The Mena weekly star., 1907-04-11
WILLIE SILL IS PARDONED.
Has Been in Kansas Penitentiary Since 1888 Serving Life
 Sentence.
CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO CLEMENCY
Sell Must Not Lecture or In Any Manner Exhibit Himself for Pur. pose of Making Moncy--Gov. Hoch to Find Sell Hor.s--Story of His Crime.

Crime.
 Topeka. Kan, April 10,--Gov. Hoch Tuesday granted a conditional pardon to Willie Sell, the quadruple murder tentiary since 1888 serving life sen tence The principal condition of the pardon is that Sell must not take the lecture platform or in any manner ex- hibit himself for the purpose of mak ing money. Gov. Hoch promises to find Sell home.
 The governor in granting the Sell parole did not take into considera- ton the guilt or innocence of the prisoner Executive clemency was granted merely on the grounds that Sell has been sufficiently punished as he has served 19 years of solid time" The average term of first degree prisoners in the Lansing prison has been consid erably less than the time served by Sell Besides, Sell has been an ex- emplary prisoner SC far as conduct and industry are concerned and this is said to have appealed especially to the governor in deciding to issue the parole. Tn addition. every warden under whom Sell has served has add ed his recommendation to others that he be allowed his freedom.
 In December, when the question of a pardon for Sell and John Collins was up and it was thought that a pardon or parole might be given as New Years present to one or the other, Gov Hoch in discussing the cases said:
 q cannot for the life of me see how it is possible for a jury to send a man to prison for life purely on circumstantial evidence. I cannot understand how lawyers can insist that a man should be imprisoned when all that is against him is cir cumstances which indicate that he knows about the crime. but do not prove in any way that he did it. I cannot understand how this is nossi- blc and l cannot force myself to be- ntft IL. inttt Hit itdns tItAbf- stances which may develop after the crime that point to the guilt of a man His actions. his talk. his ap. pearance might indicate this. but if does not prove itn
 Story of the Crime.
 Up to March z. 1886, ]. w. Sell lived on a farm near Erie. Neosho county, Kansas. He was then about 45 years old. His family consisted of wife, a son, Watty, l9 years old; daughter, Ina. 15 years old and a son, Willie, 1s years old Willie was small for his age Hc was. in fact, not much larger physically than boy of 13 or IA years. While not sickly. he was not strong and was incapable of doing the ordinary farm work of boy of his age Mir. Sell had an 80 acre farm Besides. he was man of more than the ordinary education and he taught the district school He was frugal and industrious. He saved his money.
 The afternoon of March he had been paid his wages as teacher. This amounted to S275. Besides, as he had only short time before said, that with the school money he would have enough money with which to build a new home, he is supposed to have had from $500 to si,000 in the house. At least this is what the friends of Willie contended when making a plea for pardon for him. The Sell home was an extremely mod est affair. It consisted of only two rooms. The father and mother and daughter slept in one of the rooms, while Willie and watty slept togeth- CT in the other.
 The morning of March B. 1886, the entire community about Erie was startled by the news that all Of the Sell family had been murdered except Willie An investigation showed this condition of affairs at the Sell home.
 The father and mother were lying feet to feet on their bedroom floor. Mr Sell had i3 wounds and gashes about the head His throat was cut straight across. the wouaa indicat- ing that sharp knife had done the work and not a dull one A bloody hatchet was also lying near by witt which the fathers head had been beaten Only the pole of the hatchet had evidently Teen used. Mrs. Sells wounds were much the same. Ina was dead in bod She had evidently been awake when attacked. Her throat was cut Three of her fingers were also nearly severed. indicating that she was attempting to protect her throat from the assassin's knife.
 Wattie was also dead in bed He slept next to the wall with Willie on the outside. His head had been crushed with a hatchet. His throat also had been cut.