Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-11-28
TOOK THREE TRIALS
To GET CLAUDE
This Circumstance Regarded as a
Strong Point IN avor O.
Clemency.
RICHMO Nd, Va Special

IL { VI II % y ID, ' Il special
Attorney X. IA. Wills, of Roa-
noke. one OF sOun~cl for Floyd and
Claude Alien. Who was i'm ri, IA
mOnd Thursday on business in
CuulsS zion WtIh tiIe taee- OF the
condemned men. has returned
home This dos not mean, how
e. CT. that the IA uNitics OF either
him-cf or his Rs-Os late, Judge y.
IL HARRISON. viii abate Tor a mo-
u'cnt.
IL il not their purpose. however.
10 ilc their appeal with the United
states supreme Court until alter
next Friday. when the Governor
viii hear all those asking tIcmcnry
for the Aliens, and possibly an
noun, e his decision I'm the matter.
A. was explained in ;his paper
yesterday, the Aliens lawyers are
not personally soliciting sigma
turcs 10 the many petitions ask
ing Sommutation OF the death
sssmtcltt g. OF tie tWO prisoners
They assert Ihat they have NOT
nsi<t-l a sing lc man TO sign and do
not intend 60. IL H. their belief.
however. that were they tn push
tie matter, they Could easily get
tine signatures OF 2C0.OOO voters
who favor ClemenCy.
~Most OF the pctitionn.~ adde's
LHWger " Ills in speaking of the
case OF Claude. are bmsed on his
pre- ious good character and youth.
Hnd on the ground that Ia took
three trials 10 bring about his sea-
teuce 60 the death chair. The Al
len EympathiErrs feel that the
guilt OF Claude was suislcseutiy
tested by the nrst two lurieE,
neither OF which woul6 consent 40
send him 20 the death chair.
II reErct 10 see" contluued Mr..
WnIi- that Mr. r. - johnson, OF
NsthcNtiie. a. saying some very
bitter things against the Aliens
lie seems ohzcssed With the Idea OF
h0undin& them almost feel
tempted TO say that he L. fanaticni
the subject. Ne have been In
formed that even while Cinudc's
trial was going on he sent 0ut
numerous letters asking friends 90
be present on the day the jury re-
Tired. 30 tbcy could bolster up the
COURAGE OF the twelve men Go pre-
Ecr.nc the death sentence Af one
time seriously contemplated
charEiEE him with contempt OF
court a. his conduct Impressed IA
A. far exceeding the boundH OF
uroprsety- And what hurts ia attli
more g. the fact that ne has made
some most inaccurate stnteme -
Mr.. " fllis was engaged In the
case OF >tdun Allen " cdne sdn y
when Judge Hairstons teieEra IN
called him 60 Richmond. lie said
that ia the trial Of this accused
the Commonwealth had abandoned
several features which "a had 49,
Eayrd In the other inquisitiona-
Tor example, a. made no attempt 40
establish the pulHe-feeliuE episode
the story about one Of tire Allen
boys feeling his fathers pulse
just before the shooting and ask
tuE him in substance, az he Etili
bad his nerve.
Another thing abandoned WIS
the charge that Stdnn and Victor
Allen were seen leaning against
the bar In the court room on the
day before the shooting.
Mr.. Wills gave pitiful account
OF Mrs Floyd Allen. whose health
has been completely wrecked by
tire shooting. OF late she haS gone
down hin 20 fast that she has
had 10 take 20 her bed. TOda >
she H. incOn~Oiable and appears 10
have lost interest In everything Ira
HE. She L. living with her son
Victor. who was acquitted Of COM
plicity in the shooting.
Victor has got hack hls job As
rural letter carrier and H. doing
the bet hc can 10 carry the bur-
dens OF his family. But the irons
have entered his soul, and there
are times when hc T. bitter and
feels that his fellow mortals nrC
cruelty hard.
lie says that during the trial.
and at the time when the Allcni
were least able 10 look after thcii
property. everything portable ca
their premises was stolen--evcI
the well rope. The place was lit
orally picked and pincked.
The Aliens today arc pennies
aud the work Judge HaiTstOn ans
Mr. Willis are now doing IN behal
Of Floyd and Claude T. being don,
M tho IaEEEerGf esWnfsnse