Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-09
INSANE PATIENT IN OREGON 40.
MIrs He KILLED MRS WEHR-
MAN AND SON.
INNOCENT MAN BARELY
ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY
Victim Of Brutal Murder Former Iowa
Girl, Native Of ssarsboro and Former
4 Resident Of Eldora and Waterloo
With Baby Son Was Murdered With
Hatehst Three Years Ago.


sion Of G. H. Sierks. aged rs. to the
brutal murder Of Mrs. Daisy Wehrman
and her 4-year-old son, Harold, near
Scappoose. Ore. on the night Of Sept.
4, 1911. Sierks Is insane. presumably
as q result OF brooding over his crime.
His confession almost came too late,
and had it not been for the recent
Adjustment Of the capital punishment
'aw in Oregon, John Arthur Pender.
now in the state penitentiary charged
with the crime. would have paid the
death penalty on the gallows.
Sight Of Hair Brings Confession.
The sight of lock Of his own hair.
removed from the clenched fist Of Mrs.
wehrman when her dead body was
found. caused Sierks to break down and
make his confession. The lock Of hair
was also one OF the means OF suspect
ing Sierks Of the crime
To Release Ponder.
John A. Pender, who is in the peni-
Tertiary. convicted Of the brutal muir
der. will be freed by executive order
within few days
Pender had been sentenced to be
hanged Oct. 2S last. He always had
maintained his Innocence. When it
was determined to submit q resolu-
ton for the adjustment OF capital
punishment to the people Governor
West reprieved him until after election.
saying he wanted Fender to have the
benefit OF tho peoples verdict.
Seeking the Murderer.
George A. Thatcher, Portland GRIM
inologist, brought about the denoue-
ment. He became convinced Of Pen
der's innocence at the time Of the trial.
Asylum authorities. as well as Mr..
Thatcher, declare there Is no doubt as
to the truth Of Sierks' confession.
Setting out, after clearing Pender in
his own mind. to find person capable
OF having committed such crime as
the Wehr1nan murders. Mr.. Thatcher
said he made Q canvass Of those pa
TENTS in the asylum who exhibited
traits such as were manifested in the
case. His Investigations gradually led
to Sierks. whom he found had lived in
the neighborhood Of Mrs. Wehrman's
home.
e Unsuccessful in obtaining full con-
fe1sion he enlisted the aid OF the Rev.
w. G. MacLaren. the penitentiary
chaplain. What occurred between the
chaplain and Sierks is told az follows
by Mr.. MacLaren:
II told Sierks II was not right for
him to keep silent when the freedom
OF another man was at stake. 7 ex-
planned that he har been the cause OF
another mans life being forfeited. He
was cunning. He said he did not do it.
/ told him it would be better to tell
all, for It would come out before his
maker some day. He began to cry.
Then he said they would hang him. He
didn't want to 60 to prison.
9ohs Like Baby.
when I took the lock Of hair from
my pocket, which matched his own and
which had been taken from Mrs.
Wehrman's clutch. said to him:
This is your hair. It was found in
Mrs. wehrman's hand Then he
sobbed like q baby. and in a moment
started with his confession"
The confession first given to the
Rev. Mr.. MacLaren was repeated In
detail in the presence Of Mr.. Thacher
and officers, and Sierks made oath that
it was true. giving in full his moves
on the fatal night Of the crime. His
only excuse was that he was drunk. He
had first made improper proposals to
Mrs. Wehrman, later killing her boy
for fear he would tell. A revolver
and Ratchet were used.
After making the confession Sierks
pulled strenuously on cigar and said
he felt better than he had for a long
time.
The records at the asylum show that
Sierks was adjudged insane in st. Hell
ems, Sept. 20. 1912.
superintendent Steiner says the man
is possessed Of homicidal mania and