and told q
story of the advent of n strange man
to his fathers house, that
night and begged for an in
vestigation, expressing fears for his pa
rents safety. He said he chased the
intruder out of the house and down the
road, but that he finally mounted a
horse held b. =. stranger, and that the
two then rode rapidly away. Mendall
then accompanied the BOY home, and
on entering the house encountered a
horrible spectacle.
The floor was besmeared with blood
and the walls and ceiling spattered
and stained. The elder Sells was lying
on the floor with the back of his head
crushed in and his throat cut. Near
him was the body of Mrs. Sells, with
her skull crushed and throat cut IN the
same CHASTITY manner. A few feet
away, in bed III corner of the room,
Law the body of Miss Ina Sells,
with her skull crushed and throat cut
from ear to ear, and in the adjoining
room in the bed which Willie had been
sleeping was found the body of Waite
Sells. with a large cash in his fore
head, one Of his eyes chopped out, and
his throat cut similar to the others.
The boy, who remained outside while
Mr. Mendall examined the premises,
manifested no emotion when told of
the horrible fate that had befallen the
family. He went Immediately to the
house of neighbor named Rice and
slept soundly till morning.
The investigation pursued by the
authorities brought out seemingly con-
vincing proof of Willie's guilt. No
tracks were visible in the soft earth
surrounding the house but his own. In
the Sells house a wash-basin of bloody
water was found on the stove, in
which the perpetrator of the awful
deed had washed his hands. Willie
was then asked if be had washed his
hands after gettin out of bed before
going to Mendall's. He said he had
not, but upon complying with the OIL
GERS request to take off his clothes ii
was discovered that he had washed his
hands aud wrists; but above the wrists
blood was found on his arms. There
was blood under his finger-nails also
and his Undertaking was consi terably
stained.
Previous to this horrible occurrence
the boy had borne good reputation,
and people residing in the neighbour
hood were slow 10 believe him guilty of
the crime He stoutlv denies the per-
petration of the deed, and affirmS that
if he committed il it was in his sleep or
while his reason was dethroned. This
theory is entertained quite generally
among the former friends of the boy.
anyway, INC hdhSoo ot'1uto III iCSoiu
to hanging is so peculiar that it is not
probable he will be hanged. When
the death sentence is pronounced the
criminal is first sentenced to one year 5
Imprisonment in the State Penitentiary
to be executed as soon thereafter as the
Governor signs his death-warrant;
but rs there IS nothing manda-
tory in the statute the Chief En-
ecutiyes of the State have never carried
it out so far as their duties are con-
cerned since it went into effect.
/ There are Il number of convicts now in
the peniteutiarY under sentence OF
death. The original design Vt the law
was to give to person who by some
chance may have been convicted OF
murder of which he was innocent one
years grace. so that percbance the
true facts might come to surface.