The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-11-18
Virginia Outlaws Will Be Put
to Death the Coming
Friday.

trial was today Fe4useo ny
Allen and son, Claude, By the SUI
preme court OF virginia. The men
are condemned TO die in the electric
chair next Friday for the murder OF
lIillsvi1le court officials March II
last.
The execution of Floyd Allen and
his son, Claude Swanson Allen, sen
fenced to die in the electric chair be-
tween sunrise and sunset next Fri
day. marks the first blow of justice
upon the notorious Allen cIansHien
whose 1awIessness for years held the
natives of the Virginia mountains
in terror and eliminated early TINS
year in the shooting e. of the Car
roll county court when nve persons
lost their lives. The news OF the
crime sent thrill Of horror
throughout the nation and the
shocked virginia authorities moved
expedItiously to bring the criminals
to justice.
On the morning of March H.,
Floyd Allen stood before the bar OF
the Carroll county court house at
HfilsviI1e. to receive sentence for his
part in aiding the escape Of another
mountaineer from the custody OF
the sheriff. A crowd packed the
little court room for the chararter
OF the prisoner was well known
Members of the Allen family were
known to be in court and trouble
was thought imminent.
The jury having announced
verdict OF guilty, Judge Thornton L.
Nassfe sentenced the prisoner TO
one year at hard labor. With the
last word of the sentence, a crash OF,
IRE arms broke from the spectators
benches. Floyd All en-. ahe prisoner
with a smoking revolver in his hand
Ieaped from the prisoners dock an''
Joined the rush Of the gang toward
the door
When the court room was cleared
the body of Judge 2rassle, riddled
with bullets, was found lying over
his desk: Commonwealth Attorney
William II. Foster and Sheriff L. F.
webb lay dead on the Eoor; Au-
Sustus Fowler, a juror, and Eliza
beth Ayres, a spectator, were bleed
ing from wounds which proved fatal
the next day; and Dexter Goad'
clerk of the court, lay shot through
the neck. Goad was one of the
principal witnesses Tor the state at
The conviction of the prisoner.
When. the court room was exam
ined later it was found that more
than goo shots had been ftred. Twen-
ty-seven shots took effect u7sS those
killed or wounded.
An army of detectives and news
paper correspondents soon was
securing the muddy roads Of the
mountains in search OF the prfs-
oners.. Floyd Allen. the cause OF
the shooting, who had been wounded
by sheriff Webb in the court room
was taken the day of the crime, to-
gether with his son. Victor Allen. and
his nephew, Bird Marion.
sidna Edwards. a nephew of the
Allen brothers, was captured in a
hut in the mountains March q
Edwards. who is lame. had eaten
nothing FOR SeNeTdI 0dSS anu
very weak when found. claude
swanson Allen, another son of
FLOYD Allen. walked up to posse
in the mountains and surrendered
himself on March IS. The next day
TrieI Allen, youn gest member of the
gang, was taken at his fathers
home.
Floyd Allen, charged specifically
with the killing of Commonwealth
Attorney Foster. was found guilty OF
first degree murder on May II. and
sentenced to death. Claude Allen
his son. was tried on a charge OF
killing Judge NIassie. and convicted
OF murder in the second degree.
The Jury recommended a sentence OF
afteen years in the penitentiary. The
state demanded new trial and
veroict OF guilty IN the first degree
was returned on July .. and he
was sentenced to death.
Friel Allen pleaded guilty OF mur,
der in the second degree and on Au'
gust II was sentenced TO eighteen
years in prison. Three days later
sidnay Edwards pleaded to like
charge and was given a sentence o.