The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-02
GOVERNOR DELAYS
ALLEN DECISION
Has Made No Statement Regard.
ing Disposition of Appeals
for Communication.
MUCH SPECULATION RESULTS
May Mean Favorable Action or
May Preclude Further Efforts
for Prisoners.

| Governor Main made no decision
yesterday on tho appeals for commu-
tatlon OF sentence for Floyd Allen and
Claude Swanson Allen, who are SEN
tcrced TO death In the electric chair
next Friday For the murder OF Will
liam NJ. Foster, attorney for the Com
monwealth OF Carroll County, in the
| lIiilsvillo Courthouse tragedy OF March
~. 1912. The Governor was at his
Office in tho Capitol until q late hour,
probably working on public state
hc did no: complete II. or, at least,
did not make it public.
sc no time since the petitions for
communication were submitted 10 him
has lie nlndc amy statement as to his
doci5ion. Surniscs as to tho result
and as TO the time he would mako
his opinion public, have been mere
SucsSworlS. IT is possiblc that he fin
isrcd his work last night. and has il
ready Tor publication tomorrow morn
Ing. or. lie may mako no statement
at all and take no action.
Has Waited Month.
M"r" than month has elapsed since
IN" Governor heard what was under
ipl INC Nl'cnS. That was on February
J. whcn attorneys for tho Aliens and
some OF their friends made appeals
for communication of sentence to i'm
pfisonncnt for life Tho arguments
were made behind closed doors Tho
commonwealth was rot represented.
At the conclusion OF the hearing. tho
matter was left with the Governor
who has kept uniformly uuIot on Tho
SUBJECT. He has admitted two or tf,rco
visitors who wished To talk with him
ABOUT the Aliens and In their behalf.
put IN The main he has discouraged
conversation regarding tho affair
IN Inc meantime, the two condemned
men have but five more DAYS to live
under the terms OF the latest rcpricvc
winch was the third since their con-
viction.
Differently Interpreted.
INC delay III taking action on the
petitions has caused much comment. and
therc has been a great deal OF snocu-
lation as to what il means Those VIM
nave been about the Capitol know tb.,t
uc Governor has been extremely husv
ana mat his time has been demanded
'n many nattcrs-largcly with set
,irlnent OIL the Richmond, Frcdericks-
pufS ana Potomac Railroad tax situ
atlon, with making speeches and with
nlschargtnG his duties rs chairman or
me reception committee of tile Confer
cilcc Tor Education in the South
but, IT rs agreed these things do MT
account Tor the postponcmcnt of a de-
clsion. Fifteen minutes would have
suihccd for verdict from him at any
time. 80
on the one hand. il is argued that
me delay spells INDIGESTION and thar il
means Tho Governor has been making
up his mind by close study of the rec
ora ana the circumstances surrounding
inc killing OF the court officials at
ilillsNillc. The contention is made
that had he been determined upou his
| course ne would necessarily have been
hcafd from month ago
but on the other hand. il is felt that
ny putting off a decision he has sparcd
ill'nseif repeated attempts TO get fur
'her hearings. which he may have felt
would have followed IN carly disposi
tloh OF the case. The pcrsistcncv OF
some of the friends Of tho Aliens has
perhaps made him think he would con-
tihue to be pursued even after a final
Judgment had been given by him To
the public By delaying until to-day
he has possibly ohviated additional
productions of real or so-callcd cvi-
dence ana further attempts to get his
consideration OF phases of the killing
Tie leaves At noon tomorrow for
! Washington to attend the inaugural
ceremonies. and will probably he alb
sent for several days-perhaDs until
nearly the time set for the execution.