Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-07
PARDON FOR ELklNs.
Application Will be Filed in Few
Days.


lature will be asked this winter to
pardon Wesley Elkins, the celebrated
boy murderer, sent up for life from
Clayton county twelve years ago. The
application for Elkin's pardon will be
fled with the governor within few
days Professor James l.. Harlan OF
Cornell college, who championed the
boys cause when it was before the
REIMBURSEMENT general assembly four
years ago, will have charge of the
case again.
Wesley Elkins. whose case is one
of the most famous Iowa has ever pro-
duced, is the youngest prisoner ever
sent up for the crime of murder IN
Iowa, and, SO far as is known, in the
United States. He was IL years old
when sentenced to life Imprisonment
in Anamosa peniteniary January IA,
1890, for the killing of his father and
stepmother. According to the story
of the case, which was told all over
the country at the time the crime was
committed, the boy had been punished
by his parents for some misdoing and
took his revenge out in murder.
He arose in the gray dawn OF the
morning in the farmhouse where he
lived with his father and stepmother,
took a club and deliberately killed
both his parents. One of the most pc
culiar features of the case was the
fact that baby, his stepmothers
child, lay in the same room with the
parents who We're killed, but the boy
did not harm it. After the crime was
| committed he took the child In his
arms and slipped quietly away from
the scene of the murder, and when
accused of it stated that the crime had
been committed by others, he taking
the child and fleeing to escape being
/ killed
The evidence was SO overwhelming
/ ~ against him when he was tried,
however, that he was given q life sem
tence in spite OF his youth. After his
Incarceration Professor Harlan be-
came interested in his case, partly be
cause of the youth of the prisoner and
partly because of his excellent be-
hav.or in the prison. The boy has
never been compelled 10 perform
heavy labor, and most OF his time has
been spent in the prison library.
where he has practically educated him
self while taking charge of the books
and per. odicals there. His pardon
went before the legislature four years
ago through the efforts of Professor
Harlan.
1t was bitterly opposed by Senator
Overall from Clayton county who
with many other citizens Of that part
OF the state familiar with the clrcum-
stances surrounding the crime believe
the boy should not be placed at large
Many petitions were sent In protest
ing against the pardon, but it never
really came to & vote because of the
failure in the publication of notice in
The Clayton county newspapers .The
governors; Office made the proper pub
LEGATION in the newspapers of this city
and served notice upon the papers Of
Clayton county, but when the certifi
cation of the notice in the latter was
made it was discovered that it hac
ia led of publication in one issue.
/ Tbs prevented the matter coming Il
a vote. 1t was not brought before the
last legislature. and it is safe to say
that when it comes up this winter there
will be a fight over it. The sentiment
of Clayton county is said to be as much
opposed as ever to the boys release
Those who are most bitterly against il
state that it is impossible to tell wheth
er the boy is capable of making good
citizen, since he was imprisoned sc
young and after committing a crime
! so heinous. They point out also the
fact that he has been much isolated
since he was first deprived of his lib
erty, and it is impossible to tell jus
how he would conduct himself wher
brought into contact with others agar
lfNst, Sail =