The Twin Hells: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Kansas and Missouri PenitentiariesReynolds, John N. (John Newton)
History
The Twin Hells: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Kansas and Missouri Penitentiaries
Reynolds, John N. (John Newton)
Prisons -- Kansas; Prisons -- Missouri
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 the meantime,
was removed to the penitentiary. Here he was placed in the tailor shop,
where he has remained since. He is a very obedient prisoner, and is
highly esteemed by the prison officials. The judgment in his case upon
hearing in the Supreme Court of the State was affirmed. From the Supreme
Court of Kansas his case was taken by appeal to the Supreme Court of
the United States; in this highest tribunal, the judgments of the lower
courts were affirmed, and the fate of William Baldwin is forever sealed
so far as the judiciary of the country is concerned. If he is permitted
again to inhale the air of freedom, it must be through the clemency of
the pardoning board and of the governor of Kansas. During one hundred
and ten years of American jurisprudence, there had been only two similar
cases taken to the Supreme Court of the United States. But a few days
before my release I was talking with Billy Baldwin in the penitentiary,
and he seemed to be very hopeful that after a time he would secure his
pardon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account