Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-09-19
VIRGINIA GUNMEN
CAPTURED In IOWA.
SIdna Allen and Wesley Edwards Rounded
Up by Baldwin Detectives In DeS MOineS
On Last Saturday After Long Chase.

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Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards, for
whom detectives have been securing the
country for the past six months, were
captured in Des Moines, Iowa, on last
Saturday afternoon by William G. Bald
WIN, of Roanoke, and Detectives Lucas
and Mundy, two of his assistants. The
men are wanted for participation in the
shooting up of the court of Carroll
county, Virginia, on the 14th of last
March at which time Judge T. L. Mas
sic, Commonwealth's Attorney Foster,
Sheriff Webb, juror and a woman wit
ness were killed outright and Clerk
Goad and several other persons more or
less seriously wounded. All Others of
the gang, with the exception of the
men captured Saturday, who partici-
pated in the shooting had previously
been brought to trial. Two of these.
Floyd and Claude Allen, received the
death penalty, and will be executed No
vember 22nd; two others, an Allen and
an Edwards, received sentences of fif-
teen and eighteen years, respectively,
In the penitentiary, while Victor Allen
was acquitted of any part in the de-
plorable affair.
Wesley Edwards, for the love of whom
Miss Maude Iroler, of Mount Airy, N.
c., Innocently led detectives to Des
Moines, was captured as he was return
ing to his boarding house, after having
worked all day with 8 street paving
gang. Just as he boarded 8 street car
the detectives, assisted by Chief Johnny
snd several other members of the Des
Moines police force, surrounded it. Ed
wards attempted to escape through the
front end of the car as Detective Bald
win, whom he recognized, entered the
rear, and as he jumped landed squareIy
In the arms the Des Moines chief.
A visit by Edwards to Miss Iroler in
her North Carolina home about IA month
ago, and the accidental loss of a letter
put the detectives on the trail. The fu-
gitives had been in Des Moines eiHce
April. Allen, under the name of Tom
Sayre, worked as a carpenter, and Ed
wards, under the name of Joe jackson.
was employed with a city paviog gang.
Allen was arrested at the home of
John Cameron, where he and his ne
phew, Edward s, had. been rooming. by
Detectives Baldwin, Lucas and MunGy
The arrest took place about IL q. m,
and few minutes after Miss Iroer
stepped into the Cameron home to meet
Edwards, whom she was to wed Satur-
day night, according to an agreement
made when he visited her in Mount
Airy. Detective Lucas was at her
heels. Allen was up stairs.
When informed that visitors wanted
to see him, he went down stairs. A.
he did so Detective Lucas covered him
with a revolver and asked him to sur
render.
Allen hesitated, then threw up his
hands, remarking as he did 50, Il guess
l m your man." Allen was handcuffsd
and placed under guard of city detec-
tives, while Baldwin and Chief Johnny
went in search of Edwards, who, they
were told, was at work in the western
part of the city, where he was arrested
late in the afternoon.
Miss Iroler arrived in Des Moines
Saturday morning, unaware that on the
same train were detectives who ed
her sweetheart. She went straight to
the Cameron home, having previously
been provided with the address, and the
officers followed. Although surprised,
she took the arrest of Allen and the
capture of Edwards calmly.
Wesley was down home a month
ago." she said. 1--WE were to be mar
ried. He gave me the money to come
here on. l had no idea that any one
was following me-"
81 loved Wesley" she went on. "Ha
was always kind to me. did not know
that Sidna Allen was here, but recoe-
nized him when the officers went into
the house and arrested him. 1t was
awful, but can't help it,
The two prisoners, accompanied by
the detectives who made the arrests,
passed through Graham on train No. 4
Monday morning arriving in Roanoke at
noon the same day, where they are now
confined to Jail awaiting action of the
authorities looking toward their trials.
There were rewards aggregating So, 500
offered for the capture of the two men.