Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-28
Father and Son EIeCtroCuted
for Part in HiIISviIIe Court
House Tragedy.
GOVERNOR MANN THWARTS
MOVE FOR CONTINUATION
Chief Executive Cancels Trip
Out of State to Stop Lieu
tenants Plan.

rrrFnIOND VA. March 2S.-Floyd
Allan and Claude Swanson Allen, father
.rr SON were executel here this after
noon for the part they played in the
...r-.ug up of the Carroll county court
.o-sa MI Hnlsvile Va, one year ago
IFS month,
Tho cider Allen went to his death
FIRST He was eIectrocuted at 1;26
O'Clock. Claude Allen died in the cleo
... chair at 1888 o'clock.
Roth raountaineers died after a hard.
..na sight had been made for their lives.
Governor Mann early this morning
uVarted the move of Lieutenant Gov
araor ElIyson to commute the sentence
# the two HiHsviue clansmen, by can
cling an engagement he had 10 speak
~ Trenton, n. J., tonight and return
Ing 10 the state.
Governor illustrates Plan.
Last night, Just after the governor
had left. Lieutenant Governor Ellyson
skea Attorney General Williams for
an opinion as to whether or not he had
the right to commute the sentence Of
tga two men. Following a long con-
ference. superintendent Wood agreed
% POSTPONE the execution until later in
he day SO that the attorney general
could prepare his opinion. The return
If the governor frustrated this plan
-oweygr
Early this morning, the following
message came from the chief executive,
fredericksburg:
Il am the governor of Virginia, and
am fin Virginia"
With this new development, the at
torney general refused to render an
opinion as to the right of the lieutenant
Il governor to act in the Allen cases, ana
declined to make any recommendation
Governor Mann returned to his office
mere about noon. He declined to make
4 my statement regarding the Allen
cases.
There is much excitement and bitter
ness and severe criticism Of the gov
. gnor
Penalty for Massacre.
The execution Of the Aliens is the
Grelt outcome of a partial massacre
& the Hnlsville court house on March
a. 1912, which was engineered by
Claude Allen and several Of his rela-
4 lives.
On that occasion five people were
khilled and several were wounded.
The killed were Judge Thornton l.,
NMassie. Commonwealth Attorney VIII
liam ~ Foster, Sheriff Lee +. Webb,
EJuror Fowler and Miss Elizabeth Ayers.
The cause of this tragic assault on
a- officers in the little mountain court
oase was the sentencing Of Floyd Al
%. by Judge Massie, 70 three years
-.sJument at hard labor, for as
ing a deputy sheriff who had ar
ted Two of his uephews.
IA No .oouer had the sentence been
.sad than the members of the Allen
0s sprang to their feet and pro
.7aed to take summary vengeance by
-'9Jing every one who had hand IN
Ae trial Of their kinsman.
Clan Decreed Against Jails.
he Aliens had decreed that no Al
would ever be locked behind prison
rs and they were going to make
Foo that decree if it cost the life of
ii cry one in the court room. But
"en they saw that the jurors were all
'h and were grimly answering their
- they backed out of the room. ran
their horses and fled into the noun
81
'.'st Allen had been wounded in the
and was unable to escape. His son,
remained with him in Hillsviile,
'ae following day they both were
Sled and taken to Roanoke for i'm
,anment
old leader of the lawless clan
searcey inside his cell than he
'u cut open his throat with q
fe he was never from an
'7usd on psq. Five Column Five