Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-30
Detectives Close In on Sidna
Allen and Nephew.
TERRITORY is SURROUNDED
Men Are Thought to Be Hiding in
No Mans Land.
WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH
Young Friel, After Capture, Says
His Relatives Are in Des-
perate Straits

HILI1SVILE, Va, March 3o-With
grim determination and caution, inspired
by belief that success almost certainly
will mean death to some of their num-
Der, Detective Felts and his men early
today resumed their search for Sidna
Allen and Wesley Edwards, the last free
members of the gang that shot-up Car
roll courthouse.
1t now seems certain that the fugitives
are hiding within the surrounded terri
tory known as No Mans Land, on the
North Carolina border. and the detectives
are confident that it will be only a mat
ter of hours before they are beaten out
of the mountain brush.
Direct word from Allen and Edwards
came to the searchers yesterday for the
first time, when young Friel Allen, the
seventeen-year-o nephew of Sidna. and
one of the eight indicted for the court
house murders, was captured at the home
of his father Friel, who left the noun
tains and came home, expecting capture
because he was plumb starved out" told
his captors that he parted from his uncle
and cousin at the top of the mountains
Wednesday night He declared that both
of the men told him he left that they
would never be taken alive; that they
would die shooting at the detectives"
The uncle. he said, admitted that he kill
confessed that Commonwealth Attorney
Foster was his mark
Friel and Claude Swanson Allen, who
were together in the Hillsville Jail last
night, will be taken to Roanoke today.
Capture of Friel.
Fnel Allen was taken late yesterday
in a carriage shed at the home of his
father, Jack Allen, eight miles from here.
He cheerfully submitted to arrest.
Friel two days ago deserted the two
men still at large and brought back last
night their ultimatum of defiance.
A fathers anxiety to have his youngest
son spared terrible death in the noun
tainS is assumed to be the cause of Friel
Aliens capture. Jack Allen was not in
volved in the courthouse shooting, but it
is known that since his son Friel Joined
the outlaws he has been endeavoring to
advise him TO submit to the mercy Of
the law. Just how the parent communi-
Gated with the boy has not been disclosed.
Hllsville had hardly digested the ex-
element incident to Claude Aliens cap
ture when Frel Allen galloped into town,
the prisoner of Detective Thomas l.. Foltz,
leader of the mountain campaign against
the outlaws, and Detective f. c. Payne,
who together made the arrest
The young nOuntaineer of slender build
and boyish face was not handcuffed, and
cantered into town with smiles and mods
to those who recognized him. He showed
the i'll effects of two weeks with little
food shelter.
The prisoner talked of his conversations
with Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards.
The former. he said admitted killing
Judge Thornon L. Massie. while the lat
ter acknowledged shooting Common
wealth's Attorney William NJ Foster. His
own part in the tragedy he discreet1y
evaded discussing. He brought, however,
first-hand information of the desperate
straits of Sidna Allen. leader of the band.
Will Fight Hard.
Uncle Sidna told me- related the boy,
with unrestrained frankness, that he
never expected to see his family again
He hopes the detectives will get discour-
aged SO that he can get away, but IL they
keep after him. 1 think he will be shot
killing them. He will never surrender.
He didn't like 1t when l left him. He
told me 1 was making a mistake, but 1
was tired and hungry.
Uncle Sidna said he shot his pistol
empty three times. He always was angry
with Judge MasSie. He said he shot
Judge Massie and that Wesley shot Mr..
Foster. Uncle Sidna said he intended to
get as many of the court officers as he
could. When he was shooting the people
in the street he really didn't know he was
firing at any of the jury. He said he
saw men running, and thought they need
ed shooting at
THE day after the shooting Uncle Sid
ma and Cousin Wesley and l went to the
mountains. Wesley had two pistols and
Uncle Sidna had revolver and shot
gun. We were on the ridge and were
hidden under ledge by leaves. From
there we moved to another rock and saw
the officers raid my Aunt Alberta's house.
Some of the detectives came within
fifteen or twenty yards of US. l wanted
to leave. but Uncle Sidna said IL the de-
tectiyes case closer he would fire.
Sidna Shot in Arm.
Uncle Sidna was shot in the arm at
the courthouse, and the same bullet went
into his side and back. 1t is still there.
Uncle Sidna got some food in a sack.
I'VE had plenty Of crackers. and stayed
in the ivy and laurel bushes for ten days,
but with nothing else to eat except these
crackers. / was just starved out. l left
them on the mountain top"
Friel disclaimed knowledge of the part
Claude Allen took in the shooting, and
denied knowledge of the activities of
Sidney Edwards. Victor Allen and Bud
Marion, now in Jail at Roanoke.
y great deal of interest Is manifested
in the movement to reward the bravery
OF Miss Jezebel Goad, who carried re-
Volver to her father through a storm Of
bullets in the courthouse tragedy here.
When the Allen outlaws started shoot
ing in the Carroll county court. Clerk
Goad fell, wounded. He struggled to his
feet and followed the Aliens. shooting
as he ran. With shots spattering about
him. he emptied his revolver. While Sid
fire at the wounded clerk, his daughter
ran him with weapon with