The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-05-18
VIRGINIA OUTLAW MUST DIE FOR
MURDER OF ATTORNEY
FOSTER.
Jury Was Out All of Thursday Night,
But Reached Verdict Yesterday
Morning, Convicting Him Of Murder
in First Degree.

Wytheville, Va, May 17.-Floyd AL
len, the first of the Hillsdale noun
taineers tried for the Carroll county
courthouse murders, was adiudged
guilty here today, and will pay the
penalty of his crime in the electric
chair at Richmond.
The jury was out all night, and it
was not until after 10 o'clock this
morning that the twelve men had been
brought into agreement
When court opened today the jury
was called in and the foreman ques-
toned by Judge Staples. The jurors
declared there was a number of points
OF difference existing, and it was
doubtful whether a verdict could be
reached. Judge Staples declared that
the case was of such magnitude that
he felt he must send the jury back,
after cautioning and advising the
members.
The jurors again retired and it was
only short time before they an
nounced they had agreed Court re-
assembled and the foreman read the
verdict of guilty as charged in the
indictment" Judge Staples held that
was not the proper form. The fore
man then explained that the verdict
was Cne of guilty in the first degree,
the penalty being electrocution.
Charge Against Allen.
Floyd Allen was charged specifical-
ly at the time with the murder OF
Commemorative Attorney William M.
Foster, prosecutor in the Carroll
county court at Hillsville last March
when the trial of Allen eliminated
in the killing of five persons-Pre-
siding Judge Thornton l.. Massie,
Prosecutor Foster, Sheriff L. F. Webb,
Miss Elizabeth Ayres and Juror Au-
gustus Fowler.
The tragedy created a panic in the
little mountainous town of Hilisville.
The inhabitants had always held the
Allen clansmen in deadly horror. Ar
rests of several of the Aliens followed
the shooting, but five of the princi-
pals escaped to the mountains. Re
wards for their arrest resulted in
three of them being taken, but Sidna
Allen, leader of the clan, and Wes-
ley Edwards, his nephew, are still at
large
The other prisoners, it is expected,
will be tried at once.
Sentence Not Pronounced.
Sentence was not pronounced on
Allen today, as he may be called to
testify in other cases. When the
verdict was announced Allen re-
iapsed into despair. Barely a hand
full Of people heard the verdict. Arm
ed detectives searched persons enter
ing the courtroom.
The verdict was distinct surprise.
1t was thought the jury was hopeless
ly divided. One of the twelve men
is known to have said previous to
being summoned for jury duty that
you can't always get justice in the
courts and maybe the Aliens were not
far wrong"
Arranged for Arrest.
The commemorative attorneys had
made arrangements to arrest him on
a perjury charge should he bring
about a disagreement.
The commonwealth will next try
Claude Allen on an indictment charg-
ing the murder of Judge Massie. This
trial begins Monday. The defendants
attorneys announced after court ad-
journed that they would ask for a
writ of error. n
The prisoners wife sat beside Allen
when the verdict was brought in. She
was dressed in black and wore large
poke bonnet so her face could not be
seen. Allen seemed brighter this
morning, evidently expecting a mis-
trial. He was the picture of despair
when the verdict was read.