The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-11
Anarchy of the Aliens


Rev DR. James Cannon writes follows OF
the Alien case In the current issue OF the
Christian Advocate:
+ There were few-feyers of Virginia who did
not feel sense of shame when the papers gave
the to the world that Virginia court Of
justice had been annhated by citizens of Viz
ginia- Few Virginians would have admitted
that such an outrage Gould have been per-
petrated in any part of the State. Such anarchy
might indeed exist in the Ke.stucky mountains,
or in the mining camps of Nevada, but not In
old Virginia.
Allen Anarchy.
But it did happen. And 1t happened because
che Allen family Of Carroll county are an
archists The Mcnamara dynamiters are no
more anarchists than are the Aliens. Both
determined to do they pleased, regardless
of the rights OF individuals or of the laws NJ
the State The Aliens were anarchists before
they shot to death the officers of the law in the
courthouse. They proclaimed themselves above
the law and were feared by many citizens.
The older DULLES and the younger
men rowdes the family record was bad. and
they trusted in their evil record to enable
them TO do they pleased. Two of the young
rowdies of the family disturbed public wor-
ship. They were arrested and were being car
ried TO jail by a constable, when their uncle,
Floyd Allen. met them and demanded that the
constable take the handouts off them, and when
the constable refused. Floyd Allen at once pro-
ceeded to show his contempt, not only for the
officer of the law. but for the law Itself by
releasing the prisoners. This anarchy II
the determination OF an Individual that
the officers of the law should execute the law
in accordance with the ideas of Floyd Allen,
or should not execute II all There may
wisdom Of the constable but he was the
officer of the law, and he knew that he was
dealing with members OF lawless family, and
he doubtless considered il necessary, in order
rrjS n Ia for YIN
safety that he handcuff them and thus restrain
them from flsther lawless acts. Certainly. the
that this constable rightly estins ted their reck
less nature A set of fellows who would not
hesitate TO kill the officers OF circuit court,
including the Judge the bench would not
stop at the slaughter OF Insignificant con-
stable.
It is to the credit Of the manhood of Carroll
county, that there were officers in the county
who were true to their oath OF Office and
who determined that anarchy should not be
tolerated, even on the part Of the Allen gang.
And so the leader was brought to trial. and
notwithstanding the fact that the members Of
the clan were there in full force. heavily
armed. the jury convicted him of anarchy of
releasing prisoners in the hands OF an officer,
and the Judge pronounced sentenee-sThe jury
and the judge and the Commemorative attor-
knew that the gang were there: they knew
that their lives might be sacrificed and yet
they stood courageously by the law Of Vir-
ginia and passed Just sentence regardless of
the consequences to themsely 20.
And then the outlaw leader declared that he
was not going with the sheriff, reached for his
pistol. and along with the other members of
the gang. who We're ready with their weapons,
wounded all of the officers of the court but
| one. Such absolute defiance. such murderous
| anarchy has never been manifested elsewhere
In this great country Virginia was suddenly
brought before the whole civilized world as
furnishing unparalleled example of outraged
law.
And then the whole county waited. What
would Virginia do? The leader and one son
fed. The governor of Virginia declared that
1 law and order should be maintained in the
, old Commonwealth that the courts should be
protected In the administration OF Justice and
directed Il constant never wearying pursuit
OF the fugitive outlaws, with the result that all
Of them have been captured and four of them
have been tried. two have been condemned to
death, and two have been given long terms in
the pententary And the fair name of ytr-
gna has been vindicated by the judgment of
impartial jures
Shameful infamy ---
AND now 1t is proposed by certain persons to
put upon Virginia brand of shameful infanny
Tar deeper and bIacker than the anarchy of
the Aliens. 1t Is proposed to save the Aliens
from the suffering the penalty for their out
rageous crime II Is proposed that the governor
shail commute the sentences of the Aliens and
thus make the whole state of Virginia a sym
pafhzer. II not indeed iustier of anarchy.
1--we are told that these outlaws have been the
victims of peighborhood feud that some of
the officers Of the court were armed that there
was shooting on both sides, ct cetera. nd nau-
scum.
Did the feud cause the young Allen rowdIes
to disturb public worship? Did the feud COM
pei anarchist Floyd Allen to take the rowdes
from the constable? Did the feud cause Judge
Masse to so into court unarmed? Did the
feud secure unanimous verdict against the
outlaw? Did the feud cause Judge Nassia RI
pass sentehee2-B Did the feud cause the outlaw
TO declare he going? Did the feud
inhuence the verdcts of the juries at Wythe-
VILE, which heard all the evidence and gave
verdict OF death? How did ii happen that the
officers OF the court were all killed but one and
he was wounded, and yet none of the Aliens
We're killed? If the Aliens did not expect 10
all armed and so quick to shoot and why did
they shoot down the unarmed Judge sitting
ON the bench?
1t because the Aliens are outlaws
anarchists of the worst type They did not
make an attack simply upon men, nor upon
men with whom feud existed, nor upon men
who were armed They assaulted Virginia the
Its official agents, and which had declared that
the anarchy or the Aliens must cease There
would. h&Nt been no shooting had NOT the
jury brought in verdict. and the Judge pro-
nounced sentence which contrary to the
wishes Of the Aliens If the jury had set the
outlaw free. If Judge Massie had set aside the
verdict as contrary to the law and the evil
dence. there would have been no shooting The
claim that the jury picked against Allen
has no support except the declaration of the
mui derers themselves. II the verdict was an
outrage, as is claimed. the judge knew it to be
so. and he should have set it aside at once.
But the Aliens were well known in Carroll
county and when Judge Massie went on the
bench he knew that his life was in peril. All
the officers of the law knew that their lives
were in peril and all OF them were armed
except the judge. Knowing the situation as