Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-07-11
Blood Curdline Crime.
.sWindy" Allen Murders His Child
and Shoots Himself.

News reached here last. evening of a
blood curdlng crime committed by w.
II. Allen, or Windy" Allen, As he was
most famillary known, formerly of this
place. The Parkersburg Sentinel of
yesterday afternoon has an extended
notice of the horrible tragedy. from
which we take some extracts. as follows:
A double tragedy occurred this
morning about Gals, which was one
of the most shocking in the history
of Parkersburg, when William H.
Allen, who had been in GAINESVILLE
for the past month, since separating
from his wife, returned here, and shot
his two-year-old daughter, Mildred,
and after committing the crime, ran
to Beechwood Heights, where he at
tempted to end his own life by shoot
ing himself.
Just when Allen returned to Park
ersburg is not known, but he appear
ed this morning, going to his home on
Sand Plains, and before arriving
there he was seen by his mother-in-
law, who told Mrs. Allen of his pres
ence, and the latter left the house
with the intention of going down
street to swear out warrant for her
husband to keep the peace, as she
feared him.
Allen went to the house and de-
handed of Mrs. Prangle, the grand
mother to see the baby, but he was
refused, and he then plead to be al
lowed to see the child, saying that
he would not harm her, but his re-
quest was still refused, and Mrs.
Prangle, becoming alarmed, rushed out
with the child and went down the
road to blacksmith shop, where she
stayed for few minutes. Allen came
there and wanted her to leave, but
she would not do so until after he had
departed.
While the excitement was on, some
of the neighbor women were out, and
Allen made the remark, 81 will see
you all in He'll" After being unable
to pursuade Mrs. Prangle to leave the
blacksmith shop he started after his
wife. Mrs. Prangle then took the
child to the home of A. H. Sutton,
which is next door to the Allen home,
where she took the child in its cart,
and went in on the veranda, and sat
down in rocking chair beside the
cart. Mrs. Sutton and Mrs. Mabel
Gill were also sitting on the veranda.
In short time Allen returned this
time with shot gun, and without say
ing word, walked up and aimed the
gun at the child as it lay in the cart.
Mrs. Prangle grabbed the barrel of
the gun which did not deter him in
his murderouS purpose, and he fired.
The entire discharge from the gun
took effect in the stomach of the
child, whose tender little body was
horribly torn. AS soon as the shot
was fired Allen ran, and neighbors.
attracted by the shot, rushed to the
Sutton home. DR.. Clarence Casio
was summoned by telephone, but ar
rived several minutes after the child
had died, as it only gasped a few
times and expired.
Allen ran across the country and
landed at Beechwood Junction, where
he was seen standing on the Inter
Urban track, it being the supposition
that he expected his wife to return
home on that line and get off the car
at that place. However, if this was
the case, he was disappointed, and
realizing that he had little chance for
escape, made his way up into the rear
yard of the Marsh home, where he
attempted to take his own life. He
evidently had reloaded the gun after
killing his baby, as there was only one
empty barrel after he had shot him
self
After the second tragedy had &C.
Cured police headquarters was mott
fled, and Superintendent of Public
Safety Perkins, Lieutenant of Police
Smith and Patrolman George Fleming
were taken to Beechwood Heights in
the patrol Allen was rushed to the
City Hospital. He was attended there
by DR.. Steinbeck, DR.. Campbell and
others, but it was found that the
wound was such that it would be ne
cessarily fatal. The discharge of the
gun entered to the right of the left
breast, and came out on the left side.
The little daughter who was muir
dered was beautiful child, and very
bright for one of her age, her second
birthday anniversary having occurred
only last month.
At two O'Clock this afternoon the
condition of Allen/at the hospital
was slightly more favorable, although
not to any extent to indicate that he
might recover.