ntradictory. The evidence introduced at his
trial was purely circumstantial. After much deliberation and hesitancy,
the jury decided on a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree,
and this child criminal was sentenced to imprisonment for life.

He conducts himself well in the prison. On account of his extreme youth
he is given a great deal of liberty. It is with great reluctance that he
talks about his crime, and longs for freedom.

Is this boy guilty? This question has never been satisfactorily answered
in the affirmative. I am informed there was a grave doubt in the mind of
the judge who tried the case and imposed the sentence as to the guilt of
this alleged youthful offender. A chill of horror creeps over us as we
think of the members of this family weltering in each other's blood.
Should he be innocent, it would be awful for this boy to remain in the
Kansas Hell for a lifetime.

A MOST REMARKABLE CASE

William Baldwin furnishes the history of one of the most remarkable
cases in the criminal annals of Kansas. He was charged with the
atrocious crime of murdering his own sister. William and his sister were
the only children of a widowed but wealthy mother. It is claimed
that the son had received his portion of the estate prior to this sad
occurrence, and that by taking the life of his sister he would become
the sole heir of the Baldwin estate, which was supposed to be very
large. Mary, the beautiful and accomplished sister was discovered dead
one morning lying upon her bed in her chamber with a chloroform bottle
at her side. A panel of the outside door of the house was found removed.
Immediately upon the discovery of the murder it was supposed that the
house had been burglarized, and that the thief had committed the murder.
Upon an examination of the premises by the proper officials it was found
that nothing had been taken from the house. In looking for a motive that
would prompt a person to commit such a fiendish act, and it being known
that William Baldwin, the brother, would be the sole heir in case of the
death of his sister, he was at once suspected of having committed
the crime. His arrest was prompt and immediate. He was bound over on
preliminary examination, and in due course of time had his trial and
was convicted. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for one year, at the
expiration of which he was to be hung until dead. His case was taken on
appeal to the Supreme Court of the State. Baldwin, in th