The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-13
THE BOY MURDERER OF IOWA.
Wesley Eikins, Eleven Years Old, Who
Wns Sentenced for Life.

Wesley Eikins, Eleven Years Old, Who
Was Sentenced for Life.
Prisoner No. 1900 was sweeping out the
dollhouse of the Iowa State Prison at Ana
mosa, writes an Anamosa Qowa) correspond
ent Of the Chicago Times. Prisoner No.
1900 is a slim boy eleven years old. He is
rather handsome boy, with broad fore
head and thoughtful face. His shaven
head shows the stamp of the felon. He is
not kept apart from the men prisoners lie
joins in the l0ckstep with them and
marches out to meals He lives with them
the daily, mOnotOn0uS life of the convict.
1t is sin against humanity, you say. that
such baby should be kept for years in the
midst of such associations and companions.
Prisoner 1900 is sentenced to the Iowa
State Penitentary for life. His crime was
the brutal and premed tated murder OF his
father and step-mother. Look into his
thoughtful, childllke face again and ask
yourself how he could have done it.
In July, 1889, John Elkins and his wife
were living on little farm in Elk town
ship, near Edgewood, Clayton County.
woman and the second wife OF her elderly
husband. By his first wife he had two
sons.
Tuesday night, July 16, 1889, there were
four persons in the little farmhouse, MIR.
and Mrs. Elkins, Wesley and the baby.
Early Wednesday morning Wesley drove
the old farm team furiousy up to a neigh
boris house. He had the baby IN the wagon
with him. He had an awful story tn tell.
When he arose that morning and went into
his parents room terrible sight met his
eyes. Lying stretched out on the bed was
the body of his father with a bullet-hule
through his head. Half on the bed and hall
on the floor was the body of his step-mother.
Her head was beaten to jelly. On the floor
lay heavy club smeared with blood and his
fathers old muzze-loading rifle, with which
the CHASTITY work had been done.
1t was strange to see this mere boy so I'M
moved by the terrible recital Could he
know anything of the crime? The thought
seemed impossible.
He was finally arrested, however, and
locked up in Jail at Elkader, the county seat
of Clayton County.
One day this ten-year- old child called the
official into his cell and confessed that the
work was his.
There was no breaking down, no tears.
Coolly and calmly again he detailed the
story.
His father and his step-mother whipped
him and he would not stand it. He waited
until his brother was gone away and he was
alone in the house with his parents. At 3
o'clock Wednesday morning, July 18th, he
got up, stole downstairs and loaded his
fathers old muZzle-loading rife, which hung
on the wall in the bedroom. He put the
nuZZle 10 his 1alnerS forehead anu nre1.
The Old man never moved. As he had eX-
pected, his step-mother was awakened by
the report and leaped cut of bed to strike
light. Wesley knocked her down with a
club which he had ready. Then, to make
the matter sure, he beat her head to Il jelly.
The boy was taken before the District
Court at Elkader. where he again told the
story of his crime. He expressed no sorrow
for his act, but said he would do it again
under the same circumstances. He was
then sentenced to the penitentiary at Ana
fnusa for life