soon took his firearms from him. In
due time he had his trial and was sent to the penitentiary for life.

Bad books are our worst companions. I have narrated the history of
this young murderer, and now urge my boy readers to let yellow back
literature alone. It wrecked the future of this youth, and what it did
for one it may do for another.

A YOUTHFUL MURDERER

Willie Sells.--In the prison, this convict is called the "baby convict."
When he came to the penitentiary in 1886, he was but sixteen years of
age, and in appearance much younger. One of the most sickening murders
committed in Kansas is charged to the account of this boy. His home is
in Neosho County. His father, a prosperous farmer, lived happily with
his wife and three children. Willie was the oldest of the children.
Early one morning he rushed from his home and made his way to the
nearest neighbor, about half a mile distant, and with his face and hands
covered with blood conveyed the startling intelligence that the entire
family had been murdered, and he only had escaped. Soon an excited crowd
of neighbors gathered at the home of the murdered victims, and the
sight that was presented has but few parallels in the fatal and fearful
results of crime. The victims had been murdered while asleep. In one
room lay the father and mother of the youthful murderer, on their bed of
death. Their heads had been split open with an axe that lay nearby,
and the blood of one mingled with that of the other. In an adjoining
bed-room, covered with their own life's blood, were found the little
brother and sister. They had been foully murdered with the same
instrument that had caused the death of the parents. Who was the monster
that had committed this terrible and atrocious act? A search of the
premises disclosed the fact that robbery was not the motive. No property
was missing. The survivor was questioned again and again. He said that
a burly-looking tramp had effected an entrance into the house through a
window during the night; that he being awake at the moment, and becoming
alarmed, hid himself, and, unperceived, beheld his father and mother,
his brother and sister, thus foully murdered. A thorough and extensive
search was made, but no clue could be obtained that would warrant the
arrest of any one.

Finally, the surviving child was taken into custody. It was claimed that
his statements of the circumstances connected with the crime varied, and
in several instances were co