The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-26
ANOTHER FAILURE
Convict Bane Said He Would
Tell Some Things.
Claimed He Had Proof of Willie
Sells Innocence
HE WAS PARDONED.
Discovered That His Stories
Were FaIsehOOds.
Has Furnished No Clues But
Secured Liberty.

Oscar Bane has been out of the penl-
tiary nearly two weeks but as yet ne
has given no information which would
tend to disprove the belief that Willie
Sell murdered his father, mother, bro
Their and sister in cold blood, at their
own home several years ago, and for
which crime he is now serving a life
sentence in the state penitentiary-
Every conceivable effort has been
made to get Willie Sell pardoned but so
far executive cIemency has not been
exercised in behalf of the young man.
The latest ruse adopted by the rep
resentatives of Sell appears in the
Bane case in which an effort was made
to secure Bane's pardon under the rep
resentation that Bane could furnish in
formation that would exonerate Sell
and prove conclusively that Sell is in
nocent of the crime for which he was
convicted.
Bane was sent to the penitentiary
from Crawford county under a seven
years sentence for burglary His term
expired in August but he managed to
get the ear of Sells friends and made
a statement to the effect that he could
prove Sell innocent. This was immedi-
ately conveyed to Sells attorney in To-
peka and he went to Lansing, securing
from Bane a sworn statement in which
the convict said he could furnish the
names of the persons who committed
the murder; where it was planned and
how and when it was accomplished.
Bane was prOfUse in particulars of
the case but he was Shrewd enough to
refrain from telling anything of a de-
finite character until he knew whether
a pardon was to be his reward for fur
nishing the information. This was the
contract which Bane entered into He
agreed to tell all he knew if the attor-
neys for Sell would secure for him "a
pardon Accordingly the attorneys
commenced work on Governor Stanley
but failed to secure the coveted prize.
The governor. however, did allow a few
days off on Bane's sentence and he was
taken out OF the prison under the order
Of communication. presumably to NeOShO
county where he was under agreement
to furnish the information necessary to
apprehend the murderers of the Sell
family.
Bane explained that he procured his
1nfOrmat ton from another party, al
though he himself did not reside in Ne
Osho county, he processes to be able to
expose the real culprits who he says.
have been in hiding all these years that
Sell has been in the penitentiary.
County Attorney Cline of Neosho
county has no faith in Bane's story. He
thinks Bane is fOOling the officials but
suggested that a communication of a few
days on the mans sentence would en-
able the friends of Sell to ascertain the
truth of Bane'S story In the event the
real criminals" as Bane has designa-
ted those he is searching for, are appre-
to prosecute them. For this reason he
is somewhat interested in the case, yet
he is firm in the conviction that Bane
IS playing game on the governor.
Mr. Stanley was not trapped by
Bane's game and stated at the time the
Communication was issued that, in his
opinion, the story was false yet he was
disposed to give Bane trial and owing
to the fact that the sentence of the
man expired in so short a time the
governor committed it by deducting 20
days, releasing Bane last week In
making this order Governor Stanley
said;
Pardon for Bane was urged on the
theory that he possessed valuable in
formation pertaining to the Sell case
ana that this information furnished to
the authorities of NeOshO county will
lead to the arrest and conviction of
parties who assisted in the murder.
I have observed that Mr.. Bane tells
two or three different stories. / have
no confidence in him or the stories
which he has told I do not believe he
has told the truth at any time. Neither
do I believe that his release will result
IN any good, nor will it bring to Justice
the persons he claims killed the Sell
family"
The scheme was to have detectives at
hand when Bane was released and to
them he was to detail the story which
he possessed. Then the detectives were
TO proceed to the scene. ferret out the
present location of the nurdererS and a
a given time descend upon all of them
and make general arrest of all per-
sons connected with the case
The utmost secrecy has been Observ-
ed in this proceeding but Bane has not
yet brought any one into arrest and the
indications are that he will not do 50.
1t was claimed at the time the pardon
was sought for Bane that everything
was in readiness for the immediate con-
summation of the plan to exonerate
Sell by bringing the real criminals to
justice But this has not been done
and the indications are that Governor
Stanley's prediction will be verified and
that Bane's stories are falsehOods.
PLACE FOR HONEST HARvEn