The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-29
Floyd and Swanson Allen
Electrocuted in Rich
mond, Va.
DRAMATIC EFFORTS
TO SAVE VICTIMS
Mann Hastens Back to Richmond to
Prevent Staying of Execution.
Convicted Men Go to
Death Calmly

Richmond. Va. March 2s.-Mumbling
prayer and crying half audibly that
he was ready to go, Floyd Allen, a
lawiess product of the Virginia noun
tains, whose refusal to accept a short
prison term for a minor offense led to
the wholesale court murder in Hills
Vile one year ago. limped to the death
chair in the state penitentiary today
IL minutes ahead of Claude Swanson
Allen, his son.
+ The sentence OF the court, held up
for six hours while desperate and dra-
matte efforts were being made TO save
the condemned men by eleventh hour
appeals to the lieutenant governor, was
speedily ordered to proceed when Gov
ernor Mann FASTENED back to Virginia
soil to take charge Of a situation which
was exciting to a degree. The prison
superintendent. acting entirely within
the law, agreed a 2 o'clock this morn
ing to defer the execution, giving At
torney General Williams an oppor-
tunity meanwhile to pass upon the
constitutional right of Lieutenant Gov
ernor E1lyson to interfere.
Mann Telephoned
But the young son of Governor Mann
reached his father in Philadelphia by
phone less than an hour after the de-
lay had been ordered and by O'Clock
today the governor was again on yir-
ginia soil Aroused, as 1t afterward
developed. by the unexpected effort to
take advantage of his temporary alb
senee when he has repeatedly refused
oienenrg, the governor boarded an
early morning train, arriving in Rich
mond at 1880 o'clock. Earlier he had
monwealth that he would be In Vir-
ginia by o'clock, this Information
suddenly checking the plan of Allen
sympathizers in further urging the
lieutenant governor to intercede.
While every proceeding had halted.
pending the governors arrival. word
reached police headquarters that q.
crowd had assembled at the station,
patrolmen. detectives and plain clothes
men were being hurried there to pre-
vent any demonstration. When the
was quickly surrounded by officers
who escorted him to taxicab which
took him directly to the capitol
Situation Intense
In his office at the state prison sn
perintendent Wood was pacing the floor
nervously as he awaited developments.
The situation there had become more
intense Precisely at noon the super
intendent was called to the telephone.
"The governor of Virginia is at his
desk" was the message he received
from the capitol and instantly prep
arations were made to obey the man
date of the court The witnesses who
had assembled at o'clock. the hour
announced for the execution, had left
the prison with instructions to return
at l o'clock.
lust after sunrise the Aliens prac-
tically collapsed when informed that a
half day respite had been granted by
combination of legal and technical
circumstances as strange as any that
had ever been presented to a court of
justice.
Claude Allen. who had retained his
nerve throughout the trying ordeal In
his behalf gasped and trembled, but he
regained his composure as he noted the
hopeless and detected appearance OF his
aged father in the cell across the ccrfl-
dor. AS the morning hours passed they
sat with their spiritual advisers, but
tbev nereved themselves again for the
end when they heard that Governor Mann
had returned to Virginia. Men prom
inent in official circles of the state who
waited in the capitol for q final plea to
the governor. were turned away. as his
secretary handed out this statement from
the executive
In Doubt of Guilt
Hearing at five minutes to o'clock
this morning OF the action taken in the
Allen case after 1 left the city. ! con-
sdered It my duty to hurry back. |
simply desire to repeat that after the
most careful examination of the evidence
in this case ! have not the slightest
doubt Of the guilt of Floyd and Claude
Allen and will not interfere. The law
must take It's course"
What brought forth the greatest indig-
nation from the governor was the re-
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