New-York tribune., 1912-03-24
Posses Closing In on Claude and
FrieI and Wesley Edwards,
in Mountains and Clans
man May Aid Sheriff.
bLOODSHED IS EXPECTED
Sidna Allen Told Wife Before
Leaving Home Where He
Wished To Be Buried, Say
ing He Was Sure to Die,
Either by Law or as
Suicide.

Mount Airy, y. c.. March 23-Threo
more members of the Allen clan. Claude
Swanson Allen, brother Of Floyd Friel
Allen. son of Jasper, and Wesley Ed
wards. the more desperate of the two
Edwards boys. have been located by the
detectives in the mountains ten miles
north of Mount Airy. and their capture
tonight or early Sunday morning is
practically certain. II is predicted they
will not be taken without bloodshed
The outlaws were located in the noun
tains late to-day, Word was sent here
and reinforCements were asked by the
posse Immediately the Sheriff Of Surry
County. with a number of his deputies a
dozen detectives and several volunteers.
started into the hills. They will work
their way to the south of the place
where the fugtives are in hiding.
On the north the outlaws are con-
fronted by a hundred men. detectives.
deputy sheriffs and volunteers. working
from the Hillsville end. When the
Mount Airy squad arrives on the south
the officers will surround the hiding
place and cut off all escape of the out
laws.
Sidna Allen, the leader Of the clan, is
believed 10 be hiding in Sugar Loaf
Mountain, five miles away from where
the Edwards boy and the other two
Aliens are said TO have been located
He probably will not be taken tonight.
1t is believed here that Jasper Allen,
father of Friel, will lead the posse which
goes 10 capture Sidna Allen. The rea-
son assigned by the people here for
JASPER taking up arms against his
brother, if he follows this course. is his
endeavOr to save his son Friel from the
electric chair or to gain revenge on
those whom he may believe responsible
in inducing his son, seventeen years old,
to take part in the tragedy at Hillsville
Courthouse.
The outlaws are known TO be danger
GUS and fearless men. and when desper-
ate, people here believe. would fight to
the end, taking their own lives, If nee
essary, to prevent capture. ---
Galax. Va. March 23-Sidna Edwards,
the mountain youth indicted for murder
In connection with the Hillsville court
house tragedy, arrived here from Hills
willie AT dusk tonight in custody of Ser
geant White, Of the Virginia militia; De-
tective Thomas l.. Felts and several
other detectives Edwards is being
taken for safekeeping to the Roanoke
jan. where his uncle, Floyd Allen; MS
cousin. Victor Allen, and his chum. BYRD
Marion. are being held pending trial. He
was lodged in a farmhouse for the night
and is being guarded by the detectives
They will continue 10 Roanoke to-mor-
row.
Detective Felts made known tonight
what he believes was Sidna Aliens las
word to his family. When taking leave
of his wife, when the woman left her
own home for that of a neighbor, Sidna
Allen. pointing to a hill overlooking his
home. is quoted as having said
Bury me there. ! am as good as dedd
now. II am caught l will be executed.
II resist they will shoot me. l shall
not see you again. Goodby."
Mrs. Allen tearfully confirmed this
version of her husbands farewell.
sidna, she said. had told her to take
good care Of their two young daughters
and do everything she could for them