The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-16
Sixty Armed Detectives Start
After the Allen Gang
ARE READY FOR "A BATTLE
The Men Who Shot Up Carroll County,
Virginia, Courthouse Thursday Are
Expected to Put Up Des-
perate Resistance.

Hillsville, Va, March l6.-Organized
pursuit of the Allen outlaws began TO-
tlay, and sixty detectives, well-armed
were marshaled for the perilous task Of
securing the mountain strongholds for
the main body of the gang that wiped
out the circuit court of Carroll county
here on Thursday. With price on
their heads, the men, numbering about
twelve, are expected to battle to the
death when eornered.
A grand jury has been summoned to
indict the murderers of Judge Massle,
the commemorative attorney, w. Nj.
Foster, Sheriff Webb and Elizabeth
Ayers, who received mortal wound in
the courtroom.
Sidna and Floyd Allen, two of the
chiefs of the band which rode down on
the Carroll county courthouse Thurs
day and assassinated the officials, are
in captivity, both wounded severely.
Fidna Aliens wife is dead, shot in a
pitched battle with posse in the noun
tains while helping defend her outlaw
husband.
The storming of Sidna Aliens house
late yesterday was the next thing to
a bombardment, The posse trailed
through the bush four miles up the
ridge and surrounded his cabin in
grove. Allen, expecting their coming.
was barTicaded, well supplied with rifles
and ammunitiSn which he had brought
from store in which he was a part
nel. From behind stumps, rocks and
trees and other natural fortresses of the
mountainside, the posse hlazed at the
house and Allen blazed at the posse
as fast as the women of his family
could reload his rifles In lull the
posse rushed the house. broke down
the doors and found Aliens wife shot
dead and Allen himself groaning in a
heap, bleeding profusely.
You got me because | couldn't fight
no longer" he is reported to have said
to the men who brought him to Hills
vile more dead than alive. States At.
torney General Williams, who is here,
declared that Sidna Aliens bullets killed
Judge Massie on the bench Thursday
Floyd Allen the cause of the tragedy,
was taken to the lookup yesterday un
der heavy guard and Immediately
whipped out a pocketknife and slashed
his throat. His wounds, however, are
not serious. Aliens son, Victor, Cabel
Strickland and Byrd Marion were also
locked up as witnesses.
With the arrival of help, confidence
began to take the place of the terror
which prevailed unrestrained for "a
hours. Judge Staples, designated by
Governor Mann to come here and hold
court, took the bench and summoned
special grand jury to indict the muir
derers. This one act had more to do
with the restoration of quiet than any
other. The Organization of the court
which was all but wiped out Thursday
by the work OF assassns had a great in
fuence.
Early yesterday report came from |
Mount Airy that the Allen gang had |
raided hardware store there and !
had stocked up with gums and bullets |
That probably is partially true. Sidna |
Allen was part owner of the store and I
the gang probably found supplies ready. |
Reports have been coming down the |
mountain all day that the outlaws have
recruited big band for their defense. |
Officers think this not unlikely. A law |
less element in which the Aliens were /
ringleaders mas ruled the mountain fast |
nesses for years. There is saying |
among revenue OlnceFS Llldt every pine /
shelters a whiskey still.
The outlaws could not have picked |
a better time TO make stand against |
their pursuers. Every mountain brook |
Is little creek, every creek is small
river. The heavy rains of the last few
weeks have melted the SHOWS, washed
out the roads, carried off the bridges
and made mud knee deep. The hardest
ponies founder up the grades with great
effort.
Features of the tragedy have been so
many that all probably never will be
told. One came to light yesterday
Walter Upton, a lawyer, who was de-
Tending Floyd Allen in court, was a
brother-in-aw of Commonwealth's At
torney Foster, who was killed Upton
stood beside his relative, when Allen.
poking his gun under Tipton's arm, shot
down Foster. Who killed sheriff Webb
is not definitely known.