The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-26
NO PARDON NOW.
Gov. HOch Officially Acts on
Willie Sell Pardon.
Can't Make Up Mind About Guilt
or Innocence.
GIVES OUT STATEMENT
Says He Will Give Evidence Fur
ther Consideration.
Does Not Expect to Open John
Collins Case.

Governor Hoch today announced
that no pardon would be granted to
William B. Sell of Neosho county.
This refusal of a pardon, however.
is conditional; when Governor Hoch
gets time he may take up the case
again, go through the documents in
the case again, have a personal inter-
view with the prisoner and change his
mind But it is practically certain
that the governor will not get time to
go into the investigation again.
This is the signed verdict which
Governor Hoch gave out today in the
case:
Willie Sell.
have given much thought and
study to this case but frankly confess
that I have come out of it all with no
we'll defined conviction. It is the
most mysterious and difficult problem
I ever undertook to solve. Others
seem to have clear convictions of
Willie Sells Innocence, and still others
of his guilt, but I can reach no clear
conviction on either side. I have
doubts of his guilt. but I also have
doubts of his innocence.
have not had sufficient time or
leisure to go as carefully through all
the voluminous documents in the case
as have wished to have, nor to see
the prisoner in person as 1 have de-
sired to do, and until such leisure is
afforded me I do not wish to make
any permanent decision, but for the
present content myself with declining
to issue the pardon.
E. w. HOCH, Governor.
When asked whether this action
might be taken as putting a final set
tlement to the Sell case so far as a
pardon from him is concerned, Gov
crnOr Hoch said:
TT means that the case is closed for
the time being; closed until have
more time, and can go into these mat
ters more fully.
This case is one of the most mys-
terious and awful I ever heard of. I
don't know what to think about it.
People who are evidently honest in
their convictions are positive that the
boy is innocent, and others, equally
honest. no doubt, are positive that he
is guilty. It is beyond my power to
say who is right. Therefore I do not
care to interfere in the case without
some further reason for interference -
DO you expect to take up the case
of John Collins ?" was asked.
NO, replied the governor, I'm not
expecting to take that up
Governor Hoch's decision both in
the Sell case and in the Collins case
therefore seems to be adverse to the
petitioners.
The friends of John Collins have
been waiting with the greatest inter
est for the governors decision in the
Sell case. They believed that if Sci
should get a pardon, they could bring
sufficient pressure to bear to secure Z
hearing and possible pardon for Col
Inns. There is no doubt that the evi-
dence upon which Sell was convicted
was fully as strong as the evidence
upon which Collins was convicted, anC
possibly even stronger.
Governor Hoch has been greatly
worried by the Sell case. He is in
/ clined to be a tender hearted man, anC
/ to sympathize with these who are il
trouble. Therefore his Whole inclina
ton was to deal out a portion of Off
/ cial clemency to the alleged "boy mur
/ derer." When men like Judge Hum
phrey of Junction City and Judg,
/ Benson of Ottawa came to the supper
of the petitioner without hope of pa.
/ or expectation of reward. it made {
great impression on the governor
Consequently, at the time of the hear
/ ing. the governor indicated by his re
marks that he might grant the par
don. Later on, the governor had TIM
to think things over, and came to tn
conclusion that so long as a doubt o
the boys innocence remained in hi
mind, he should not grant the pardon
/ Upon the ground that the innocence
had not been established, the pardon
Twas refused