Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-11-29
CARNOLL JUDGE
FAVORS ADLFNS

/
ceived by Governor Mann in behalf OF
Claude Allen, now nnder sentence of
death. Judge Bolen was the chief
witness for the State i'm the early
Allen prosecutions, and his stand for
communication in the case of Claude
Allen will doubtless have great
weight with Governor Mann. Judge
Bolen's letter is as follows:
November Is, 1912.
His Excellency. w. II Mann.
Governor.
Richmond, Va.
Dear Governor, | beg to join in
petition which l understand will be
presented at an early day asking that
you will commute the death sentence
against Claude Allen to imprisonment
for life in the penitentiary. IN max
ing this request | am not unmindful
of the part he played in the tragedy
of March ID, 1912, in the courthouse
of Carroll county. 1t is in considera-
ton of his youth. surroundings and
environments that can find for him
plea for executive clemency. am
slow to believe unreservcdly that he
was privy to any preconcerted plan to
shoot up the court officers. Prior to
the tragedy his conduct and his char
acter as well behaved young man
were good. His father. Floyd A lien,
was well known as man of des-
pernte temper and resolution, but it
was unlike even him, to involve his
son in such trouble. At the time of
the tragedy, Claude had been attend
ing court for two days, anXioulsy and
hopefully awaiting the result in his
fathers trial. When the verdict WINS
returned and the jury discharged and
motion for new trial had been
made and set to be heard and consid-
cred on the following day, and fur
Their bail for Floyd had been refused,
ClaudeA Hen was called into the bar
by me, and asked to perform an
erlapd for his father in connection
with our motion for new trial. Itwns
quite apparent at the time that he
was srppressng his sobs of emotions
over the result of the trial. When he
had received my instructions and had
he'd short whispered conve.sa ION
with his father, which did not hear
well enough to understand, he went
back TO the place he had just come
from, in the northwest corner of the
court room. The sheriff was then
directed to take charge of the prisoner,
and when the sheriff moved up to the
entrance of the bar to receive his
prisoner. Floyd Allen arose and de-
clared that he would not go, and
he sen TO feel for his pistol. 1t was mt
this juncture that Claude drew his
pistol and fired what | saw as the
first shot in the tragedy, and which
took effect in Judge Massie S shoulder
l cannot escape the impression that
Claude, seeing his father about to
engage in combat with the court
officers, drew his pistol and fired this
first shot under excitement and
emotion which completely overwhulm-
ed his powers of reason and discretion
for the time being. cannot escape
the impression that had Floyd Allen
submitted to the judgment of the
court that Claude would never have
thought of interference.
But suppose am mistaken in this
view of the case and suppose it is
true that Claude was privy to con-
spiracy to rescue his father from the
clutches of the law, and that the
whispered conversation in the bar be-
tween father and son was in further
ance of the conspiracy. Suppose that
in his fued with Deputy Sheriff
Samuels (Which is known to have
existed for several years.. and with
any other court officers. that Floyd
Allen was entirely to blame, / still
cannot escape the conclusion that
Claude Allen would naturally see his
father as in the right, and the others
as in the wrong. He would naturally
look upon the officers as hostile to his
father. and would align himself with
the latter and imbibe something of
his spirit and temper, and thus be
drifted along into crime without
compromising the moral turpitude of
his course
Again: From long personal ac-
quaintance with Floyd Allen. when
think of conspiracy, can think of
it only, as completely controlled and
dominated by one man (Floyd Allen) +.
and of every other conspirator as
completely merged in him and con-
trolled by his will power.
If there was conspiracy it was
not the creature of Claude Allen $
brain. 1t was hatched and concocted
in an brain older than his. and he was
simply figure naught in the affair.
Floyd Allen is person so imperious
and dominating in his spirit that his
would be the leading and dominating
mind in any and every conspiracy into
which he vpnuld mr. couId ho oo,.a.a