The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-29
Allen Anarchy Again

DR.. James Cannon. Jr;, writes in the current
issue of the Christian Advocate follows
About two months ago l wrote an editorial
for the Christian Advocate which was emitted
ALLEN Anarchy" Since that time many things
have been written, and unusual efforts nave
been put forth to prevent the execution OF the
sons who do not feel distressed at the thought
of infiicting death penalty upon any human
being. especially when he is young and attrac-
tive and has many tender ties. There Is no
vindictiveness in the heart of those who be-
leve that the Aliens father and son, should
be electrocuted. There is great regret that they
have committed the crime which has brought
them under the sentence of the law. But they
committed preme ditated awful murder, and the
law of Virginia declares that such destruction
of the life lives of men must be punished
with death, and those who insist that the law
for the Aliens, but by love for law and order.
for the honor of the Commonwealth of Vfr-
ginia. and for the lives of law abiding citizens.
The question is not whether capital punish
ment is the best method of punishment, al
though no reason has been advanced to prove
that method to be either unwise or unscrip-
tural. / have been much interested III the
statements that it is unscriptural. But not one
line of scripture has been advanced in support
Of this position, and much has been ignored.
God Himself gave the laws for the govern
ment of His people the Israelites and the code
which He established has never been improved
upon. 1t is declared God spake all these words.
the statutes of this code we find:
He that smiteth man so that ne Ole shaii
be surely put to death"
IF man come presumptuousy upon his
neighbor to STAY him with guile, tnou shait take
him from Mine altar. that he may die
This was the law laid down by God for the
government of His chosen people If this law
is not the best law. why did He give it? Why
did He say that although man fed to the
very horns of the altar begging mercy in the
sanctuary itself. that he should be taken out
and put to death IT, as is held by some who
acknowledge the Bible to be Gods Word. the
method of life Imprisonment is the better
method?
But we are gravely informed that the New
Testament does not sanction such punishment
1t certainly does not forbid It, and God Him
self smote Ananias and Sapphire, and Herod,
the king and Jesus taught that sin would be
punished by eternal death The 18th chapter
of Luke ends with the pardon and restoration
of the Prodigal Son. but the 10th chapter de-
clares, lit is easier for heaven and earth TO
pass than for title of the law to fail"
and is followed by the parable of the Rich Man
and Lazarus, which teaches the certainty Of pun
ishment for sin.
There is nothing in the New Testament which
abolishes the law of capital punishment by the
4 State, laid down in Exodus and followed by
/ the Jewish people.
| When the Aliens brought Virginia into shame
| full prominence throughout the civilized world.
ceeded by feeling of confidence that Virginia
would properly punish this outrage upon the
( dignity of the great State When the first trials
were held and the father and received the
death sentence, l was travelling in the South,
and there a universal sentiment of respect
4 for Virginia that she had measured out justice
! to these mountain anarchists The Atlanta
Constitution declared that the South was proud
! OF Virginia Justice" But when there arose
the cry that ii was horrible to elctrocute a
strong, handsome, young man for defending his
father and men and women of prominence
began to circulate petitions for cemency, on the
ground that the murderers had been treated
unfairly, and these petitions were signed by
many thousands, and when finally Sidna Allen
and Wesley Edwards tried and received
| comparatively light sentences the praise of
! Virginia changed to amazement and regret, and
although have travelled several thousand miles
in the South during the past five six weeks
/ have heard very few persons say that they
thought the Aliens should not be electrocuted
The Charlotte Observer, which is perhaps as
influential as any paper in the South, said:
Virginia juries weakened the Allen
case that they dangerously near auking
Half of their members did duke, IN fact And
the outcome is at least half victory for the
influences which defeating justice every
day"
Floyd Allen must greatly lament that he
did not succeed in escaping, and Claude Allen
that he captured soon. IT is perfectly
clear that neither could have been convicted
date. after the dead had lain dead a while
longer and the living had been staged and
dramatized, and sentmentalized while longer
too All OF the gang may reasonably hope to be
pardoned in time"
This is just Judgment upon what has been
done in State in reference to these Aliens
7 who are not only rnurderers. but anarchists,
and cowardly anarchists in the way in which
they attacked and shot down the officers Of the
court by concerted attack. which was care
fully planned and successfully executed and
Claude Allen took a prominent part in its exc
cution, firing the first shot at the Judge him
self, as soon as his father began to reach for
his pistol He is no boy. he is twenty flour
| a
prominent part in its execution.
The attempt to palliate their crimes by talk
ing about their clan instincts Is no paIliation
If clan instincts lead to murderous, cowardly
assaults upon the courts of Virginia then the
clansmen should be electrocuted that the clan
instincts may be taught to reverence law and
human life above clan narrowness pretudice
violence, and anarchy
The tragedy had its origin In anarchy. The
two nephews, disturbing public worship showed
their contempt of law. order and religion
Floyd Aliens carrying his sisters son across
the State line to escape trial and punishment
for his misdemeanor was attempt to prevent
the execution of the law. His attack upon fna
officer; clubbing ftrn the heat with d pistol
ana releasing the prisoner, was declaration of
I