Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-03-23
PROTESTS HIS Innocence
BELIEVED THAT THIS CAPTURE
WILL DISHEARTEN OTHERS
OF THE OUTLAWS.
A compromise Offered
Reported That the Others Would
Give Up II Allowed to Plead
Guilty 10 I'd Degree Murder.

IIlLLSVlILE, Va. March 22.
Sidna Edwards, tall. rugged noun
taineer of 22 years, sat calmly In the
darkness Of the little brick Jail here
tonight, the first catch of the posse
that have been securing the noun
tains for those Of the Allen gang
who got away after the courthouse
assassination of March II. when the
judge, prosecutor, sheriff and two by
standers were killed and two others
were seriously wounded
Tonight young Edwards, emaciated
and worn from weeks wandering
In the thicket. protests his innocence
of the indictment of murder against
him, and the hunters, spurred on by
days success, are up In the Blue
Ridge searching for his brother,
Wesley Edwards. his uncle, Sidna AL
len, and his cousins, Claude and
F'riel Allen.
Detective Felts and w. w. Phaut,
heading n posse, came upon Edwards
at o'clock this morning asleep In
an empty house mile from his
home. He was unarmed and when
he awoke the detectives We're at his
side He made no resistance and
went to a farmers house near Lams-
burg, Va, and started for Hillsvllle
with his captors early.
Took Moving Pictures.
Tuglf A Han hIC %
Aliens who was not at the court
house on the day of the tragedy.
joined his nephew on the way in and
came with the party to Hilsville.
They cantered In and paused while
the moving picture men clipped off
a few hundred feet of film. Detec-
tives carrying rifles followed closely.
The party turned in at little lane
where the raiders a week ago drew
rein and left their ponies while they
went to wipe out the human fabric
of the Carroll county court. Sidna
was hustled to the little Jail across
from the stable. He protested against
being put in to a musty cell and
wanted to occupy the corridor but
his keeper locked him up.
Rumors Were Rife.
Rumor flew persistently about tho
country side today that the Allen
gang. still at large. discouraged by
the taking of Edwards and impressed
with the ultimate futllity of their
flight. had sent a proposition to Gov
ernor Mann Offering to surrender II
they We're permitted to plead guilty
to murder in the second degree,
Such a proposal was said to have
been made to Detective Baldwin at
Roanoke by a relative of the Aliens
but the detective, it Is said, turned
1t down. Governor Mann In Rich
mond tonight declared he had heard
of no such proposal. Sidna Edwards,
the boy in Jail. tonight, and his
brother Wesley, We're the principals
in an cscapade which started the
trouble which eliminated in the as
sassinatlon at the courthouse. The
brothers had attempted to oust on
uncle, a minister named Garland
from his pulpit and were arrested for
breaking the peace. Floyd attempted
to free them and had been convicted
and sentenced for interfering with an
officer when the shooting on March
II began.
In the presence of Detective Felts,
Edwards talked freely tonight.
Il know nothing of the cause of
the courthouse shooting he said.
when | walked into the court room
| saw Uncle Floyd jump up and say
something. l could not hear what It
yas. Right away somebody began TO
shoot from about Clerk Goads desk.
but l don't know who fired the first
shot / saw Uncle Sidna after the
shooting began. | did not see my
cousins or my brothers. As soon as
could. with my lame foot. | got out
of the courthouse and stood at the
bottom Of the steps. | saw Uncle
Sidna and Mr.. Goad shooting at one
another. After 1t was over | got my
mothers horse and rode home. Be-
fore / left | saw Uncle Floyd on
horse and then | saw him lying on
the ground. If he had been able to
ride we would have taken him away
with us. | saw my brother, Wesley.
on the road, and that aftcsUoon / saw
Uncle Sidna at his store. | have new
er seen any of them or heard tell
anything about them since that even-
ing. | stayed at home until Sunday.
and had started to a neighbors when
l saw the officers. | was in plain