The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-05-16


Witness could recall no one else.
Did you tell anybody else about II
81 told a Mr.. Crockett"
Spracker was now excused with the
understanding that he might be re
called.
Lawyer Describes Shooting.
Lawyer w. ID. Tompkins. Of Hills
Vile. next testified. He was in the
court room March 14th and witnessed
the tragedy. The verdict in Aliens
case had just been returned and things
seemed ominously quiet An air Of
expectancy appeared to reign. Judge
Massie asked Judge Bolen il anything
further could be done in the case that
day Bolen replied in the negative.
but said the prisoner wished 10 see his
son moment. This request was
granted.
Judge Massie said: Sheriff. take
charge of the prisoner The prisoner
jumped up. exclaiming in a nervous
way Gentlemen. 1 am not going. 1
VIII be dad blasted il l GO after
which he commenced to unbutton his
sweater and try to insert his hand in
there.
Just as he jumped up-perhaps
half minute latcr-I heard shots ring
out in my rear. 1 looked over my
right shoulder. Claude and Sidna AL
len were standing up on the bench in
the northeast corner, and both fired
their pistols. The first shot caused me
TO turn around and as 1 looked their
pistols belched again.
Then l saw one of the Edwards
boys and Victor Allen standing on a
bench.
Victor had drawn his pistol and
brought down his hand. They Jumped
down Immediately. L saw Floyd Al
len and Sidna Allen shooting"
Lawyer Tompkins got out Of the
room as quickly as possible and hur-
ried off to procure a pistol. While
IN the room he tried to get behind a
stove.
Mr.. Willis. of the defense, had
many questions to ask on cross-ex-
animation as to the positions OF va
rious persons in the court room. Wit
ness was pretty certain he saw Victor
Allen with a pistol in his hand.
Isn't it a matter OF fact that Vic
tor has the reputation of being a
good, law-abiding citizen?"
L have heard that he was not like
the other Aliens"
The defense demurred at Mr..
Tompkins' manner of replying.
Mr.. Tompkins was positive that
Victor Allen was one of the men he
saw with a pistol.
Farmer-Minister Witness.
Preston Fowler, fifty-five years old.
next took the witness chair. He is a
resident OF Carroll, and is a farmer
minister. Witness was In the court
house at the time Of the shooting.
He was sitting in the jury room.
len and the sheriff ordered to take
charge of the prisoner, the accused
After bail had been denied Floyd AL
jumped up and began unbuttoning his
sweater.
4 made a plunge forward as I saw
his pistol. At that time pistol was
fired 1t was behind me in the north
east corner. Almost as quick as It
was fired, another one fred. I start
ed for the door as fast as I could.
was very much scared then. AS I
passed the stove, Victor Allen was
standing on the bench with another
man in the northwest corner, and he
sprang from the bench with another
man, with a pistol in his hand and
made his way across as if he intend
ed to put 1t across the bar. From
there l made my way as fast as I
could to get out OF the door. 1 can't
say how long 1 was a-going out OF
the door. AS 1 got out they were
firing from the top Of the steps into
Ihe courthouse yard. l thought they
were firing at me and ran into the
street. Floyd Allen came out and 1
saw him shoot down the sidewalk"
What did Floyd Allen say when
he fumbled his sweater?"
He said, Gentlemen, 1 am not go
ihS. Alllilk ne uStO q curse WORD,
the bucolic parSOn said, adding: Il
would like to be excused from repeat
ing it,"
Cruel Mr.. wysor. Of the prosecu-
ton, thought the parsOn had better
contaminate his lips by repeating the
awful curse word and requested the
modest witness so to do.
Il think" blushingly said the pious
witness he said. Gentlemen, I will
be damned If 1 am going"
Lawyer Willis now took Parson
Fowler in hand and taxed the good
mans memory with numberless Ques-
lions. The witness couldn't describe
any OF the pistols he saw. Il haven't
had pistol in my hands for twenty
years." said he.
j. H. Capp on Stand.
j. II. Capp, hardware merchant
OF GalaN, and a member of the jury
that convicted Floyd Allen, was next
called. He, too. heard the accused
protest against going with the sheriff
and saw him eXcitedly stick his hands
into his sweater; moreover, he saw
the CLEAN of the old mans pistol.
Witness Immediately got up and hur-
ried out of the room as quickly as
possible. The sight of the prisoner S
weapon made Capp do this.
4 started around where the sheriff
was standing" said the witness, and
passed Sheriff Webb.
Did you hear any shots fired be-
fore you saw this CLEAN of Floyd AL
lens pistol?"
NO, sir; just as I started from my
chair ] heard shots. l don't know
who fired them. / made a dive by
Foster, but later saw him by the door
where there was a jam. Foster was
right by me. 1 got some OF his blood
on me-"
Did you see Foster with a gun in
his hand"
Yes at the door. He had his gun
in his right hand, which was raised
but could not shoot. He looked like a
dead man. and / expected him 10 drop
at any time. He had wound on his
head"
was that after most of the firing
was over?"
Yes"
BY the defense: Where were you
sitting?"
About eighte or ten feet from the
clerks desk"
Did Floyd Allen use any profanity
when he got up?"
NO"
You say he seemed nervous?"
Yes"