The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-10
HORRIBLE.
4 Triple Murder by a Young
Boy.
STILL THE LABOR TROUBLES.
Sensation-Denth of Senator
Chaffee-Etc.
Horrible Murder.

KANSAS CITY, March S.-The Times
Usage Mission, Kansas, special says
One of the most horrible murders eyer
known in this county, was perpetrated
this n orning near this place. Mr.. Men
del, living thirteen miles northwest of
town, was awakened about o'clock this
morning by scream. He went to the
door and was met by Willie Selb, son OF
neighboE j. w. Selb. The boy cried
out, MIR. Mendel, man is at our
house, with Ratchet, ana ans Haf'
father and mother; ! Cont know how
badly" Mr., Mendel went with the
boy, areusing J. L. Rice, another neigh
Dor, on the way. Upon reaching the
Seib house a most horrible sight met
their eyes. In bed in the north room lay
Walter, Willie's eldest brother, and n
bed-fellow aged 10, his throat cut. al d
the entire top of his head chopped off,
exposing his brain. and his left eye
hanging upon his check. Passing into
the south and main room. where light
was burning, they stumbled over the
PROSTATE form of Mr.. Selb, his head
crushed and almost severed from his
body. Near by lay Mrs. Selb, lady of
43 years, her head mashed and a fearful
cash in her throat. On the bed in the
southeast corner of the room lay Ira,
Willie's sister, aged IA, killed in the
same manner as the other three. Lying
near Mr.. Selb's head was a bloody
butcher knife and on the chair a
Ratchet, matted with hair and
blood. The boy said that he
had been awakened by something
and looking up he saw low, heavy
man with dark hair, cut close, standing
in the door. This man slipped in. and
reaching over Willie struck Watyi WI o
lay N the back of the bed. Willie
jumped out and dressed, while the man
was still in the room: The man rushed
out of one door, while Willie went out
the run, Willie after him. A short dis
lance off stood another man, on horse
back, holding another horse, upon
which the man vaulted and both made
off. Willie then went off to Mendell's.
After the bodies had been discovered,
Rice took Willie home with him, where
he slept soundly till morning. A coron-
er's jury was empanelled. and
subsequent investigation brought forth
much from the boy. Suspicion
rested upon him, and he was
put on the stand. He swore that he
had not washed his hands since the
murder, but the inspection showed that
while his hands and wrists were clean
there was a water mark above which
his fOrearms were deeply Incrusted with
blood, which appeared to have spurted
up hi; sleeves. Around his finger nails,
TOO. was blood. Upon removing his
pants his drawers were seen to be satu-
rated with spattered blood, and his
barefoot were covered with the same
sanguinary fluid. His feet fitted all the
bloody foot marks to be found. The
boy stoutly denied being the murderer
and maintained boldfr throughout.
The conclusion of the inquest, was
postponed until tomorrow. The boy
was struggled into buggy by Police
Judge Camborn, and Deputy Sher-
lift Locke, and driven to jail
in Erie for fear of lynching, which ap-
peared imminent. On the way to Erie
he said to Mr.. Camborn. "Those fell
lows tried to get me to say did it. but
| thought itwould be best not to admit
it, There is hardly a doubt that the
boy committed the dreadful crime,
though no motive is known. Mr.. Selb
had in his pocketbook 500 in gold and
$l70 in bills, which were not disturbed,
besides three watches. John Hall, of
Erie, has been appointed guardian of
the boy.