Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-22
TALK WITH FLOYD ALLEN.


TALK WITH FLOYD ALLEN.
Virginia Outlaw Interviewed In Hills
Vile Jail.
Hillsville, Va, March 1S.-"This IL
the most serious affair ever got into
or probably ever will get into In my
life" said Floyd Allen to the repre-.
sentative of the News-Leader, as he
lay on his cot in jail here Saturday
shortly before he was taken to Roam
oke.
TT all comes by my not listening to
my wife. Had I taken her advice
wouldn't be in this fix now. But re-
member one thing it'll be Floyd to the
end. I've always been a man and in
tend to be one to the last They'll find
me a man every time.
my wife said to me Thursday morn
ing before I left home, Floyd, good
bye. You go on down to Hillsville and
If the jury convicts you take your SEN
ltence. Go to Richmond and serve your
term and then come back and lead
different life. This life you and your
brothers have been living amt been
satisfactory to me nor you, and you
are old enough to know better, and
Iyoung enough to make change In
your life My feelings for you amt
going to change because you go to the
penitentiary.'
IT promised her that I would take
my sentence like a man and not cause
no trouble. 1t amt like an Allen to go
to jail though, so when my brothers
began to tell me about shooting any
man who tried to take me to Jail, got
persuaded away from the way I had
made UP my mind after my wife talk
ed to me. My brothers kind Of fired
up my blood, and put my gun under
meath my vest and decided that If
got. sentenced 1 wouldn't go, and
ain't gone yet Ny leg Is broken but
I'm still a man, and can take keer of
myself.
| Yes, sir, this is a sad affair, and
feel sorry for the widders of the men
who got shot. There warn't no finer
man in the state than Judge Massie;
I'm sorry he's gone. 1t never would
have happened if had listened to my
wife, but now that it has happened,
have got to take keer Of myself as
best can.
/ .nrt fn 6n6oa for
nothin' done, but will say one thing.
This all comes from not treating a
man right"
Asked If he meant by this that he
had not been fairly treated, Allen de-
clined to amplify the statement.
"Tain't worth while talking about that
now. That part Of it is over and gone,
but my advice to folks is to give every
man square treatment"
Allen is a tall, angular man. About
l55 years old. He has gray hair, gray
eyes, and a long, dropping mustache.
typical Of the kind worn by mountain
residents. His moustache and hair
were once red, there still being dis
lcernible an auburn tinge in them.
| Allen has one of the most pleasant
faces you could find in days travel.
If all that is said of him is true. and
there seems no reason for doubling the
main facts (although they probably
are slightly embellished) he is bad
man. Rather than bad, he is fearless
and recognized no law except his own
passions. He has been famed for his
ungovernable temper from childhood.
But he has not a bad face by any
means.
| His long, beetling brows, shade as
kindly and gentle pair of gray eyes
as are possessed by a child. His face
is pink, his chin short and firm, and
his jaw thin and long. His bushy hair
gives him a wild look, but in speech
and general appearance he is mild and
presents an inoffensive aspect.
He was in full view to Hillsville on
Saturday, when he was placed on
cot and put in a Dayton and taken to
q point on the road opposite the court
house to await the formation Of guard
of Baldwin men to take him to Roam
oke. The curious crowd surged around
the Dayton and gazed upon the face
of this bold, bad man, but no one
lbreathed a word against HIM This
was doubtless due to the fact that
quiet had been restored and the ma
tives realized that Floyd was in the
hands of the law and the Allen gang
was at last on the verge Of extinction.
Judge Bolen and Attorney Upton,
who served as counsel for FLOYD dur
ling his trial here last week, went to
the side of the Dayton and shook
hands with the crippled prisoner
stretched out on the fiat of his back
Floyd looked up at them and smiled
He grasped their hands and gave
them hearty shake.
Il told Victor to send you gentle
men a check for your service to me, y
said Floyd. You'll get it. l pay my
debts. Judge. l want you gentlemen
to come over to Roanoke to see me.
want to talk to both of YOU"
The two lawyers promised that they
would see him in Roanoke. 1t might
be inferred from this that they will
represent him when he is tried for
murder.
AS the Dayton moved off toward Ga
lax, where a train was waiting to take
Floyd and the other prisoners to Roam
oke, the MANNED desperate said to
Judge Bolen: This all comes from not
treating a man fair"
To a spectator who watched the car
lavan move off, and who shouted good
lbye" to Floyd, the prisoner said Good
bye, l amt coming back"
39 PulveriZed street rubbish and Goa
tar have been found to make good fue
briquettes in Amsterdam