The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-21
Startling Evidence Is Revealed
i'm Illinois Murder.
Girl Claims Boy SwOre He
Would "Wipe Out Family"
HAD INSULTED MRS. SLEEP
She Rebuked Him and Threat
ened to Tell Husband.
Father AbsOlved From ANY Col
IusiOn i'm Crime.

Elgin, ILL.,, April 21.-"I'll wipe out
the whole family some day." Herman
Coppes told Ida Sleep, II years old,
two months ago after a chastising ad-
ministered by Nanny Sleep, husband
of the woman and the father of two
children found murdered on the Sleep
farm near here, according to state
ment made by the girl today.
According to Detective Held, special
Investigator for the states attorney,
the boy had insulted Mrs. Sleep and
when she rebuked him and threatened
to tell her husband had shot and killed
her. The boy then murdered the ba-
bies because they were eyes witnesses
The coroner's jury today absolved the
father from any collusion in the crime.
No other arrests will be made. it is
said.
Boy Is Cold B1ooded.
The boy went TO sleep at o'clock
last night and for nine hours slumber-
ed quietly. When told that the three
victims of the murder were to be bur-
led today. he gave no evidence of in
terest. The funeral services were held
at the farm home. and the bodies were
then taken to Aurora on a special car
of an interurban electric line. AS
consequence of the tragedy many boys,
paroled as was Coppes to Kane county
farmers from the reformatory at the
st. Charles have been returned to the
institution. Their sponsors have be-
come unnerved by the triple murder.
and they feared to trust any inmate of
the school.
The Sleep home has been completely
shattered by the loss of the mother
and two babies. Ida, the IL year old
daughter of Nanny Sleep, has been
taken to the home of relatives of her
mother. Harriet. eight years older,
has told friends she would not remain
on the farm to keep house for her
father. Sleep says that under such
he must give up the
farm.
Confession of Boy.
Herman Coppes, 16 years old.
slayer of Mrs. Nanny Sleep and
her two small children, whose bodies
were found in a cistern under the
kitchen of the Sleep farm house, five
miles west of Elgin. Coppes says the
killing resulted from Mrs. Sleep say
ing she would see about it, when
he had refused, in i'll humor, to do one |
Of his accustomed chores after school. |
mo; it has not bothered me at ALL" |
Coppes replied, when questioned as to |
whether the killing had interfered with |
mis- taking his meals at the kitchen |
table, which is two feet above the |
,istern where the bodies lay since last
Il don't know why 1 killed |
Mrs Sleep and the children, unless it
was just blood lust
Lack of sleep, after being arrested,
appeared to be the cause of Coppes'
writing the letter which was
ound with Mrs. Sleeps body and
which purported to tell of her inten-
ion to commit suicide after she had
made way with her two children.
Hit Children on Head With Axe.
"Oh, Herman, Herman, why did you
10 it?" Mrs. Sleep screamed, when she
lad been shot twice and had run from
he kitchen into the next room, so
Coppes said, as soon as he began to
ak freely. 1
.'Then 1 shot her three times more
md threw her into the cistern. Or
lille, years old, and Sarah, 2 years
Id. who had been standing in the
,itchen eating bread and butter, start
he ak and hit them both on the head.
When the bodies were all in the cis-
ern, 1 went and did my regular even
ng work.
The ak with which Coppes took the
ives of the two children was one that
le had frequently used to chop off the
leads of chickens.
Stealing $2.67 from a school teach
RS purse at Plano, ILL.,, was what got
ne sentenced to the ST. Charles State
Home for Boys, three years ago, and
had been there until I was paroled
tx months ago, to Mr.. Sleep asserted
,oppes. dis questioners were Chief
f Police Gahan, Detective Held and
sheriff McBriarty, who had visited
'lano after Coppes' arrest yesterday
nd had interviewed the prisoners par
nts, three sisters and two brothers,
IL of whom have good regulations.
he father is a factory hand in the
nnIov of the harvester companV there