The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-05-23
ELECTRIC CHAIR FOR ALLEN.
Clansman is Convicted of Murder in
First Degree at Wytheville.

Wytheville, Va, May 17.-Guilty
of murder in the first degree was the
verdict returned to-day by the jury
in the case against Floyd Allen for
the assassination of Commonwealth
Attorney William NJ. Foster at Hills
vile in March. This verdict carries
sentence to electrocution in the
State penitentiary at Richmond.
Counsel for the condemned clansman
are expected to strive for new trial,
failing which they will probably car
ry an appeal to the appellate court in
hope of securing an order for retrial.
Allen appeared composed when the
verdict was read.
Had the trial terminated in an ac-
ouittal or in a verdict less than that
of murder in the first degree, the
prosecution was prepared to make
Allen answer other indictments of
murder. When the clansman shot
up the court, they killed the judge,
the sheriff and others. Two leaders
of the dangerous clan are still at
large somewhere in the mountains,
the posses having failed to run them
to earth. Hope of eventually cap
turing both fugitives has not been
abandoned, however, though the hunt
has been permitted to peter out.
His Plea of Self Defense.
Floyd Allen was the cause of the
assassinations that stirred the entire
nation. He was being sentenced in
the Hillsville court when the lawless-
ness broke, his friends undertaking
to secure his freedom. He took part
in the shooting, though on the wit
ness stand he claimed that he did
not draw his revolver until he had
been fired upon. For himself he
pressed plea of self-defense, but
this was not convincing. Because of
claims that fair trial could not be
secured at Hillsville, a change OF
venue was granted, the cases being
transferred to Wytheville.
Attorneys for the commonwealth
were we'll satisfied, as they said, with
the outcome of the Allen case. They
felt confident of getting a verdict
against the clansman. They believe
that others who participated in the
court house assassinations will be
punished for their bloody lawlessness
in wiping out the entire fabric of the
court and in boldly defying the au-
thority of the law. Everyone of the
cases against accused clansmen will
be prosecuted without abatement
and the commonwealth attorneys
proposed to destroy the dangerous
clan of mountaineers, bringing about
an era of peace and quiet in the
hills that has not obtained in years.
the Aliens having long been feared
by their law-abiding neighbors.
Jury Returns Verdict.
When the court opened the jury
was called in and the foreman Ques-
toned by Judge Staples. The jurors
declared there were number OF
points of difference existing and it
was doubtful whether verdict could
be reached. Judge Staples declared
the case was of such magnitude that
he felt he must send the jury back
with caution and advice.
The jurors again retired and it was
only a short time before they an
nounced they had agreed. Court re-
Assem- bled and the foreman read the
verdict of guilty as charged in the
Indictment Judge Staples held
that was not the proper form. The
foreman then explained that the ver-
dict was one of guilty in the first
degree, the penalty being electrocu-
ton.
Panic Caused at Hillsville.
Floyd Aellen was charged specifi-
cally at this time with the murder of
Commemorative Attorney William
Foster, prosecutor in the Carroll
county court, at Hillsville, last
March, when the trial Of Allen cul-
in the killing of five persons
Judge Thornton L. Mas
sic, Prosecutor Foster, Sheriff l.. F.
Webb, Miss Elizabeth Ayres and Ju-
ror Augustus Fowler.
The tragedy created panic in the
little mountainside town of Hillsville.
The inhabitants had always held the
Allen clansmen in deadly horror. Ar
rests of several of the Aliens follow
ed the shooting, but five Of the prin-