Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-04
GREWSOME MURDER
STORY is RETOLD
CONTINUED From Page ~

connection with the Villisca axe slay-
| ing of 1912, will not ask for continu-
! ance because of Kelly's reported poor
health, indications are that the pre-
liminaries of the trial at Red Oak, be-
ginning tomorrow, will be completed
| more rapidly than had been expected.
"Slay utterly" was the text which
the Rev. Lynn G. j. Kelly followed
when he slew with an axe Joe Moore,
his wife and four children and the two
little Stillinger girls as they lay in
their beds in Villisca on the night of
June 9, 1912, according to the confess
sion alleged to have been made before
state agent, three Harrison county
officials and several attorneys. 1nfor-
nation regarding the alleged confes-
sion has been given out by State
Agent J. E. Risdon, and ]. ]. Hess. an
attorney representing the prosecution.
According to Hess, Kelly said:
Il arrived in Villisca the Saturday
night preceding the murders. Sum
day I preached twice in the country.
Sunday evening ate supper with the
Rev Mr.. Ewing, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church.s In tho evening
at o'clock | went with the Ewing
family to the Presbyterian church.
after church I walked home with
the Ewing family and we sat on the
porch talking until about 1880
O'clock. Mr.. Ewing asked me If I
would sleep in the house alone, as he
and his family were going to sleep
in tent. Mr.. Ewing showed me to
my room. ! went to bed, but couldn't
sleep.
FOLLOWS SERMON TEXT.
81 was working on a sermon, the
text of which was Stay Utterly /
had heard Ia famous
evangelist) preach on that topic. got
dressed and went out on the balcony.
heard sound like windmill.
went back to bed again, but couldn't
sleep. Then | got up and dressed for
walk, still studying my sermon.
"At 2:45 O'Clock l went to the Pres
byterian church While alone in
the church l heard voice 1t said:
Go farther went out and walked
to the end Of the street. where ! saw
shadow, which beckoned me to fol-
low The shadow led me to the rear
of the Moore house. ! saw an axe on
a rubbish heap. l picked the axe up
by the handle. The voice again spoke.
saying. Go on, follow the shadow,
Stay utterly
THE shadow led me to the door OF
the Moore home. Inside the voice
said: Go up ! obeyed the voice. !
thought l was climbing Jacobs lad
der
SHADOW eEcKoNs SLAYER.
"J xroo% ;,to L, roopo u,boro forr
little children were sleeping. The
voice of God said, Stay utterly; suf.
fer little children to come unto me-
| answered the voice of God and
said: Yes, Lord. they're coming
now
81 took hold OF the end of the axe
handle and killed the children: I am
sure ! killed the children first. Chill.
dren had bothered me all my life. I
think I put the sheet over them after.
ward
"The voice Of God then said: More
work, yet There must be sacrifices
of blood
81 followed the shadow into room
where Mr.. and Mrs. Moore were
sleeping. Iworked as fast as could.
think I killed the mother first
CONFESSION BRINGS RELIEF.
Il felt tired. went down stairs
and thaought l would find place to
lie down. ! saw two girls sleeping in
room. Gods voice said More
work, still The words 'slay utterly
were still ringing in my ears, killed
them ] think put the sheet over
them but don't Just remember.
"The text, Stay utterly had been
in my mind before the murders and
has been ringing in my ears ever
since. ! have had hard time re-
sisting the impulse to slay. My soul
is relieved now for the first time In
five years"
According to Attorney Hess, Kelly's !
confession was entirely voluntary.
For Gods sake, don't tahie me back |
to Red Oak they'll kill me-" said
Kelly, according to Hess, following his !
ron Pes sion Never LET me loose /,