The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-03
Boicn Is First witness.

! IN their case.
Dolcn Is First Witness
Judge d. w. Bolen was the first wiz
ness lie was heard with the utmost
respect. and made an IDEAL witness,
After his testimony was concluded. he
was not required TO leave the court
room. but out OF respect TO his stand
ing as an attorney and as q leading
citizen OF Virginia he was invited 20
remain aud listen to the proceedings.
HIS evidence differs little from the
irsl ana uniform reports of the shoot
ms. Succinctly. 1t is as follows:
Floyd Allen had been on trial since
Tuesday of the week oil the shooting.
which was on March II. on Thurs
day morning the jury found him guilty
OF releasing Wesley Edwards from the
custody of Deputy Sheriff T. +. sam
ueis and gave him one year in the
penitentiary The verdict was not in
proper form. and Judge Massie die
| lated a correction. which Mr. Foster
made. stepping outside % the bar to
do So motion was made for a new
trial, and il was decided il should be-
argued the following day. Then re-
newal OF bail for Floyd Allen was
applied for and refused, Judge Massie
saying II was not the custom in Vir-
ginta- Claude Allen was called TO
The bar and consulted about afiidavits
in regard to the motion.
Judge Massie instructed the sheriff
to take charge OF the prisoner. Mr..
Webb stepped TO the entrance OF the
bar. Floyd Allen hesitated, arose.
then said something ] could no; un-
derstand in the manner o. a man who
had made up his mind just what he
would say At last he said audibly: 4
just tell YOU I amt a-goin',' then he
began leisurely to open his sweater.
I thntiohs Fn. pNn, Ia.
jump over tn. bar and walk out. l
saw the CLEAN OF a pistol and turned
10 sec II could secure the aid of his
sons To prevent him from doing any
thing he ought not to do. I saw Vic
tor Allen: he was making no demon
stration of any sort. Then looked
at Claude Allen. lie WIS standing on
the bench close to the door of the
judges private room. Just as saw
MIN ne fired, the range being at Judge
Mass!a looked at the Judge and
saw the dust fly from his shoulder
and saw him shiver and begin TO turn
around The second shot came from
man near Claude. and then I saw
Judge Massie begin 10 sink down.
Open Fire on Officers.
"A moment later Sidna Allen and
C'puda Allen advanced to point pc
tween the bench and bar. and opened
fire on the officers of the court. who
were standing near the clerks desk
Some of the officers returned the shots.
Firing began from behind the bar. on
the north side. and ] began to be con-
cerned about my own safety. so I
dropped over on the floor. In mo-
ment Floyd fell on top OF me, and then
rolled over by my side. I had the
impression at first that he was dead.
AS loudly as I could I shouted
Don't shoot here any mor>.' but the
firing increased. Twice 1 said to
Floyd: They will kill me shooting at
you. Floyd then jumped mp and fired
once or twice, think twice. at the
men who were shooting. hadn't seen
him shoot before that. The only man
l saw sin was Judge Massie.
when the firing ceased and the
crowd left went to the aid Of those
stricken. Judge Massie said he was
dying, and went for doctors. re-
turned and found the sheriff dead. Mr.
Foster dying, Jurors Cain and Fowler
wounded. Others began to come in
and take charge. and this ended my
part in the affair."
Replying to questions on cross-ex-
animation, Judge Bolen said that Sidna
Edwards had been sent for during
Floyd Aliens trial. having baen brought
ITO court from his sick bed by Victor
Allen. Floyd he said. had been reluc-
tant to send for Sidna Edwards be.
cause he had been i'll. There was no
/ demonstration by Floyd whom the mo-
| ton for bail was pverruled. AT that
moment Judge Bolen said TO the pris-
oner:
Nov. Floyd, accept this situation like