The Sentinel=record., 1912-03-16
TWO OUTLAWS
ARE WOUNDED
VIRGINIA COURT HOUSE TRAGEDY
ADDS TWO MORE TO DEATH
LIST AND TWO WOUNDED.
Leaders of Outlaw Band Captured
and Wife of One killed-New
Judge Organizes Court and
Summons Grand Jury.

OF the days chase of the Hillsville
raiders brought the death list of the
court house tragedy and its sequel
up to five.
Sidna and Floyd Allen, two Of the
chiefs of the band Which rode down
10 the Carroll county court house yes
terday and assassnated the judge,
the prosecutor and the sheriff, are in
captivity, both wounded severely. Sid
ma Aliens wife is dead, shot in a
pitched battle with posse in the
mountains. while helping defend her
outlaw husband.
The fifth death was that of Nancy
Ayres a 19 year old girl, accidentally
shot during the fusillade in the court
house yesterday.
All the other members of the gang,
probably Is, are up in the mountains
toward the North Carolina line, well
armed, we'll supplied and determined
not to be taken.
The storming of Sidna Aliens
house today was like a bombardment.
The posse trailed through the brush
four miles up the ridge and surround
ed his cabin in a grove. Allen, ex-
pecting their comigg, was barricad-
ed well supplied with rifles and am
munition, which he had bought from
a store in which he was a partner.
From behind stumps, rocks and trees
and other natural fortresses of the
mountain side, the posse fired at the
house and Allen blazed at the posse
as fast as the women of his family
could reload his rifles. In a mll the
posse rushed the house. broke down
the doors and found Aliens wife shot
dead and Allen himself groaning in a
heap. bleeding profusely,
you got me because | could not
fight no longer" he is reported 20
have said to the men who brought him
back to Hillsville more dead than
alive Attorney General Williams OF
the state, who is here, today declared
Sidna Aliens bullets killed Judge
Massie on the bench.
Floyd Allen, the cause of the trag-
edy, was taken to the lookup this
morning under a heavy guard and
Immediately whipped out pocket
knife and slashed his throat. His
wounds, however, are not serious. Al
lens son, Victor, Cabell Strickland
and Byrd Marion, were also locked
up as witnesses.
Juror Fowler, who was wounded in
the firing, is not expected to live
through the night. The wounds Of
Jurors Kane and Worrell and Clerk
Goad are not serious.
Tonight the man hunt is in abey-
ance, waiting for daylight. No ma
tive, let alone a stranger. will travel
these mountain roads at dark with
the Allen gang loose.
At daybreak one set of detectives,
which had reached Hillsville, joined
a party of deputy sheriffs from the
neighborhood and set off up the
mountain side The travelling was
slow and tedious. The other party
which went up the north side OF the
ridge stormed the Allen house.
With the arrival of help, confidence
began to take the place of the terror
which prevailed unrestrained for 2f
hours. Judge Staples, designated by
Governor Mann to come here and
hold court, took the bench and sum
moned a special grand jury to indict
the murderers. This one act had
more to do with the restoration of
quiet than any other The reorgani-
cation OF the court, which was all but
wiped out yesterday by the work OF
assassins, had a great influence.
Early in the day report came from
Mount Airy that the Allen gang had
raided a hardware store there and
stocked up with guns and bullets.
Sidna Allen was part owner of the
store and the gang probably found
supplies ready.
Reports have been coming down
the mountain all day that the outlaws
have recruited big band TO their de-
fense. Officers think this not unlike
ly. A lawless element has ruled the
mountain fastness for years. There
is saying among revenue officers
that every pine tree shelters a whisky
still. A battle between law and crime
is sure to draw recruits here.