The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-24
EVIDENCE DRAGS
CLAUDE CLOSER
TO DEATH CHAIR
5 ia tie Believes Case
Against Young Allen
Already Complete.
PROVES THEORY
OF CONSPIRACY
Not Only Shows That Defend
ant Killed Judge Massie, but
Also That Wesley Edwards
Distributed Cartridges, and
Allen Clan Went Into
Courtroom Together.
Especial From STAFF correspondent)

'Speclal From star Correspondent
Wytheviile Va, MAJ 28-Fvidence
strong enough. in the commemorative
estimation. already has been adduced
by It's witnesses in the frat day and
: hall Of testimony TO send Claude
swanson Allen to the death chair at
richmond for the murder Of Judge
Thornton l. Massie at Hiilsvile las,
March
Two mountains OF evidence. which
the defense may never he able to
overcome. have been builded by the
Commonwealth early in It's case first
the testimony Of Judge d W. Bolen
yesterday. when he said he saw Claude
FIRE the hrst shot ~ the courtroom
that fatefnl day. and that he saw the
bullet take effect In Judge Massics
right shoulder. this proving to be tho
mortal wound. second. the testimony
to-day Of John Dalton. who said ne
saw Wesley Edwards pass around
loaded cartridges TO the rest OF the
men now indicted for the Hillsville
murders iust after court had convened
the morning OF the TRAGEDY
Just how the defense can repudi
ate such testimony Is subject of
conjecture. The ability OF the lawyers
for the defense to combat 1t success-
orally By unbiased followers OF the
trial,
Feature OF Days Trial.
Dalton's testimony easily furnished
the surprise and feature OF to-day's
proceedings before Judge Waller r.
Staples in the Wythc court. He had
not testified in FLOYD Aliens trial his
knowledge OF any circumstances In
connection with the Hillsville tragedy
not being known at the time.
on the witness stand this afternoon,
4
the courthouse about S O'Clock on the
morning OF March IA lie was q few
feet away from circle of men. in the
centre OF which was Wesley Edwards.
Surrounding the Edwards hoy. who Is
sun a fugitive. were Sidna. Claude.
Floyd Allen. Byrd Marion. S.dna Ed
wards and two others not known to
Dalton at the time, but whose descrip-
tons fitted Victor and Fricl Allen.
II saw Wesley Edwards put his
hand into his pocket and pull out some
cred close around him. and he passed
his handful Of cartridges 10 each one
IN turn. / could not see which ones
took cartridges" was the burden OF
DaIton's testimony. He said later:
After they talked for while about
witnesses in Fln3-d's trial. Floyd
started up the steps to the courtroom,
Tn. steps next 10 tho Thornton Hotel.
and ne turned and called hack 10 the
ot7ers:: IN Let you all know"
Attorney II. Holman Willis. for the
Il afense. la'oored manfuily 10 tansle up
Dalton on cross-exam!nat.on. but tina
witness refused TO be shaken mate.
e:ally The further point was de-
celoped under cross examination that
tne Aliens had followed Floyd UP the
steps into the courtroom together and
that after the shooting they congre-
gated a; the corner across tho street
from the courthouse and went in a
Body down the alley toward Blanken-
ships stable. This was the first t.sti.
mony adduced Mt either trial to show
tow the Aliens had entered the court
room. The Commonwe alth always had
been able to place them in the court
room after the Aliens were proven to
be inside. hut never had II been shown
how they had entered.
Grue~ome Evidence.
Gruesome reminders of the tragedy
were produced in court to-day. when
Judge Massis's clothes. worn the day
OF his death. were presented by the
Commonwealth and admitted as ev,-
dcnce. Frod Seagle. 4 Pulaski under
taker. who had helped embalm Judge
Massie's body, identified the clothes and
pointed out the bullet holes. The IA
tai wound was indicated by a hole near
the seam Of the right shoulder of thu
coat. and around the hole was a blood
spot several inches wide a second
bullet hole was shown in the left leg
OF the trousers. and below that hole
was long streak OF blood. The bullet
hole in the right sleeve of the coat was
also surrounded by blood. Inside tho
coats right shoulder was a splotch OF
blood under the armpit.
Revolvers were freely displayed al
todays proceedings. The thirty light
calibre pistol taken from Claude was
identified by Detective II. II. Lucas as
nne OF two he had found on the defend
ant when he arrested him two weeks
after the shooting. The detective also
identified the other pistol of Claude.
Several sharp exchanges OF words
between lawyers also enlivened the day
in the court. SO prolonged did one tile
become this afternoon between Attor-
neys ~ III. Hairston and Willis, of the
defense. and Joseph C. wysor. of the
Common wealth, that Judge staples re-
buked them pointedly before the regu-
lar order of examination OF Witnesses
could be resumed.
H. l. Trolinger, the first witness to-
day. who had helped embalm Judge
Massies body. also d described the wounds
In the dead 1urist's shoulder, arm and
leg. He said about half a gallon of
blood had been pumped from Judge Mas
slo's right lung.
When Attorney John S. Draper, for
the State, endeavored to depict tho rel
Continued on Third Paee1