Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-21
TAMPA TRAGEDY TO
Be AIRED IN
COURT
BROTHER OF. THE DEAD HUSBAND
SUES FOR GUARDIANSHIP OF
BOY AND MAKES sENsA-
TIoNAL CHARGES.

TAMPA, Fla, Aug. 1S.-From present
appearance, the Allen-Chevez Tragedy Is
going to be fully ventilated in court IN
several different ways.
Mrs. Charles ]. Allen, wife Of the man
killed. and who was seriously wounded
herself has filed a petition with Judge
F. NJ. Robes, of the county court, asking
for letters of guardianship for George Al
len, aged years.
w. q. Allen, a brother of the dead man,
has filed a counter petition in the same
court, asking for letters of guardianship.
In his petition he combats the petiuon Oh
Mrs. Allen, his sister-in-law, and sets up
IN. very strong language that she is not
fit and proper person to have the GUARDIAN
ship of the child. Mr.. Aliens petition
says, in part;
THAT said Florence Allen, widow OF
Charles J. Allen and mother, OF the SAID
George Allen, Is not a fit and proper per-
son to. be appointed guardian of minor
child of such tender years, but that SAID
Florence Allen is possessed of a cruel ana
ungovernable temper. That your petition
err believes that the said Florence Alien
is guilty as an accessory before the Iact
of the murder of Charts J. Allen, deceased
her husband. That the habits and char-
acter of the said Florence Allen are sucn
as totally unfit her to be the guardian OF
said minor child. That If the said minor
child shall be left to the guardianship OF
the said Florence Allen, there is great
danger that the moral and intellectual
training will be totally neglected"
This will throw the matter entirely in
the court and full and free inVestlsa-
ton of these charges must be made.
Mrs Allen is yet held in charge OF
deputy sheriff, under a warrant which was
sworn out by Frank Allen, another broth-
er Of the dead man. Manuel Chevez, the
man charged with the murder, is held IN
fail on a charge of murder, the warrant
having been sworn out by the sherln.
Between the sheriff, w. T. Lesley, ana
Acting Coroner, Judge Frank H. Harris
there has arisen point which will also
result in the matter that concerns them
being laid before the governor. Judge
Harris and his coroner's jury was refused
permission by order of the sheriff to view
the dead body of Allen and hold an in
quest. Judge Harris, a well-known Geor-
gian. from Brunswick, is preparing
charges against the sheriff which are to
be- submitted to the governor.
The matter will probably be delayed
somewhat owing to the fact that Cover
nor w. s. jennings is out of the state, at
present touring California. President OF
the Senate Thomas Palmer, is of course
governor of the state. He is a resident OF
this city. and is already interested in the
case, being leading counsel for Manuel
Chevez. who is charged with the crime.
The case could not be submitted to him,
and if it were, he would not even look over
the papers. but allow them to await the
return of Governor Jennings to the state.
The entire affair is the most sensational
one that ever happened in Tampa, and
will be more so when the case goes into
the courts. No time has been set yet for
the preliminary hearing of the case. At
no time since the tragedy occurred, has
there ever been the least grounds for be-
lieving that an attempt would be made to
do Chevez bodily harm. While it has been
attended with many sensations, yet this
has never been among the possibilities at
any times