Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-22

AN OFFER TO SURRENDER
Commonwealth Alleges 1t Has Evil
deice to Show Murders Were Out
come of Carefully-Laid Plans.
Especial Dispatch to the Gazette


Albright, of the Mt. Airy, n. G.. News
Ireports the capture of Sidna Edwards
90 years old, nephew OF Floyd and
Sidna Allen, in the mountains last
night about midnight. The prisoner
has been taken 10 Hillsville, but the
details as to his arrest are wanting
There was a reward of $500 for the
apprehension of this prisoner De.
tectives at Hillsville have cut off wire
communication with that town.
Roanoke, Va, March 22-Sidna Ed
wards, nephew of Sidna Allen, and
one of the mountaineers wanted for
the murders in Judge Massie's court
room, was captured at Lambsburgi: n
c., at dawn today by Detectives Lee
I.elts and w. w. Thaut, according to
long distance telephone message 10
the Baldwin Detective Agency hore
this afternoon.
The message stated that Edwards
had been surprised and overpowerod
before he had time to offer any re.
sisrance. He will be brought 70
Roanoke and lodged in the Jail where
Floyd Allen, his uncle, Victor Allen,
Ills cousin, Byrd Marion and Cabell
Strickland are now held awaiting trial
Sidna Edwards, mere youth, was
said by eye-w:tnesses to the Hillsville
tlal:edy to have been in the crowd of
n:ountaineers whose bullets killed
Judge Massie, Prosecutor Foster,
Sheriff Webb, Juror C. c. Fowler and
IIiss Betty Ayres. He has price OF
$500 on his head.
Mt. Airy, N. c., March 22.-Sidna
Edwards, nephew of Sidna Allen, with
$500 price on his head for the part
he is alleged to have played in the
murders at 'Hillsville courthouse, was
arrested at Lambsburg, in the noun
tains near here, at dawn today, and
his afternoon is in routs back to Hills
Vile under a heavy guard.
Coincidental with his capture-the
first day of any of the fugitive men,
bers of the gang that made Hillsville's
courthouse run red with blood-came
the authoritive information here this
afternoon that leaders of the coal
field detective forces expect to cap
ture to capture at least the four other
ring leaders of he Allen gang this
afternoon. 1t was said that the pur-
suers at least have defnate and ex-
act information as to their wherea-
bouts, and are closing in on the as
sasSinS..
Richmond, March 22.-According tt
report from Roanoke, courier rep
resenting the Allen gang. has just ar
rived at Roanoke to confer with Bald
win detectives with the hope of eff
fecting compromise with the state
This friend of the Aliens is quoted
as saying that the outlaws will agree
to surrender provided they are moi
tried in Carroll county, that they be
allowed to plead guilty to second de-
gree murder, and be given purnish'
ment for that grade of offense.
Governor Mann this afternoon re-
fused to say what he would do in
case such an offer was officially
brought to his attention.
Hillsville, Va, March 22-Th'
posse which departed from town 81
hurriedly on Tuesday night, and ha
not yet returned from camping OF
the trail of the Allen gang, is abso
lutely in the dark as to the where
abouts of the murderers.
This was frankly admitted toda
by Detective Felts, in charge OF tn
Baldwin operatives here.
I'VE haven't any definite inform
ation,'' he added. eve believe tn
gang may be roaming on the sout
side of the Blue Ridge. or they ma
| have escaped into North Carolina
We are now operating on the belle;
they are in the mountains. and aren'
relaxing the hunt, but as to the prob
ability of capture at any time soor
Ineither l nor any one else can max
anv predictions. We are after ther
and will continue after them until W
get them-that's all.
With this statement in mind, towns
people here settled down awaiting
long-drawn out guerilla campaign b
posses pursuing the murderers.