The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-29
CRIME Of ALIENS

giving him fifteen years: the second
time for the murder Of Clerk Foster.
the jury disagreeing. and the third
time he received the death sentence
Victor Allen was acquitted: Friel Al
len got fifteen years in prison. and
Sidna Edwards eighteen years; Sidna
Allen, by compromise, received thirty 7
five years, and Wesley Edwards TWEEN
ty-seven years in the State prison.
At the conclusion of the last OF the
trials Floyd and Claude Allen were
condemned to die in the electric chair
November %, 1912, and since that date
there has been one continual fight on
the part Of counsel and sympathizers
To save their lives. Twice the cases
were taken to the State Supreme court
and once to the United States Supreme
court four times they have been re-
spited by the governor. and twice no
mas granted public hearing at the hey
hest Of sYmpathizers, with every iogsA
and executive resource exhausted,
friends Of the condemned men work
ed up sentiment to the point where
the unprecedented action Of taking add
vantage Of the governors temporary
absence from the State was used in n
desperate effort Ia prolong their lives.
Determined Fight Begins.
Floyd and Claude Alien were
2Sth and placed in cells in the death
tier on November 18th the pending
appeal to the State Supreme cburt was
refused. The following day a deiega-
ton of sympathizers waited on the
executive and succeeded in securing a
respite for the condemned men until
December 3th. In the meantime, at
the hchest of these sympathizrs the
governor granted a public hearing and
- Il snF hA s1ssI
forth every argument within their
power in the effort to sway the exeA
CutiVe mind. The result was u respite
until January nth. The Allen law
yers in the meantime certified to the
governor alleged after discovered evil
denCe, upon which they intended to
take the case TO the Supreme court
second time. This was dane and
second time was the appeal refused
the court finding nothing in the claims
of the attorneys beyond cumulative
evidence and sentiment. One more
time the governor rcspited the Allen,
until March 7th, stating when this
action was announced that he Would
issue a final statement shortly. His
final decision was delayed by reason
of pressure of business, and on March
9Th he announced further respite
until March 2Sth. The following day
he issued a calm. dispassionate review
of the case, refusing to interfere with
the mandate of the law and giving
succintly his reasons therefor.
The Last Card Played.
Still andismayed. the Allen attor-
news last Saturday took the case OF
Claude up to the United States SUI
preme court, and four justices success
sively refused to recognize 1t. Thurs
day, in the face OF the governors
final action, they made written APP
peal. asking that he rescind his ac-
ton and appoint commission to
pass on the fate of the Aliens, and
tina, failing, on the eve of execution.
with the governor temporarily absent
from the State, they turned to the
lieutenant governor in a last, desper-
ate effort to prolong the lives of the
Just two weeks after the anniver-
sary of the day. on which they ruth
lessly shot up the court at Hillsville
courthouse Floyd and Claude Allen
paid the penalty with their own lives.
after one of the most remarkable
fights for life in the history of GRIM
Inal Jurisprudence.
While a year ago, the people OF
Virginia generally were clamoring for
the lives OF the outlaws WI had
brought this blot upon thasa IL as-
of the COMMONWEALTH, SEN
Liment had been worked upon TO the
extent that on the eve OF their execu-'
tion,. many of those who had ex-
pressed the desire to lynch the per.
petrators % the IfillsvilIe horror
when they were captured, were damn !
ing the officers of the law WIN
brought them to justice and censurine
the executive who has upheld tha
ad and order and the peace and dir-
nifty o. the State.