Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-04
"SLAY UTTERLY" HIS TEXT
As SLEW WHOLE FAMILY
Remarkable Confession Attrib-
uted to Preacher Held for
Wholesale Murder

COUNCIL BLUFFS. Iowa, Sept l.
'Slay Utterly" was the text which Rev.
Lyn C. ]. Kelley followed when he slew
with an axe Joe Moore. his wife and
four children and the TWO little Stillin-
ger girls as they lag in their beds in
Nillisca on the night of June 3, 1912,
according to the confession he is al
legged 10 have made before a state agent,
three Harrison county officials and
several attorneys early Friday morn
ing.
He had heard a sermon on that text,
according TO the story of his alleged
confession, which became public tonight,
and the two words had been running
through his mind for days. The night
OF the Saying a voice told him to go
t. the Moore house and go in after he
had picked up the axe i'm the back yard.
according to the version given out
here. Then the text came, "slay utter
ly." and following it, suffer little
children to come unto me-" Kelly is
said to have declared answered: Yes,
Lord. they're coming quick and then
began staying.
The alleged confession recounts that
Kelly said he went to Villisca on Sat
urday evening, June s. On Sunday he
filled two pulpits near Villisca, return
ing to ViIlisca late in the afternoon. He
took supper at the home OF the Rev.
W. ]. Ewing. pastor of the Presbyterian
church. After supper. Kelly says, he
accompanied the Ewing family TO
church and then returned home with
them.
COULDN'T SLEEP.
sermon upon the text of "slay ut
terly." which he was cogitating would
not permit him to sleep.
Suddenly Kelly said he heard a sound,
like that of a windmill. Restless and
unable to sleep, he arose and walked
about the room, finally going out onto
a little balcony. Out in the open, he
could hear no noise, he said. He went
back to bed.
But still sleep would not come. Fin
ally he determined to take a walk This
was about 1915 o'clock, Kelly recalled.
Still turning over in his mind the
thoughts of the text "slay utterly"
Kelly is quoted as saying, he walked
out toward the Presbyterian church.
He heard a voice which bade him go
farther" His path then led him toward
the Joe Moore home. Approaching the
house, Kelly says he saw a shadow.
Something prompted him to follow il
and he saw an axe, according to the
alleged confession. He picked ii up.
Inen came a voice WHICH rang III his
ears: Go in, slay utterly" He fol-
lowed the shadow, entered the house
and went upstairs. Kelly is quoted as
saying that as he mounted the stairs the
thought came TO him that he was as
cending Jacobs ladder.
HEARD COMMAND.
At the top of the stairs, il is alleged.
Kelly said he turned into the room
where four children were sleeping. He
paused. Then came the voice again.
STAY utterly il commanded. Suffer
little children to come unto me" Kelly
is quoted as saying he answered this
with the muttering: Yes, Yord, they're
coming now" or Yes, Lord, they're
coming" Then, according to his lis
teners. Kelly told how he grasped the
handle of the axe and proceeded to kill
the children.
From the children's room Kelly says
he went into the room where Mr.. and
Mrs Moore were sleeping, declared
those who said they heard the confess
sion. Here the voice again prompted
him. more work yet" There must be
sacrifices of blood" Kelly is said to
have closed his confession by saying he
told God he was working as fast as he
could.