The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-22
FLOYD ALLEN CONVICTED.
FIRST OF HILLSVILLE BAND
GUILTY OF MURDER.
Not Until Late In Morning II Verdict
brought in-Prisoner Much shock
ed.

WytheVllle. Va" May 11.--Floyd AL
len. first OF the Hillsville mountaineers
tried for the Carroll county court
house murders. was adjudged guilty
mere today and will pay the penalty
n his crime I'm tho electric chair at
Richmond. The jury was out all night
md II was not until after 10 clock
his morning that the IL men had
heen brought into agreement When
court opened today the jury was call
ID In and the foreman questioned 10y
Judge Staples. The jurors declared
there were number of points OF diff
ference existing and II was doubtful
whether n verdict could be reached.
Judge staples declared the case was
"a such magnitude that he felt lee
tae killing of FIVE persons-Presldins
uosc Tuornton l.. Massle. Prosecu-
r Poster sheriff l.. +. Webb. Miss
hzsbcih Nyrcs and Juror Augustus
owlcr
The Igasedy created panic in the
httle mountain side town of Hillsville.
1c inh N.fHnts had always held the
ucn cau. zen In deadly horror. Ar
SIS of c, raj Of the Aliens followed
- shootinr but FIVE OF the principals
must senG The jury back with caution
nd advice.
The jurors again retired and II was
only short time before they an
nounccd they had agreed. Court re-
assembled and the foreman read the
erdict OF guilty as charged In the
Indictment" Judge Staples held that
was not the proper form. The fore
nan then explained that the verdict
was one of guilty In the first degree.
the penalty being electrocution.
Floyd Allen was charged specifically
q this time with the murder of Com
rnonwealth's Attorney William NJ.
Foster prosecutor In the Carroll
coupty court at Hillsville last March
when the trial Of Allen eliminated I'm
escaped TO the mountains. Rewards
FOR their arrest resulted i'm three Of
shem being taken but Sidna Allen,
eader % the clan. and Wesley Ed
wards. his nephew. still are at large.
The other prisoners. II Is expected,
viii be tr,cd at once.
Sentence was not pronounced on
Allen .odsy o- ho nay o., cucd lo
sestifg iu other cases. When ono yer
a. ves ANNOUNCED Alton rc,opscd
lntp dlspoir
Rarely hauofu! ol people l.uI
the verdict. Armed detectives search.
ed persons entering the court room
- A sparslcy filled court room heard
The end Of the trial Some thought
that fear Of an outbreak such as
marked the adverse verdict at Hills
vile might b. seen today. II Was
impos I''lc. however 'Omcers searched
Al VII entered The room.
The other prisoners probably VIII
&c tried Immediately.
The verdict came as a distinct sur
prise. nr 10 wos thought the jury WIS
hcpcl.s divided. one Of tho Il
men . known o, hnve srid. previous
10 rc.. ""rrr.h ~ ury duty. th,t
YOU ne always 60, Justice u court
md m"yhc the Nucus were not FIR
wrong" and tho attorneys Tor the
commonwealth had mudr orrln 60
uonts 90 arrest him ou charge II
lcriury rould h, nrlu- about dis-
rrc,m 10 1hF ~.ocr'u- he agreed
10 verdict.
TNc cHmuonvo '.h aunorr 20
hangc in Tho pnp or tryirr cloud,
nd Victor Allcn Jointly oud that they
viu nest t1tc up trc cIsc of Claude
ia thc 'od.ctm.a. chorr'ur nuu with
the murd,r of Judge Nlss.v. The
rlal VIII heSn Monday.
lu s c.n tou.eHt surrounded by
lare Nu,n i.otr out 'n tlradc
q. rec ,f ,hc nw '9 ul not
'irr f' .rr ..c'r'r ,nar "hc shout.
ftc stW ~ot sore rIuds in
rron county"
Tho swrds urc fearful that Alien
may r,p,nt hs at,Ynpt to commit
suicid, and ono or moro arc always
locked in thc cell w'th him.