Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-31
BITS OF FOOD ON GROUND
Detectives Think Men Left Place
Little While Before.
POSSES CLOSE IN ON SPOT
Claude and Friel Are Still in Hills
ville-Judge Staples Hears
Motions.

HILLSVILLE, Va. March 30.-With de-
tectives close on the trail of Sidna Allen.
ringleader Of the Allen clansmen, and his
nephew. Wesley Edwards. the prospects
tonight We're that before daybreak the
two outlaws would be captured. dead or
alive. and the entire band, who riddled
with bullets the Carroll county court
house, killing five people and wounding
two others, would be in the hands of the
law to await trial for murder.
Early today a posse under Detective
Thomas elts got definite clue as to the
remaining outlaws whereabouts. Newly
turned tracks in the rain-soaked noun
tainside, about fifteen miles from here
and in the vicinity Of Floyd Aliens home
on Sugar Loaf mountain, were discovered.
They led back to a crevice overgrown
with ivy and laurel, where a bed OF
leaves scraped over scraps of food gave
unquestioned evidence Of the outlaws last
hiding place.
Lines of Escape Closed.
So confident was he that he at last had
discovered the fugitives' hiding place
Detective Felts Immediately dispatched
couriers to the small outlying posses to
have them draw in and encircle the
region where the two men are believed to
be. Every line of escape thus was closed
and the real work of capture begun.
Up to dark tonight no news had reached
here as TO the success of the sortie- The
Hillsville toWnspeople manifested intense
interest and many remained up beyond
their usual retiring hour to hear the news
OF the capture. They predict desperate
battle when the detectives come upon the
outlaws.
| II the men are as closely trapped as
the detectives calculate, battle TO death
is imminent. Both Sidna Allen and Wes-
| ley Edwards have declared. according
| TO reports from the mount aims, that they
never would be taken alive.
| Claude and Friel Allen remain in the
Hillsville Jail. 1t had been expected they
would be transferred to Roanoke today,
but every available detective i'm town
was hurried out to the mountains to
| assist in the capture OF the two remain
| ing outlaws. They probably will be taken
| under heavy guard TO Roanoke tomorrow.
Old Man Offers to Aid.
A picturesque old character drifted into
! town this morning. He was six feet tall
with a gray beard, sistening blue eyes
and was attired in an overall suit and
a wide sombrero.
Strangers lie said to a group of de-
| tectiyes and newspaper correspondents
| they call me Big Ed Miller and L come
| from down along Boone way, in North
| Carolina, close by the Tennessee line.
| done walked up here to offer my services
| to capture these ScoundrelS you all Is
after. Shooting up court is something
that no American citizen is going ia
allow. Just you all show me where they S
abiding and I'll go into any cave or hole
and bring 'em out my own self"
| How far is it from where you live?
| he was asked.
| Reckon they calls il more than hun
dred mile, stranger. but that don't make
no difference. ! thought it was my duty
| to head right up here soon as 1 heard OF
| this shooting business. I'm siXty-two
years old, but I'm young fellow yet and
| l amt afraid of no man, Allen eor not.
Heard News Tuesday.
The veteran had not heard of the
tragedy until last Tuesday. nearly two
| weeks after it happened.
He was plowing in his field when a
stranger went by and dropped an old
newspaper. Big Ed read it, and his
North Carolina blood was stirred to
battle heat. He turned loose his horse
| from the plow. put on his coat, and
with only a few dollars in his poke,
started to walk here. Some Of his
meals he bought, others were offered
him by folk along the way. He did not
! even take time to say goodbye to his
| family.
Il figured they would know I can take
care of myself" he explained.
| Regretting that his services were not
| needed, he started this afternoon &c
walk home. with the long. swinging
strides Of the lifelong mountaineer.
Three Motions Heard.
| ROANOKE. Va, March 3O.-Judge
Walter R Staples. acting Judge of the
circuit court OF Carroll county. sitting
here in vacation today. heard three mo-
tions in connection with the Allen cases
but neither OF them was definitely de-
| cided.
The first motion. in the form OF appli
cation for bail for Victor Allen, was
heard but action suspended. in order that
1 the attorneys for the commonwealth migh1
! have opportunity to have witnesses tesu-
| fy A motion to quash the attachments
| filed against the property OF Floyd and
Victor Allen and Byrd Marion was heard
| and April II at Wytheville was fixed as
| the time and place for the discussion oi
| the matter.
| The attorneys for the defense. Messrs
| Hairston and Willis, filed petition for a
| change OF venue in the case OF Floyd Al
| Ion asking that his case be moved from
| HiIlsyilIe to Roanoke. The petition SET
| forth various reasons why it should be
granted, chief among them being that the
| feeling existing in the Hillsville COM
| munity would prevent his having an I'M
| partial trial.
Withholds His Decision.
| The commonwealth answered the peti-
ton, denying everything therein with the
| exception Of the tragedy, which is out
lined in detail. Arguments We're made
and numerous cases cited. Judge Staples