The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-07-16
IAfillie Sells.

ground that he was not guilty. A de-
eision OF this kind cannot but reflect
discreditUu the board of pardons. Not
single iota Of evidence was submit
ted to the board that was not head be-
fore the jury that convicted Sell of til.
murder Of his family. Just think Of old
fossils, acting in the capacity of state
board of pardons, hearing the state
ments of few old women and fewer
men, seeking notoriety, bringing up no
argument that was not available at the
trial of the cause, and then reversing
the verdict of a jury Of twelve disn-
terested men who had heard all the
evidence in the case. Why, the case
made before the board of pardors was
in some particulars stronger than the
one made before the jury, especially as
regards the testimony of Jesse Parsons,
who at the time Of the murder, was
sheriff,of Neosho county, and to whom
Willie Sells confessed to having killed
his family, and told all the details, as
to which he killed first, second, third,
fourth and tifth-told how he killed
father, mother, brother and sisters
with Ratchet and then, fearing they
might rally, took the butcher knife,
and cut the throat of each-told how
he opened the stove door slightly that
he might have some light. Does any
one doubt the word of Jessie Parsons?
Would not the average citizen of Neo-
sho county believe Jesse Parsons
statement thousand times more rea-
Oily than the statement of j. g. Bolin,
the self-confessed jointist, the demen-
ted old, Notwithstanding friendless
Bolin? How would the testimony OF
Bolin compare with that of Jesse Par
sons before Neosho county jury? 1T
remains to'be seen whether or not Gov:
Leedy will fall in with these notriety
seekers, or whether he will listen to
the verdict of the district court OF Ne
osho county and the statements OF
J. NJ. Allen, Jessie Parsons, Henry
Lodge, Lon Cambern, j. j. Hurt, Jas.
Rice and w. H. Nation. Compare the
people who favor the pardon and their
opportunities of knowing the facts,
with those who oppose the same, and
their opportunities Of knowing the
facts. Make your own comments.
WILLIE SELLS CONFESSION.
The following is Willie Sells con-
fession as told by Jessie Parsons
"Willie Sells stated to me that he had
said to his lawyers that he wanted to
tell me about the murder, but that they
had told him not to do it; that II he
did, would be a witness against him.
| said, No, Willie, would never be
witness against any prisoner that
have under my control. l wouldn't
let any prisoner make confession to
me unless they;make it publicly But
l told him he might give his history as
to how the murder was committed, etc.
"After pausing moment, he said:
Sheriff, don't know how to tell it as
a theory, as you call it,
81 then told him that instead Of say
II in the confession, to use the term,
"a man if he wanted to. After study
ing moment, he said:
" Il got out of bed from Waite
IT stopped him right here and said:
Willie, there is something want to
knoW-how that crime could be COM
mitted as dark as it,'was that night,
when there was no light'in the house
at the timer
"He said, how do you know that
there wasn't any light?'
81 said, the blood on the lamp, lamp
tlue and matchbox showed that the
murder had been committed before
the lamp was lit.
"He said, 4 lit the lamp after they
were killed set up after the rest
went to bed, reading, and before went
to bed, put dry, hickory chunks in
both stoves, and the man opened the
stove door and it made a good light in
the house..
well, who did the man: kill first
and how did he do it?' / asked.
The man went out and got the 6
Ratchet and came In and struck Wat
lie and killed him, then he vent into
the other room, and mother was Sleep
ing on the front Of the bed, and struck I
her and killed her. Then he struck .
father, and father raised up and the Z
man struck him again and knocked
him back on the pillow. Then father q
raised up and got of at the foot Of the +
bed .
cat that point, 1 said to Willie:
What was the man doing while your q
father was getting off at the foot of r
the bed?' q
"Willie said: He kept striking faith Y
er till after he got off, till father fell &
on the floor. Then Ina walked up and