The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-12
Stubborn Facts for Claude Allen
by GEO. W. M'DANIEL, D, D.

l. Friel Allen admits that he shot at w. NJ.
Foster and he Is In the penitentiary for eighteen
years. No witness testified that Claude shot
at Foster and Claude swore that he did not
see him, and yet Claude is sentenced to cleo
trocution upon that charge. The position Of
Foster In the courthouse. diagonally acro4s in
the extreme corner from Claude, makes 1t inn
possible that Claude could have shot at him
without killing spectators between them.
2. 1t Is incredible that there could have been
conspiracy and that Floyd Aliens elder son.
Victor, did not have any knowledge of its Dex-
istence. He was in the court unarmed
yet was tried for completely in the crime. Not
withstanding one of the prosecuting attorneys
said he was the meanest of them all, he was
acquitted Had Victor been so unfortunate as
to have had pist d in his DO Sc sion that day,
he might now be under conviction Carrying
pistols Is the custom in Carroll county and is
not to be regarded rejecting upon
riously as in certain other communities. An
editor who opposes Communication frankly admits
tnat he Moa4a 90 alineu II, liveu III .aat
section. However, it purely accident
that Claude and not Victor had a pistol that
fatal day. Victor left it in the room at the
hotel and Claude put 1t in his pocket
3. The conduct of Claude after the shooting
is against the conspiracy theory. He went alone
to his home. Then he hid himself because he
was told the officers had orders to shoot him
on sight He was never in hiding with Sdna
Allen or Wesley Edwards and was alone when
captured peaceably. Had there been
spracy, all the Aliens would have remained to-
gether and probably died, resisting arrest The
the Aliens and that theory is untenable by
who dispassonately and impartially weighs all
the evidence.
T. There is as strong evidence to prove a con-
spracy by Goad and his party to shoot up the
Aliens as there is to prove conspiracy by
the Aliens to shoot up the court. There were
six of Goad's faction shooting against five of
the Aliens Goad. himself, had two pistols and
there was very strong evidence that the chief
prosecuting witness Peter Easter, had two ps-
tolls he appears to have done shooting in the
court room and then TO have handed fully
loaded pistol TO Goad. Goad owned ps-
toi for years and just before the December
term of court, he ordered by express large
automatic pistol with supply of cartridges
No Allen had more than pistol and only
Sidna had more cartridges than In his
weapon Goads faction fired many shots.
as the Aliens They shot mt Floyd twenty times
They only killed one person, Miss Ayers, not
because they were unprepared for the fight, but
because they were such poor marksmen. In
their excitement, they actually fired into Judge
Massie, the bullet In the left side of his
chair proved. I do not believe there was
spiraey either side, but pitched battle
between feudist. Technically, 1t 'af-
fray"
5. If there was conspiracy and Claude must
die for his part in 1t in order to maintain the
ma iesty of the law, how do YOU Justify
sentence OF fifteen years for Sidna Edwards and
of eighteen for Friei Allen. They were Ger
tainiy much part of the conspiracy, II any
in which Sidna Edwards was involved. that oc-
casioned the whole trouble.
g. We reward Miss Tezebei Goad with
medal for going to the assistance of her father
and eectrpcute Claude Allen for defending his
father. Both deserve praise. The law. itself
recognizes the tie of blood and permits the har-
boring of criminals by near relatives.
T. Dexter Goad had more right, under
the law. TO go armed than Allen. You excuse
one and condemn the other. Why not try
Goad? Consistency. thou jewell Furth-
ermore what the clerks deputy doing in
the court room with automatic revolver
His business to stay In the Office and tran
scribe records. HI stated ~ friend the day
after the shooting that he had heen expecting
and preparing for this for nine months
s. Had the other officers maintained the same
dignity and demeanor Judge Massie. there
would have been killing, He went armed
with no weapon but the law. They went with
guns and drew them 10 fight as individuals and
part Of the press speak of all of them the
court when only the sheriff and his deputies
had the right to be armed.
o. Why did not the officers disarm the pris-
oner before he entered the court room IL they
had reason to believe he would resist the order
of the court? This would have been the rea-
sonable and lawful procedure.
. TO- The prosecution of Claude had decided
advantages over his defense. The State had
able counsel az it could secure in Southwest
Virginia to prosecute and thirty detectives to
assist in the case. Claude had little money
to defend himself. Confined in distant Jail
his nearest male relatives in the plight
he had meager opportunity to get his witness
ence had To be the faithful panic-strcken wo-
men who had experience in such matters
His attorneys never possessed facilities for
surfing evidence comparable to those of the
State. The faw IN supposed to throw every
protection around the accused, but 1t Is fact
that Claudes prosecution had tremendous
advantage his defense.
IL. do not charge that money was used to Sc
cure evidence against Claude. but reputable
citizen of Richmond tells me that he was taken
for detective by morIntaineer in Carroll
county. who offered him testimony against the
Aliens for money. !. Walter Webb, of Pu-
aski and Samuel T. Rhodes. of Roanoke, gem
tlemen Of high standing and absolutely dis
Interested. testified that thew had conversa-
ton with Goad in the Hillsville courthouse af-
ter the shooting and that Goad told them that
he Goad had drawn his pistol and the sheriff
had drawn his pistol before the shooting beam
and had advanced on Flovd Allen. At the list
m ,rnent Of the trial and when the defendant
had no onportunty to rebut it, three internal
rerenn e. g sHeers svere that. tfaew we're presest
at the conversation and that such statement
was made The force OF this evidence, coming
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