Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-03-18
LONG REIGN OF TERROR.
Judge Jackson Tells What he Knows
of Allen Clan.

In a lengthy communication to
Governor Mann, Judge Robert c. Jack ,
son, formerly of the Twenty-first Ju- I
dicial circuit, which embraces the
Hillsville court, on January 9th ac-
ouainGed his excellency with facts rel
alive to the Allen clan in Carroll
county, and to what he speaks Of as
"the overbearing, indicative, hlgn-
tempered, brutal character of Floyd
Allen, who, he claims, has mo respect
for law and little or no regard for hu-
man life"
The letter from Judge Jackson TO
Governor Mann, which is now made
public for the first time, was written
in response to request from the Vlr-
pinia executive for information fela-
tive to the Allen clan Of Carroll. 1t
was received by Governor Mann ana
read by him some time before he an
pounced his final decision in the ap-
ipeals for communication for the TWO
prisoners.
For some years Judge Jackson pre-
sided over the same court IN Whicn
the late Judge Thornton i. Massle met
his untimely end. He is thoroughly
acquainted with the temper and char
acter of the Aliens. He alleges Inat
the Aliens were for many years Re
oubIicans in Carroll, like Dexter Goad,
and denies that the tragedy at Hills
Vile was due to political friction. he
. called upon Governor Mann to come TO
the aid of the courts and maintain or
der and the dignity of the law
though hampered and handicapped by
influences, born Of ignorance, preJa-
dice and habby sentimentallty.
Among other things Judge jackson
say:
During my term of office, Floyd
Allen was several times charged with
violations of law In several instances
he escaped indictment, l am satisfied,
because the witnesses were afraid to
testify to the facts before the grand
jury.
an one instance he was indicted
and tried. In the spring of 1904, for
some slight otfense, he assaulted an
inof?ensive man by the name Of Combs
ard attempted to kill him. Before
FLOYD Allen was put upon trial 1ol
I this attack upon Combs, Sheriff Bian-
kcn&hip and Comonwealth's Attorney
Foster came 10 me and stated tnat II
Allen was convicted and given either
peniteniiary or Jail sentence, ne
, would not hesitate to resist, ard /!
necessary to make his resistance eff
fectual, shoot up the court and its OIL
GERS. They further informed me that
FLOYD Allen had Frequently declared
thai he would never submit to. any
Jail or penitentiary sentence for any
offense he might commit, and request.
ed me to have him disalmed. re-
fused to have him disarmed and gave
it as my reason that if men like Floyd
Allen in Carroll county were made 10
J.. think that the court and its officers
feared violence at their hands: nothing
could be done to maintain the su-
premacy Of the law in that section.
instructed the officers, however, TO Sc
lect several true and tried men, arm
them and station them in convenient
reach of Floyd Allen and any Of his
clan who might be present, with in
structions that if lie should be convict
ed and attempted resistance, to do
whatever appeared necessary to sup
press any such effort
con the trial of this case Floyd Al
len was convicted by the jury and fined
$lG0 md given one hour in the county
Jail. A motion was r!ade to set the
verdict aside, which motion was over
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