Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-22
NAY PARDON uK|Ng
The Coming Legislature Will Be
Asked to Free the Boy
Murderer.
Prison Officials and Many Others
Have Endorsed His Petition
for Parole.
Citizens Of Clayton County OPP.
posed to His Pardon..Story
OF the Crime.
Special to rimes-Repuplican.

Special to Times Republican.
Cedar Rapids Nov. CIT is probable
that a strong effort will be made to
have the coming session of the legisla-
ture pardon Wesley Elkins, the boy
murderer, who was sent up from Clay
ton county twelve years ago. He was
convicted of killing his father and step
mother. Professor j Il. Harlan, of Cor
nell College, will have charge of the
case. Harlan championed the boy, S
cause in the twenty-seventh assembly.
His petition will be endorsed by Kew.
Byers, former chaplain OF the Anamosa
penitentiary, where Elkins is conhnea.
Other officials of the prison also favor
his pardon.
According to the story of the case,
which was told all over the country az
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 farm house where ne
lived with his father and step-mother'
took a club and deliberately killed poth
his parents One OF the most pecuilar
features Of the case was the fact tha'
a baby, his step-mother's child, lay IN
the same room with the parents VINO
were killed, but the boy did not harm 1T.
After the crime was committed he took
the child in his arms and slipped quiet
" 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 overwhelmingly
against him when he was tried, howev-
er. that he was given a life sentence in
spite Of his. youth. After his incarcera-
ton Professor Harlan becace interested
in his case, partly because Of the youth
OF the prisoner and partly because of
his excellent behavior in the prison. The
boy has never been compelled to per-
form 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 periodicals there. His pardon went
before the legislature four years ago
thru the efforts of Professor Harlan.
1t was bitterly opposed by Senator
Everall from Clayton county. who with
many other citizens of that part of the
state familiar with the circumstances
surrounding the crime believe the boy
should not be placed 1T large. Many Pc
titions were sent in protesting against
the pardon, but it never really came to
q vote because OF the failure In the pub
lication of notice in the Clayton coun-
ty newspapers. The governors Office
made the proper publication in the
notice upon the papers of Clayton coun-
ty, but when the certification of the no.
tice in the latter was made 1t was dis
covered that it had failed Of publication
in one issue.
This presented the matter from COM
ing to a vote. 1t Is expected that prob
ably as much opposition will arise as
manifested itself four years ago, as the
sentiment in Clayton county is said toI
be strongly against the boys pardon.
.I shall strongly recommend the par
don, as far as may be called upon to
express my views in the matter" said
Rev Byers. Il had Elkins under me in
the prison library for several years and
have come to like him thoroughly. He
realizes better than any one else that
the one thing he will have to keep in
check oil his lie is MS temper; TINS ne
has put under complete control. know
that the boy has friends who will assist
him in many ways and make such a
path much easier than that of the aver
age convict il he is released Elkins is
Intelligent and very studious.
He is not strong physically, but physi-
cal strength will come to him with a
change of environment and employ !
ment. He realizes the difficulties ahead
81 him under a pardon or parole. but I
firmly believe he will successfully cope
with them all. This fact must be borne
IN mind: Elkins will not start his new
NE alone and unassisted. He has no de-
sire to associate with men of low NOR
ais and believe that those who favor
his release will never have cause to re-
gret It"
Il