The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24

~ nO"cs
Garland Allen. the Primitive Baptist
preacher held services at Thomas S
/ Schoolhouse. While his sermon was
In progress an alteration was begun
on the outside of the building between
Wesley and Sidna Edwards on the one
hand, and some boys named Thomas
on the other. The E;dwardscs are
nephews of tho Aliens, their widowed
mother having been daughter of old
Jerry Allen.
Garland Allen undertook 70 quiet
| the trouble. leaving his pulpit to do
30. In the ensuing nBnI he was
knocked down.
Some weeks later indictments were
found against Wesley and Sidna Ed
| wards. boys Of eighteen and twenty,
on charge of disturbing public wor-
! ship. They were arrested by Sheriff
9. II. Haynes. Of surry county. \. G.,
while working at Mt Airy. Deputy
Sheriff =. u. Samucls. OF Carroll
lcOunty, went for the prisoners. ac-
,companied by l. ]. Easter. q private
citizen. Mr.. SGnuels thought 1t best
! TO handcun tho Edwards boys. espe-
cially while passing through the Allen
section OF the country.
| The party was met In the road By
Floyd and Sidna Allen, uncles OF the
pglSDuSiS IOsN dShGb lb4t HtPbAy
sheriff to remove the handouts. which
! the latter refused 10 do. Floyd Alien
then secured Samuelss pistol. broke
! 1t, terked the deputy from the hack
and released tho Edwards boys.
Later Floyd Allen gave ball for the
prisoners, and they surrendered at
the trial Judge Massie was firm,
while Commemorative Attorney Fos-
ter conducted q vigorous prosecution.
he To-, inII ,,r,-
posed and the Edwards boys served
! their time.
| In the meantime Floyd Allen was
indicted for interfering with an ofti
| Ger Samuels moved out OF the county
/ 20 save his life. albeit leaving behind
him the name of a brave man.
These preparations for breaking up
their practically undisputed reign OF
| lawiessness alarmed the Aliens who
| could not conceive of real punishment.
FLOYD Alien was released on ball, and
| II is evident that he and his people
carefully planned to wipe out any
/ court which should dare TO convict.
Thus once more would they demon
! strate their superiority 10 the re-
straInts of civilization.
Judge Thornton L. Massie had teer
on the bench for four years. He had
won golden opinions from the bar OF
his circuit Tor his fairness. his judicial
temperament his intimate knowledge
of the law no Official connected with
/ the Circuit Court OF Carroll county wal
| not his friend.
| Sheriff L. l.. Webb had served as q
deputy for some years. although this
| was his first term of court as chief
He was small OF ovoirdupois. but big
f, OF nerve and courage Most other
Il sheriffs would have filled the court.
1..ith IL tht
I Idea OF fear never entered his mead
3 He did not count the cost OF doing hi.
I duty.
! Knew of Impending Danger.
| II Is Impossible that any man of
| fcially connected with the court could
/ have been ignorant OF the impending
danger. Men who had engaged II
I fights turumerablc. shootings often
! and by gene. al reputation in al leas
one lynching, could not be held - BIZ
| without brute courage. Coupled witt
| the often repeated assertion thai
I Floyd Allen would never go to Jail
/ there was sufficient forcknowledge o!
| trouble.
| Time and again Judge Massic wat
| lmportuned to carry arms. but he per
sistently refused to sit ut the bench
! with u deadly weapon in his pocket
f. Such course. in his opinion, was in
consistent with the position of @ judge
+ Commonwealth's Attorney William NJ
| Foster, and Clerk Dexter Goad were
/ armed and ready. like the sheriff.
| With Samuels Jones. tne case of tn.
| prosecution against Floyd Allen was
not especially Strong. Easter testified
! but his evidence could be corroborated
{ under tho circumstances, hut slightly
As an actual fact, the testimony al
Floyd Allen alone was sufficient &c
| Justify the verdict against him and te
have no ground for complaint.
| On this point The Times Dispatch
| correspondent sought the opinion OF
Juror Columbus C. Cain, who since
the tragedy has been lying wounded
and slowly recovering at the Texas
i house.
ALLEN" he said. admitted on the
stand that he intended 10 force the
officer to remove the handouts from
the Edwards boys and that he sue
ceeded. This was amply enough to
cause conviction on tho charge Of In
terfering with an officer in the dis
charge Of IDS duty. and to Justify the
minimum penitentiary sentence of one
! year"
Tho Aliens attended tho trial, armed
to the teeth. as usual. Jasper Allen
was III. he says. or tho fatal Thurs
day morning. and could not come to
Hillsville. He has not been indicted
and no charge of guilty knowledge
has as yet been officially made against
him.
With the full expectation OF trouble
in court, tho officers took their places
on Thursday morning. March Il, at
$3.50 o'clock. Tho hearing had been
concluded on the preceding evening
with an address by the Common
A W. n A tn xrrt,J ~ n
upon the jurymen, upon their oaths
and for the snke OF their county and
their State. not to hesitate nor falter
| In tho performance of their full duty.
Court was opened and the jury re-
! tired. Judge MasBie sat on tho long
| and narrow elevated platform reserved
J for him along the cast wall of the