The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-06
Had He Not Been Laid Low
by Bullet Trial Would Not
be in Progress Now at
Wytheville
WOULD HAVE NEVER
ALLOWED ANY OF THE
BOYS TO SURRENDER
Strongest Evidence of Con
spiracy Shown by State is
Giro umstances and De-
tails of the Actual
Killing
BY W. Med. WILLIAMS.

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wYTHEV1LLE. VA. Nay Suns
day In Wythevilie was the ordinary
quiet village Sabbath day.
The trial of the Aliens furnishes
not half the entertainment for Wythe-
vile that Is provided during a single
day Of the summer season for yisi-
tors said one of the residents.
Newspaper accounts of excitement
in Wythcvillc are exaggerations and
are resented by people here.
jury Sings Hymns.
Tho jury attended the Methodist
church this morning. They returns
ed and spent nearly an hour In the
room, n number singing hymns The
songs could be heard by other os-
occupants of the hotel. Are You
Ready" and over There" seemed to
be their favorites, as these were not
only sung Justify and with fsrvor, but
repeated several times.
After a week OF trial, emily about
two and a half DAYS of which were
consumed In the hearing of evidence
several things are beginning to srarti
out prominently in connection with
the Carroll court tragedy. Floyd
Allen has. of course, always bcen
looked upon as the chief factor in that
drama, while Sidna has been the Sec
ond figure, in fact, regarded by many
he most prominent. Since he has
been at large In the mountains, Sidna
has been referred to as the braineSt
and the moving spirit of the Allen
clan.
Floyd Real Chieftain.
This is far from the fact. "Old
Floyd" Is the real chteftafn of tfre
Alien clan. and without him the
others would have been disorganize l.
Had Dexter Goad's bullets not pre-
vented Floyd from leaving Hillsvilte
1t Is not thought that the peaceful
little town of Wythevil1e would ever
have been the scene of the trial Of
any of them. Nor would they have
been tried elsewhere. Floyd would
never have allowed any surrenders.
but would have barricaded his force
in either Sidna's house or his own and
shot 1t out with the Baldwin detec-
tiEes.
Less Evidence has been brought out
against Sidna Allen than any of the
others. not excepting Friel and Vic
-wiaar-.she- def.aase- claimed -Ieeof4-
the trial opened. were guilty of MOTH
ing. II has been established. accord
ing to Judge I5olen's sworn testimony
that Claude Swanson Allen killed
Judge Massie.
Wallis IT, ANSAute AANdEus
Il shall ask the Governor to re-
duce the reward for Sidna Allen from
$1,000 TO $500" said w. NJ. Baldwin.
head OF tho Baldwin Felts agency,
who is here in personal charge OF his
men guarding the prisoners. Claude
Allen stands next to his father. In
the opinion of thu prosecution. His
will probably be the second case to
be tried.
lrriel Youngest of them all. fay.
orite OF his father. Jasper Alien. has
been shown with smoking pistol In
his hand and SO has Victor. The two
Edwards boys probably did noIe
shooting inside ttre court room than
any OF the others. The defense il
endeavoring 10 shield Sidna, who III
in Jail and show that Wesley, who ID
al liberty was the one who did the
shooting. Also the defense endeavors
to lead the States witnesses in tell
ing OF the remarkable shooting by
Sidna Allen. who, also. is at large In
these efforts. however. they are hay.
Ing their difficulties.
Not Half Through Trial.
The trial of Floyd Allen is expect
ed to consume at feast ten days more.
Attorneys for the State said today
they have forty-seven additional wit
nesses to put on the stand The de-
Tense will have nearly ms many
mare.
Each Of the six defendants now In
custody will be put on the stand by
the defense. These will be used to
deny the theory of conspiracy which
the State is endeavoring to prove.
rho strongest evidence Of conspiracy
that the State has are the eircun1-1
stances and details of the actual:
killing. These fit in with the other
facts of time, place and opportunity
and will constitute the basis FOR muck
of the argument.
Direct Evidence Lacking.
Direct evidence of conspiracy -
lacking, but the circumstantial evil
dsnce ~ considered strong.
Victor Allen was visited today by
his wife, who came from PULASKI
She is not staying in Wytheville. b0ess
in Pulaski with relatives All Of a.
younger prisoners seem cheerful ~
in good spirits. Floyd Allen ss1rj
more ana more Respondent r ANA
sorry l got into this trouble, but la
will rave to face 1t now .ixe y man. ~
he said today. Since having
dressed his, leg does not give him
much tr, uble as 1t did. but his brpkGm
limb is still painful at times.
Floyd Is Untiaunted. ssSs
He makes no outcry when No tn
moved about. but his face shows t2
pain he is in. His great frame al1Os
he wasting effects or his wounds Gl y
Incarceration. and he II an III llG (
In courage. however. he ID undauntG \
He takes a keen interest Ia HI cGi
scr,etlmes asking the witness Qu1
tions himself and does not -
to let tho guards updern41nd TT
is 4 man to be watched ~ "A
so - $3.50 49, -