The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-02

banker, w T. DuttOn, ex-coroner of
Neosho county, and J. T. Rice. They
are all NeoshO county men who were
closely identified with the trial of
Willie Sells twenty years ago
Judge Benson of Ottawa and Judge
humphrey of Junction City are two
of the ablest lawyers in the state, and
they are making a very strong case
for the alleged murderer.
The hearing Monday was a free-for-
all. People who testified offered their
opinions theories and cOnjectures very
literally When anybody felt an in
cHnatIon to talk he talked, and the
governor had considerable difficulty in
keeping everybody from talking at
once.
Commenced on Monday.
The hearing of the case commenced
Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. 1t
continued without intermission until
7 p, m, when it was adjourned until
10 o'clock this morning Judge Ben
son, one of the attorneys for the pc
utioner, was obliged to go home, and
will submit briefs in writing This
morning the session was devoted to
arguments. Judge Humphrey made a
long and very able presentation of the
case for the petitioner. He took I'D
first the Il. ). Hurt affidavit, which
was printed in Mondays State Jour
nal. He declared that this affidavit
was q tissue of falsehOOdS, and went
through the entire affidavit, sentence
by sentence. He denied the truth of
nearly every statement made in the
an1davit.
I can not understand the motives of
these men who come here and invent
facts to sustain their case" he said. lie
spoke of his own connection with the
Sell case. Some friends had told him
that he believed al injustice was beng
done to Willie Sell and asked him to
investigate. He had done 50, and be-
come convinced that the boy is in
nocent. He said:
1T IS my duty as a citizen of the
state to undo this wrong. I do not be-
grudge the labor and the money it has
cost me if can get this innocent boy
free"
He then reviewed the evidence in Ee
case from start to finish Short speech
es We're made by J. M. Mason. J. NJ
Rice and others, and the governor then
closed the case.
Full Pardon or Nothing.
The applicants for the pardon do
not ask a Communication of sentence.
They say that Willie Sell declares that
he is innocent, and that unless he can
get a full pardon he would rather stay
Miss Bray. president of the state
w. c. T. U, was present and presented
the formal request of the organization
she represents that the pardon be
granted. Incidentally it might be
mentioned that the w. G. T. U. or
ganization at Erie, near which town
the crime was committed, surrendered
its charter in disgust and Indignation
when the state association took UP
the fight in behalf of the alleged
murderer.
E. A Fredenhagen, the representa-
tive of the prison rescue work. made
a plea for the prisoner. He said he
had frequently talked to Sell and to
those who knew him best one of the
prison officials told him that Sell is a
''sweet little Christian He told of
several incidents which seemed to in
dicate that the young man is leading
an earnest Christian life.
c. II. Black, of Topeka, a former
official at the penitentiary, said that
Sell had a perfect record at the prison.
He testified that Preacher Nation. of
Cawker City, a former Neosho county
man, and a relative of Carrie Nation,
told him that $1,000 had been raised
in Erie in fifteen minutes to fight
Sells application for a pardon. The
Erie people who were present laughed
at this.