Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-01
BALDWIN TELLS OF CAPTURE
Interesting Story Told Governor Mann
by Head Of Detective Agency.

interesting Story Told Governor Man,
by Head Of Detective Agency.
Accordingly interesting was tn,
story told in Governor Mann's offic,
by Detective William G. Baldwin, O
the events surrounding the capture O.
Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards II
Iowa, recently, says a Richmond dis
patch.
Captain Baldwin, who Is the head Of
the detective agency, had come tc
Richmond to settle his accounts ant
to report to Governor Mann. He was
, naturally elated at the successful con.
clusion of the long pursuit Of the out.
laws and received the governors hear
tiest congratulations.
In going over the details Of the pur.
suit and capture Of Sidna and Wesley
the detective In his quiet way told g
story which, but for its evident truth
would be scarcely believable.
He told how the two outlaws had
managed to escape, posing as detec-
tives.
He told how Sidna Allen with a gun
pressing against his head, had refused
for long time to hold up his hands.
He showed a large green bruise on
his right arm, where Wesley Edwards
had bitten him during the struggle in
the street car.
He reiterated that Miss Maud Iroler
did not lead the detectives to the hid
ing place of her lover though he ad-
mitted that but for the girl the two
would not have been caught.
Frank Iroler, he said, was of some
assistance to the detectives-just how
much Captain Baldwin did not say.
The detectives expressed gratifica-
ton at the acquittal Of Victor Allen
He said he believed him absolutely in
nocent.
In telling his story Of the pursuit and
capture Of Sidna and Wesley, he said:
I'VE now know that for two or three
months after the murders Sidna Allen
and Wesley Edwards remained in the
mountains. They could travel as fast
as we could, and 1t is not surprising
that we failed to find them.
Il have been in the detective busi-
ness thirty years, but have never
seen a man as shrewd as Sidna Allen
He covered the mountains with fake
clews and gave US no end Of trouble
He wrote letters full Of misinforma-
tion which were permitted to fall into
our hands, He sent messages and in
duced a number of his friends to send
us off on scores Of wild goose chases.
I'm leaving the mountains Sidna AL
len, who was the .brains Of the whole
Allen gang, played his best cards. He
and Wesley posed as detectives and
cautioned all strangers they met not
to say that they had been seen.
They said they were Baldwin men
hunting the outlaws. They appear to
have had no difficulty in getting away.
We did not find out their manner OF
escape until weeks afterwards. BY
that time they had so completely COW
cred their tracks that but for Wesley's
infatuation for Miss Iroler I doubt II
we would ever have seen them again.
"Of course I had operatives all
through the mountains. They were not
known as detectives. Then I had a
detective camp In the mountains not
far from Wesley Edwards home. My
men were fully armed and in addition
had powerful field glasses, through
which they. could see everything that
went on in the neighborhood Of the Ed
wards house.
my men experienced great deal OF
difficulty in getting proper food. They
would send a man to Mt. Airy every
day or so. Food would be bought and
cooked, fo-, Of course, we could not
have fires and smoke at the detective
camp.
Sometimes the meat would get
wormy and all my men began to get
sick. Then I sent for Lucas, who was
temporarily on another job, and ask
ed him If he could stand the fare. He
declared that he could, so sent him to
the mountains.
wesley Edwards was then In Iowa,
On July 2Sth, however, he returned to
his home. We didn't know 1t at the
time, though we suspected 1t. My mer
in the mountain camp noticed that the
women were very nervous and uneasy
and seemed to be afraid to stray far
from the house.
with his hair blackened and wear
ing a mustache Wesley had boldly re-
turned. He seemed to have taken no
extraordinary precautions. He rode to
the nearest railway. station. Then ne
walked across the mountains to his
home. He must have gotten home az
ter dark.
"Wesley's sister, a girl Of about 16'
went over to the Iroler place on July
2sth and got Miss Maud Iroler. The
Iroler girl spent the night at the Ed
wards home. It seems that Wesley
stayed at home until August 9Th; then
went back to the station. took the
train and returned to Iowa, where Sid
ma was waiting for him.
"Sidna Allen Is not afraid OF any
man on earth, but is afraid Of people.
In a crowd he is timid-almost pitifully
so.
Wesley is neither afraid Of God nor
man nor devil. He is one of the worst
and most reckless characters l have
ever known. He loves to fight"