The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-07
CRIME IS STARTLING ONE
IN HISTORY OF THE STATE
COURT Is ALMOST ENTIRELY
WIPED OFT ~ TWINkLISG
or AN EYE.
HAS FEW PARALLELS
ONLY ONE OF CLAN WOUNDED IN
COURTROOM AND ENTIRE
AFFAIR TAKES nut
FEW MOMENTS.

The crime for which Floyd and
Claude Allen are to die Friday. March
2Sth, startled the country and per-
haps finds no parallel in criminal
records,
1t was very early on the morning
Of March 18th. when the Circuit
court of Carroll county convened. and
the jury. which had had under con-
sider@tion the evidence In the case
against Floyd Allen. charged with at
lacking an officer of the law in the
performance of his duty, brought in
a verdict of guilty, Judge Thornton
l.. Massie sentencing the old noun
taineer to- one year in the penitentiary.
When the sentence was pronounced.
according to the evidence adduced at
the later trials. old man Floyd. who
had taken an oath that he would never
go to prison, declared he was mot a
goin' and made a motion IS toward a
weapon. and thereupon the Allen
clansmen, posted about the little court
room, opened IRE, Claude il was said,
firing the first shot
Fire is Deadly.
In less time than it requires to tell
it, Judge Nfassie, Commonwealth
Attorney William Foster Sheriff
Webb Juror Fowler. and Miss Bette
aver 4 SFCtkattIt Say Qt8u, ilit4tNd
with bullets, and Clerk Dexter Cfoad
and Juror Crane We're wounded.
Floyd Allen himself was shtt iii the
leg while fleeing and was captured
outside the courtroom. Claude Allen,
his SON and Victor and Freil Allen
and Sidna Edwards. their cousin, We're
captured later. Sidna Allen and Wes-
ley Edwards made good their escape
and. 0utlawed by the State, were not
captured until months afterwards
when they We're run down by the
Baldwin detectives in Des Moines
Iowa, where they were passing under
assumed names.
Results of Trials.
The trials of all the outlaws took
place at Wytheyille whore they were
taken on motion for chIngs Of VENUE
and Judge Waller r. staples, "t Roa~
noke. presided.
1t was elected to try all % the de-
PENDANTS separately. Floyd Allen,
who was tried first, for the killing
of Commo nwealth's Attorney Foster
was found guilty and given the death
sentence,
Claude Alton was tried three tin' s.
on the first count--the killing of Judge
Massie--he was given fifteen years;
on the second trial. for the killing
of Attorney Foster, there was mis-
trial. and ON the third trial on the
same indictment, he was given the
death sentence
Sidna Edwards and Friel Allen re-
eeivea eighteen and fifteen years in
the penitentiary respectively.
Victor Allen was acquitted.
Sidna Allen was given fifteen years
for the killing of Judge Massie, five
years for the murder of AIR. Foster,
and his counsel accepted nineteen
years as compromise sentence on
the remaining indictments, making q
total of thirty-nlne years
Wesley Edwards counsel accepted
a compromise verdict on all the in
dictments against him of twenty eight
years.
Evidence of Conspiracy.
Evidence was introduced at the
trials to show that the Allen clans
men conspired TO shoot up the court
in the event that the nominal leader
of the clan-old man kloyd--was
given prison sentence.
Last September at the conclusion
of all the trials Judge Staples SEN
fenced Floyd and Claude Allen 10 die
ia the electric chair November 22d.
AT the request Of the counsel for the
condemned men, Governor mann
granted them respite until De.'em-
Der 18th to permit an appeal 10 the
Supreme court. This appeal denied,
the governor granted second respite.
this time to January nth. 10 allow a
public hearing TO sympathizers of the
prisoners on appeal for Clemency.
A little later before he announced
his decision, specially engaged attor-
neys. alleging after discovered evil
dence, made second petition to the
higher tribunal, which was also de-
MED, and pending this action the ex-
ecutive granted a third respite, and
gave the Allen syrnpathizers another
hearing 10 February lstj Al the con-
lCnntinued on SECOND Pagel