The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-06
DETECTIVES COST
THE STATE $4,000
HEAD OF BALDWIN AGENCY 10
GIVEN FINAL VOUCHERS IN
THE ALIENS CASES.
CALLS ON GOVERNOR
EXPRESSES OPINION THAT ENTIRE
= COSTS, INCLUDING THE TRIALS.
- -- WILL BE LESS THAN
$4,000.

The costs incurred by the State
OF Virginia for the capture OF the
members OF the Allen gang. who shot
up the Carroll county court In March
Oh TINS year, will not exceed $4,000"
SAID william G. Baldwin, one OF the
managers OF the detective agency
"hlch had charge Of the hunt for the
outlaws. when seen at the Office OF
Governor Mann yesterday.
MT Baldwin had come to the city
Tor the purpose OF having his ac-
counts verified and approved. He
was In high good humor at the cap
lure OF the last OF the gang. say
ing that he and his men had worked
nara Tor the State and that he felt
a personal pleasure In running down
the men who had set the laws II
the State at defiance.
MY bills include all the work that
We did. all the travelling, all the
guarding. all the attendance at court.
the transportation OF the prisoners
ana All that We had anything to do
connected Sith the matter.
40 not know, or course, exactly
what the costs of the courts will be.
That viii have to come Though that
source, but l do not believe that ii
can or will exceed $4,000 for the
entire anair from beginning to end.
The court costs Will include the
pay OF the judge. the jury. the prose-
cution, the board OF the Jury, the
transportation OF the prisoners back
and forth from Roanoke to wythe-
Vile, and also the fees OF the sheriff
for sonmoning witnesses and Jurors.
I think I am well within the limit
when the total costs Of the crime In
fixed at $4,000.
State May Recover.
IN TINS connection II Is NOT out OF
place to call attention to the fact
that under the laws of the State the
accused men. though they be sent to
the death chair. are liable to the
state Tor the expenses OF the trial OF
the men. This may include the costs
of sending for them. of the expenses
of the detectives, their transporta-
ton and all else connected with the
aHaiT| ''fs9'A' o.-.< A>
What Is more. the estates Of tho
men can be attached by the State
for the entire amount---that Ia, the
total costs against each Of the men
for their part In the affair and the
actual amount of expense attending
the trials for the crimes with which
they have been charged and convict
ed.
Might Have COST S100, 900.
Had the governor yielded to this
hue and cry and clamor made by
certain persons for the military to go
to that county and to lend a hand in
the search fer the men, there In na
question that the expenses would have
been more than doubled. Governor
Mann was eensured for not sending
soldiers to the mountains, but just
what they might have been able to
accomplish Is conjectural. They would
have TO be transported from one poine
to another, the men would have been
drawing pay, they would have requir.
ed quarters and they would have been
fed at the expense OF the State. Just
how long they would have been kept
in that section In response to a popu-
lar demand 10 not KNOWN but they
would have cost the taxpayers a vast
sum, and could have accomplished
little or nothing The wisdom OF the
course pursued by the governor, the
plans for the taking Of the men
mapped out by the detectives showeti
that the best methods were employed.
Didn't Modest Wesley.
Detectives were within twenty feet
Of Wesley Edwards when he came
back from the West to meet his sweet
heart. They could have placed him
did not for the reason that they want
ed to get Sidney Allen az well as
Wesley Edwards. They knew that the
men were together. and they knew
that Wesley would return to the hid.
ing place OF his uncle, ana so they
allowed him to come and go.
Half a dozen detectives had their
fingers on their guns when they went
to the places Mt which Wesley Ed
wards was visiting, and at signal
they could have ridiled him with
bullets before he could have batted
an eve. but that was not to be thought
OF until old Sidney Allen had been
located.
When the crime was first committed
Governor Mann declared that money
was not to be considered in running
down the men who had set the courts
at naught. had undertaken TO create
a reign of anarchy. anil that he
would SEQ to II that the men were
pursued and punished for their crime.
In pursuance OF that policy. the men
have all been caught. two have been
sentenced to the death chair. two got
long terms In the penitentiary. and
there is little room to doubt tina!
sidney Allen and Wesley Edwards win
be long In following Floyd and CLAUDE
Allen to the electric chair.