Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-09-18
CLAN CHIEF
AND KIN CAUGHT
Alleged SIayerS in Virginia Court
house Arrested.
GIRL IS INNOCENT CAUSE
Young Woman Goes to Iowa to Be
Bride of Wesley Edwards and Be-
trays Clansmen to the De-
tectiVes.

Des Moines, Ia, Sept. 16.-Sidna AL
len and his nephew, Wesley Edwards,
outlaw clansmen long sought for the
quintuple murder in the courthouse at
H1llsv1lle, Va, when judge, prosecutor
and others were slain, were arrested
In Des Moines and were taken east to
stand trial for their lives in Virginia.
Edwards, for the love of whom Miss
Maude Iroler of Mount Airy, N. c.,
had innocently led detectives to Des
Moines, was captured as he was re-
turning to his boarding house after
having worked all day with a paving
gang.
Just as he boarded a street car de-
tectives and officers surrounded it.
Edwards was trying to escape by
crawling through the front end of the
car when the officers caught him.
Lost Letter U~ncovers Trail.
A visit by Edwards to Miss Iroler
in her Virginia home about a month
ago and the accidental loss of a letter
put the detectives on the trail. The
fugitives had been in Des Moines since
April %, Allen, under the name of
Tom Sayre, working as a carpenter,
and Edwards, under the name of Joe
Jackson, employed with a city paving
gang.
Allen was arrested at the home OF
John Cameron, where he and his
nephew had been rooming, by detec-
.tives Of a Roanoke agency. The ar
rest followed a few minutes after Miss
Iroler stepped into the Cameron home
to meet Edwards, whom she was to
wed here, according to an arrange
ment made when he visited her in
Virginia.
Allen was in an upper room, and
when informed hat visitors wanted tC
see him came down the stairs. AS he
did SO Detective Lucas covered him
with a revolver and asked him to sur
render.
Gives Up Without Struggle.
Allen hesitated, then threw up his
hands, remarking: 81 guess I'm your
man." He was promptly handcuffed
and placed under a guard of city de.
tectives, while Colonel Baldwin and
Chief Jenney of the local department
went in search of Edwards, who was
said to have been at work in the west
ern part of the city. Apparently be
heard that his uncle had been cap
tured, because he was not to be found
until night.
Miss Iroler arrived in Des Moines
unaware that on the same train were
detectives who wanted her sweet
heart. She went Straight to the Cam
eron home, having previously been
provided with the address, and the of
f1cers followed.
Although surprised, she took the ar
rest of Allen and the probable cap
ture of Edwards with little show OF
concern.
wesley was down home a month
ago." she said. I'VE were to be mar
ried. He gave me the money tt come
to this city and this address. l had
no idea that any one was following
me-"
Allen Tells of Escape.
Sidna Allen talked freely OF the
events Of the last few months, but
declined to say much concerning his
movements Immediately following the
courthouse tragedy.
Allen and Edwards remained in the
mountain country of Virginia and
North Carolina for about a month, and
then got over into Kentucky, going
to Louisville, where they spent sew
eral days. Their next stop was in
ST. Louis, from which city they came
to Des Moines.
Allen declared that the courthouse
tragedy was the fault of the officers
who, he said, began the shooting.