The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-30
WILLIE SELLS.
The Kansas Youth Now Under Sentence of
Death for the Murder of His Family.

The Kansas Youth Now Under Sentence of
Death for the Murder of His Family.
Chicago Tribune.
If all that is related of sixteen.year.old Willie
Sells, who. at Erie, Kan, on Tuesday. was sen
fenced to be hanged for murder in the first de-
gree be true, he is absolutely the wickedest
young ruffian that evil deeds ever entitled to
footing on the eallows. AT l o'clock on the
morning of March last, the boy, who lived
with his parents brother and sister In Neosho
county, six miles south of Erie, appeared at the
farm house of neighbor, Mr. Mendall, and told
a story of the advent of strange man to his
fathers house that night, and begged for an in
vestigation. expressing fears for his parents
safety. He said he chased the intruder out of
the house and down the road. but that he finally
mounted horse held by second stranger, and
thatthe two then rode rapidly away. Mendall
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 cr%.shed and throat cut in the same
CHASTITY manner A few feet away. in bed in
a corner of the room. lay the body of Miss Ina
Sells. with her skull crushed and throat cut
from ear to ear and in the adjoining room. in
the same bed in which Willie had been sleeping
was found the body of Waite Sells with large
cash in his forehead. 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 soundy till
morning.
The investigation pursued by the authorities
brought out seemingly convincing proof of Will
lies 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 he had washed his hands after
getting out of bed before going to MendaTs. He
said he had not. but upon complying ssgith the
officers request TO take off his clothes it was
discovered that he had washed his hands and
wrists. but above the wrists blood was found on
his arms There was blood under his finger
nails also, and his underclothing was consider
ably stained
Previous to this horrible occurrence the hoy
had borne good reputation, and people residing
in the neighborhood were slow to believe him
guilty of the crime He stoutly denies the per-
petration of the deed. and affrms that if he
committed it it was in his sleep, or while his
reason was dethroned This theory is enter
tanned quite generally among the former friends
of the boy. Anyway, the Kansas statute
it is not probable he will be hanged
When the death sentence is pronounced.
the criminal is first sentenced to one
years Imprisonment in the State penitentiary.
to be executed as soon thereafter as the Govern
or signs his death-warrant; but as there is moth
ing mandatory in the statutes. the chief execu-
tives of the State have carried it out far
as their duties are concerned since it went into
effect There are a number of convicts now in
the penitentiary under the sentence Of death.
The original design of 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, perchauce the true
facts might come to the surface.