The Van Buren press., 1912-09-21
ALLEN CLANShEa
FINALLY CAUGHT
DeteCtiveS Follow Sweetheart
Of Wesley Edwards and
Make Big Catch.
MLeNTELLS OF THEIR FLIGHT
Would Have Given Himself Up II
Orders Had Not Been Issued
to Shoot on Sight.
N.wD,nsr un,on Nav, s,ry,c,

u,.tsrp Newspsper Union Nsws Service.
Des Moines, lowa.-Led by an l8-
ysar.old girl, who unwittingly be
,rsyed her sweetheart in to the hands
of mstice, Detectives Baldwin, Lucas
and Munger of Roanoke, Va, arrested
sIdna Allen and Wesley Edwards,
leader and member, respectively, of
the Allen gang of outlaws who killed
Judge Nassie and several other men
IN the courthouse at Hillsyille, Va,
last March
Neither Allen nor Edwards desired
TO remain in this state and readily
agreed to return to Virginia.
Maud Iroler of Hillsyille, sweetheart
OF Edwards, came here to marry him,
She was followed on the same train
by Dectetiyes Baldwin, Lucas and
Munger. who trailed her to lodging
house, where both men were living,
and where Allen was arrested after
he had attempted to draw a revolver
an the officers. Wesley Edwards was
caught as he was working with
street paving gang in one of the sub
urbs of Des Moines. Allen has been
known here by his real name, but Ed.
wards has been going as Joseph Jack
son
Letters from Edwards to the lroler
gIrl, while she was still in HillsVllle,
led to the discovery of the mems
whereabouts.
In Virginia Sidna Allen is known
"a "the old fox Of the blue ridge, and
is the leader OF the Allen clan, whose
members have been at variance with
the law for years, Floyd and Claude
Allen are under sentence of death In
Virginia now for the shooting at the
trial of another member Of the family
Flcyd is a brother of Sidna Allen and
Claude il Floyd Aliens son,
Two other members Of the gang,
FrIel Allen and Sdna Edwards, the
latter brother of the man captured
here have been sentenced to long
prison terms. Victor Allen, another
defendant, was acquitted at Wythe'
vile. Va, Sdna Allen and Wesley Ed.
wards we're hunted through the Nir'
gInia mountains with bloodhOunds for
weeks until all trace Of them was lost
Sdna Allen told story OF every
thing that has transpired in the drama
/ In which he was a central figure. lie
tod how he once had been within ID
| feet OF the posses that were search
Ing for him lie denied that he had
ever sent threats against the officers.
| He told how ne had decided to run
away rather than face a trial when
he thought would be unfair, He also
/ made public the method In which his
| hiding place and the hiding place OF
bis nephew, Wesley Edwards, had be-
come public, In telling his story he
used the best of English
There never was a feud | don't
know what that is, have never been
In one, said Allen. "Tho trouble IN
the courthouse came az Unexpectedly
as anything in my life, Floyd Allen
was charged with releasing prisoners
from the sheriff. The evidence was
Overwhelmingly in his favor yet they
convicted him,
1--WE wcro standing there when the,
people near and around the officials,
began to shoot The sheriff, ! have
heard, not long before that had OBJ
hIned loaded cartridges and said that
be would show the Aliens When they
were In the court. They tried to get
the Judge to carry a gun before he
went upon the bench,
v started away from there the same
h'rbl of the trouble The posses once
we're within 10 feet OF me, but they
dId not know It. | never sent worn
hack that would shoot any OF the Of
hcials. thought for a while of going
back did not think ! could get u
hir trial Whom | heard that there
we're orders TO shoot me on sight !
CHANGED my mind about going back
u Ind been TO Alaska about IL or
u years ago, thought tha. If we
stopped hero thoy would search FOR
NO In hagl,a No, won't say where
WAS before / came here several
months ago.
Hero have been doing some car
ponlcrmg work | had not been work
N.Y. and was doing some wrillnF lAla
morning whom they cume In, ! hoo
0cTd that Woloy aud this girl were
10 be married and that she was com
hs hero,
Wesley went back TO Mount AirF
~ G, her home, about four or Il''
weeks ago and remained there several