The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-11-07
RAISE FUND To SAVE
ALIENS FROM DEATH

R c H NJ On D, VA.-Special.-
Each day adds TO the interest in
the movement designed to bring about
influences that may save Floyd and
Claude Allen. the Carroll county gun
men. from the electric chair on No
vember 22d.
Particularly is sympathy expressed
tCr Claude Allen, the son who follow
ed his fathers lead in the fearful
shooting, and is now under sentence
To share his parents fate. 49,.
, Nobody thinks that the two CON
demned men should be too leniently
dealt with. The most that is asked is
q com mutation of death sentences to
life Imprisonment.
on every side hope is expressed that
sufficient funds may be raised for the
Two prisoners to enable them 10 fight
out their case i'm the Virginia Court
oi Appcais-that is. if the five Judges
oi that tribunal see fit TO allow writ
o. error.
As WAS stated in this paper the five
directors of the State penitentiary all
incline 10 think that clemency should
he accorded Floyd and Claude Allen.
Mcssrs Cohen and Scherer have OPEN
! ~ aNcwed their purpose to do what
they can In the matter. And their
associates wAl probably unite with
them.
The Rev. Dr. George W. Mcdaniel.
/ pastor of First Baptist Church, also
! Is deeply interested in the Aliens and
especially in Claude. whose bear.aS
has much impressed him. He said
| this morning that with the present
/ lights before him, he was firmly OF
the opinion that the young man should
not go 60 the chair.
! DR.. Mcdaniel and the Rev. J. J.
/ - Enar of h.,
theran Church. are the spiritual ad-
Nisers Of the prisoners. The Aliens
especially asked for these two min
isters after reaching Richmond.
Incidentally the movement in be-
! h'ut OF the Aliens has developed the
/ itct that many Virginia people not
, "Aly oppose the execution Of the Car
! roli county sumner. but the infliction
/ ot capital punishment in any case.
George IL. White. a member Of the
/ local bar. in the following self-ex-
planatOry letter TO this paper. has
some interesting things TO say on this
subject. Here is his letter:
enclose my check. payable to
/ your order as trustee, in the sum of
~. one dollar of this sum was hand
ed TO me by a husband and wife to
| be delivered to you as a starter on
raising fund for the Aliens 1 have
added like sum. I trust that you
! VIII see mt to announce and open a
subscription column in your paper for
j the benefit of these persons.
The parties who handed me the
money stated that they had no SYM
pathy with the crime committed.
Neither have 1. Nevertheless, 1 do
believe that the accused should be
given all the aid necessary, and es-
pecially by the law-abiding citizens
that they may know by that fact that
law is not unjust and that there Is
such thing as a fair deal under all
| circumstances.
Il do feel sorry for the poor OLD
state that has to commit murder sim.
ply because some one under peculiar
circumstances kills another. Confin,
law breakers, but do not take theil
life and call 1t justihable homicide
Death penalty for any crime show!
the temperament of a people not thor.
oughly lawful themselves. l believ,
80 per cent of lawyers would favor
abolishing death penalty in nearly all
If not all. cases.
Il would like TO see your paper
start a subscription for these outlaws
that they may have help If they need
it"