Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-07-31

Wit Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, New Jer-
sey, Vermont, Massachusetts,, New Hamp-
shire. Maine and Rhode Island, and il is
hoped that all the northern and some OF the
southern states will be represented.
The case against Willie Sells, charged
nth the murder of his father. mother and
brother, on the 8th of last March, is now oc-
cupyin9 the attention of the district court
of Neosho county. The interest in the case
is intense. The murder occurred fewmiles
north of Erie, Neosho county. Jacob Sells,
the father of the prisoner, was well-to-do
farmer, with family consisting of wife
and three children, Watty, Willie, and q
daughter Ina, The eldest son, Watty, at
tended the normal school at Emporia, last
winter. On tho morning of March 8, about
l O'Clock, Willie went to q neighbor's and
said some one was at their house with a
Ratchet after his father and mother; Men
dial to whom he went, returned with him TO
his home where he found the whole family
had been murdered. At the corone-'s in
quest, Willie was charged with the murder.
and he has been in Jail ever since. few
days ago letter was received by the editor
of the st. Joseph GGzette, purporting to be
from two boys-A. Kirby and Sam Ryan
confessing the crime. 1t is now claimed
that AL. Kirby is in New Mexico, and by
The feeling was at first very bitter against
the prisoner, but has abated considerably of
te.
Stephen Broder, bootblack g years old,
of New York City, jumped from the Brook
Ign bridge at the center span into the East
river. He was fished out and taken to the
police station, apparently uninjured. Broder
was at one time a newsboy and later pedes-
trian. Some time ago he went on a free
5ooting expedition to South America. A
wagon was noticed passing over the bridge
with two men riding on it. Something
about one Of the men attracted the notice of
the Police Officer Lally, and he watched the
wagon as it went on. When about 100 feet
east of the New York tower, one of the men
stood up took his coat of, looked around
and said to the driver, ''Well, here goes for
luck" and stepped from the wagon to the
rail. Without hesitation second he jumped
off. The man fell down straight to the
water, 120 feet below, striking in bunch,
but with his feet first. He sank from sight
and reappeared moment later with both
hands at his chest as if in pain. skif
which was near at hand rapidly came up and
the occupants took the man in thr boat and
pulled to the foot of Dover street and landed.
In the meantime three bridge police had
run around and down to the pier. They ar
re tied him. He did not seem to be much
injured by the terrible fall, and walked
along without any assistance, followed by a
mob of cheering boys and men.
A dispatch from Ell Paso, Texas, says:
Paso Del Norte is full of Mexican soldiers.
Although heavy reinforcements are an
nounced as on the way from chihuahua,
they have not yet arrived. The state de-
partment at Washington is kept fully advised
of all military movements the Me1cans may
undertake. Senator Manuel Rincen, private
secretary of the governor of Chihuahua,
of his regard and friendship. He said the
troops had been sent to Paso Del Mort
merely as a precautionary movement, ana
if the excitement did not increase no more
would be sent. He was astonished that
Cutting refused to accept bail when offered
as that would not have preiudiced his case
at all. Consul Brigham replied that Cutting
had done right. That his case was not be-
yond the reach of petit courts of the state
It was a question between the two nations.
There is evidently hitch in the negotiations
on the part of the Mexicans as there has
been no further developments. Council
Brigham modified his previous report and
says Medina did not abuse him, but his sec
rotary.
The Willie Sells murder case now on trial
at Erie Kan, was opened by the county at
torney, who gave very careful statement
of the evidence on which the state depended
for a conviction. j. p. Woods, one of the
attorneys for the defendant and guardian of
the boy, made a statement for the defendant
to the effect that the motive for the crime
would be shown to have existed stronger
with other parties than with Willie, and
that Willie and the other members of the
family were on the best of terms. Mr.. an
Mrs. Mendall and their daughter Eva were
examined. They were the neighbors to
whose house Willie went to give the alarm.
They stated that Willie came to their house
between II and l O'Clock and said: "There
is q man in the house with q Ratchet. Ma
and pa are hurt and their is blood all over"
He also said that he thought his sister was
hurt, but that he thought that Watty, his
brother was still asleep, that he had walked
up and saw man in the room and chased
him down the road, when he got on a horse
held by another man and rode off. He then
came to Mr.. Mendall's. His breath was
short as if he had been running. Mr.. Men
dali went back to his home with Willie,
when he found the whole family murdered,
the two elder people on the floor and the son
and daughter in their beds. Willie did not
exhibit any emotion as far az he could re-
He thought he might have been
dazed. All the witnesses testified to the
good character of Willie and to the affection
that seemed to exist between the members
of the family. T. j. Rice swore that
Willie's clothes were covered with blood the
next morning.