The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-04-05
PRIME <CAUsEs0R TRAGEDYs.
By THE ALLEN GANG.
CONTINUED from page % h

a Il
Hillsville in a beautiful section. of
country, near the foot Of the Blue
Ridge mountains and the entrance to
q gap through the mountains known
as Fancy Gap. His brother, Sidna,
lives near the top Of the mountain on
fertile plateau. Jack Allen lives
on the other side of. the mountain,
near the western end/of the gap. One
Of the Misses Allen married an I'd
wards. Other members of the family
are scattered in the county, but in the
the same general section. Victor, who
is said to be licensed preacher, is
man of substance, who also has a
store and q comfortable home. &
What Hillsville Is. ~44s
Hillsville, the capital and court
house seat OF Carroll, is a little more
than a hamlet. It is 12 or IA miles
from the nearest railwa = station. Most
OF the roads are fee,'.,i in the winter
time, although windning through sue
cessions Of picturesque and beautiful
wild mountain scenes. It's only di-
rect communication with the outside
world during bad weather is through
mail carriers and one telephone line,
built and managed by a local organ
ization. with willing but unframed
operators, and wire, cneaply estab-
lished in the first place and subject
to many Interruptions in bad wealth
er. Incidentally, this last fact -ac-
counts for the confused, fragmentary
and frequently contradictory reports
which have come since the little town
became the centre Of the horrible In
terest Of the entire country and the
attention Of the newspapers. The
central office at Hillsville is a room in
q private residence. Remote and un-
protected, Hillsville has no charter
Of incorporation, no local government
and no police protection. The last
census gives it 445 Inhabitants. From
outward appearances it hardly seems
to have 80 many. It straggles along
much. ground, most Of it strung on one
street, unpaved except in the Imme-
diate sneighborhood of the court house
and without the slightest suggestion
of roadway except the ordinary mud
of the country thoroughfare.
There Is no symptom of a street
light and people who must go about
at night use lanterns or feel their
way. 1t has the usual equipment for
towns OF its size, few stores, ilv-
cry stable or two and comfortable
seemly looking but unpretentious
dwellings,, two or three frame
churches and two hotels, one adjoin-
ing the court house yard and the 9th
or very small.
It is easy to understand how In a
oommunity. Ike h this q few deter
mined men like the Aliens and their
kin and friends could take possession
and hold full sway whenever they
chose. They could ride and shoot
about the streets. fight their enemies
in the roadway or on th6 court house
green and feel safe from interference,
except now and then, when they en-
countered some determined man like
Mr.. Landreth, who made an individ-
ual fight against them. AS is usual
everywhere. peaceful merchants and
residents ,weY too glad to avoid
trouble with fnvsa so formidable
and to keep clear of antagonisms with
them. Through ten or twelve years
the Aliens have done as they pleased
Cocks Of the Walk.
They learned to feel that they were
the cocks OF the walk OF Carroll
county. Az the younger men grew up
this feeling became intensified and
the expressions Of it more arrogant
and constant, Many Of. them were
given an education superior to those
enjoyed by the boys around them.
They had money, to an extent at
least, social prestige, and the con-
stantly increasing terror OF the Allen
name and clan. It is a characteristic
little incident. told by the young lady
in charge OF the telephone Office, that
not very long ago, when she had trou-
BILE In, giving, a connection from a
country house. the mans voice from
the other end OF the line remarked,
sharply,
II reckon you don't know who, I
am. / am one Of those fighting Al
lens. And you had better give me
connection quick" 80.
To which she responded promptly:
Well, !, am one of the fighting
vy,tcrsaa ana 40 vo,, coma about mo