The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-27
one Of ALIEN gang
SIDNA EDWARDS FOUND ASLEEP
IN DESERTED HOUSE.
Makes NO RESISTANCE

When He .swoke lie Found Himself
Surrounded by a Posse-i'riSonei'
shows the Effects of His EGorts to
Elude His Pu-suers-Tus;ling the
Search for the Others.
Sidna Edwards, tall, rugged
OF %, sat calmly in the
darkness Of the little brick jail at
Hillsviile, Va, Friday night, the first
catch Of the posses who have been
securing the mountains for those OF
the Allen gang who got away after
the Court House assassination Of
March II, when a Judge, prosecutor,
sheriff and two bystanders were kill
ed and two others wounded seriously.
Young Edwards, emaciated and
worn from a weeks wandering in
the thicket, protests his innocence OF
the indictment OF murder against
him ard the hunters, spurTed on by
a days success, are UP in the Blue
Ridge hunting. on the same charge
his brother, Wesley Edwards, his
uncle. Sidna Allen and his cousins,
Claude and Friel Allen.
Detective Legrand Felts and ". ".
Phaut, heading posse, came upon
Edwards at 4 o'clock Friday morning,
asleep in an empty house mile from
his home. He was unarmed and
when he woke the detectives were at
his side. He made no resistance and
went to farmers house. near
Lambsburg, Va, and started for
Hilsville with his captors early Fri
day. Jack Allen, his uncle-one OF
the Aliens who was not at the Court
House on the day of the tragedy
joined his nephew on the way in and
galloped along with the party.
They cantered in and paused while
the moving picture men clicked off a
few hundred feet Of film. Detec-
tives carrying rifles, followed closely.
The party turned in little lane,
where the raiders week ago drew
rein and left their ponies while they
went to wipe out the human fabric
of Carroll County Court. Sidna LETT
his mount and was hustled to the
little Jail across from the stables.
He protested against being put in a
musty cell and wanted to occupy the
corridor, but his keeper was stern
and locked him up.
Sidna Edwards, the boy in jail,
and his brother, Wesley, were the
principals in an escapade which
started the trouble which eliminated
in the assassination at the Court
House. The brothers had attempted
to oust an uncle CT theirs, minister
named Garland, from his pulpit and
were arrested for breaking the peace.
Floyd Allen attempted to free them
and had been convicted and sentenc-
ed for interfering with an officer
when the shooting on March II be-
gan.
The authorities began Friday
rounding up those who are charged
with completely in ne:ping the Allen
gang make a gateway. Gordon Ed
wards and Alex Thomas were held
for aiding and abetting criminals and
released on $500 bonds. Prosecutor
Landreth declared Friday that the
trials would be called up on April Is.
When Court convenes on Tuesday
other indictments for the murder OF
Juror Fowler. who died few hours
after the fray, will be reported.
The posses are over toward the
Carolina line Friday night and news
of trail on the rest Of the gang is
expected at any moment. The chief
of the posses in town Friday admitted
that their seizures Of moonshine stills
belonging to members Of the Allen
gang had been planned 10 enlist the
aid of the internal revenue depart
ment Of the Federal Government. So
far there have been 40 developments
il that direction In the presence Of
Detective Felts, Edwards talked free
ly. Friday night.
Il know nothing of the cause Of
the Court House shooting" he said.
II walked into the Court room. when
saw Uncle Floyd Jump up and say
something. I could not hear what it
was. Right away somebody began to
shoot from about Clerk Goad's desk,
but l don't know who fred the first
shot. saw Uncle Sidna after the
shooting began I did not see my
cousins or NY brothers. AS soon as
could. with my lame foot. got out
of the Court House and stood at the
bottom of the steps. saw Uncle
Sidna and Slr. Goad shooting at one
another. After it was over got my
mothers horse and rode home. Be-
fore I left l saw Uncle FloEd or
horse. and then I saw him lying on
the ground. If he had been able to
ride we would have taken him away
with us.
q saw my brother, Wesley, on the
road and that afternoon l saw Uncle
Sidna at his store. I have never seen
any Of them or heard tell anything
about them or where they are since
that evening. l stayed at home until
Sunday and had started to a nelg1-
bor's when I saw the officers. I was
in plain view from the road and they
could have taken ne then. but dc
not go back home because l heard
the officers had orders to shoot all OF
us on sight. I went about and lived
the best | could until the officers ran
upon me last night. did not have
4 nistcl at the Court House or while