The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-09

j. W. Sell, his 1S-year-old brother
Wata, and his 13-year-old sister Ina,
all of the members of the family.
The pardon is to take effect at once.
It was signed shortly after noon today,
ana is issued to William B. Sell
Sells name in all the proceedings ap-
pears as Willie" Sell, but his real
name is William. B. Sell.
Sell will be released from the peniten-
tiary this afternoon, in time to take
left on the 8 o'clock Union Pacific train
this afternoon for Lansing, to deliver
the pardon personally into Sells hands
Mr.. drummer is Governor Hoch's pri-
vate secretary.
Will Work for Senator Griffin.
1t is expected that Willie Sell will
go at once to eNortonville and take
position which has been offered him in
the drug store owned and operated by
U. S. Griffin, state senator from JEFF
ferson county. Sell has the offer of
position in Kansas City, but it is the
advice of both Governor Hoch and
Warden Haskell that he accept the
Nortonville offer.
Warden Haskell came to Topeka this
morning to talk the matter over with
Governor Hoch, and he will return to
Lansing this afternoon. He said to-
day: Il am glad the governor has
it. He is a good prisoner, and has
thorough training as a pharmacist,
which he had obtained by study in the
penitentiary. He has for years attend
ed to all the dispensing of drugs for the
prisoners. and is an expert in this
work"
Governor Talks of the Pardon.
Governor Hoch said this afternoon,
after signing the pardon: Il have grant
ed this pardon only after long and very
careful study of the voluminous rec
ords in the case. I believe that no one
could read the records in this case, as
1 have read them, and not admit that
there is at least very strong doubt
of the boys guilt. It is a very mysteri-
Gus case. The question of who killed
those people may never be answered.
But here vas this boy. a STRIPPING of
16 years, who UP to the time of this
crime bore an excellent reputation. He
was good to his little sister Ina-used
to take her to school on horseback. He
was obedient to his parents. He was
looked upon as q. thoroughly reliable
boy Since his conviction he has been
a model prisoner. He had lived 20 years
in pl ison without any offense and dur
ing that time has gained the confidence
of 6ll the prison officials who have
been in charge of him. Every one of
those officials who have come in con-
tact with him, so far as I can learn,
are convinced that the boy is innocent
So we must admit that through his
whole life, with the possible exception
of a single hour, he has been good
boy and man, and in that one hour he
was a devil incarnate. cont reconcile
that one hour with the rest of his ex-
empla-y life. It doesn't seem to me
that a boy of that kind could be guilty
of such a revulsion in character. There
was absolutely no motive for the crime.
He had had no trouble with his family.
He is accused of being cold and indif-
ferent to the murders, but If he had
acted otherwise, he would have been
accused of putting on
And then there is the work of
.TaneS Hum MIR in his heb aIf
which should be considered John
investigated that case with
all the care and skill which his legal
and judicial mind possessed, and be-
came so convinced of the boys inulo-
cence that he wrote and published at
his own expense a pamphlet giving the
result of his Investigations. The judg-
ment of a man like Judge Humphrey |
is worth someti1 ing"
Governors Letter to Sell.
The following Is the letter which
Governor Hoch sent to Willie Sell by