The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-28
CHARGES GOVERNOR
WITH PREJUDICE
Petition Says He Was Not Mentally in Position to
Weigh Allen Appeals Impartially- Invested
Money in Death of Prisoners

petitions presented to Governor th'hi
yesterday, criticising his decision ah'
his attitude. and asking for the ap
pointmcnt OF commission to consioei
the eases of Floyd and ilaude Alien
"Au Open Letter"
ITO His Exccllency william Hodges
Mann. Governor of NirSinin
1.-THE angel OF the world wrcstieo
with Jacob. and he sair. The DAY com
eth. 10, me go. And Jacob said, Will
moi lei thee go except thou bless me
And he touched Jacob in the thiEh
so that he went halt all the rest OF
his days and Yet Jacob contenoed WIN
him. And the angel said, the DAY
breaketh. let me go. And Jacob SAID
will not let thee 20 until tEou piess
me And he blessed him.
We ask you. for the sake or tne
name Won expect your administration
10 bear in history. for the sake OF the
outraged public sense of justice and TOT
the sake OF the overw helninS majority
OF our people who believe that you are
arbitrarily using the authority Nes'co
in YOU as Governor to override their
wishes ard their rights. to give care
fui consideration to this peuuon anu
this our last request
Assign Rcasons.
"As a preliminary TO this request
we wish to assign our reasons there
for. To begin with, when the Hills
VILE tragedy was first published TO
the world YOU, in common With our
selves and most of the best people OF
the Commonwealth, Hereby denounced
the Aliens, who were then supposed
TO be responsible for II. You proreri!
proceeded to use such drastic measures
as appeared to YOU proper TO appre-
bend and to bring to trial these peo-
pic who were charged with this Of
fense: but you did not stop there
You offered. through tho Baldwin De-
tective Agency, rewards not only tor
the capture but for the conviction oil
these men. The county was filled with
armed men seeking this reward, VINO
held the people OF Carroll County in
AFFECT terror: the highest public eN-
citement prevailed. and during this
time the trial OF Floyd Allen was or
dered.
terrified by proclamation.
Counsel for the defense used their
utmost endeavors to secure the evil
dcnce 10 give the defendants that fair
and impartial trial guaranteed him
by the Bill OF Rights, but which guar
antee without the evidence. amounts
to no more than we'll sounding form
Of words. In the midst of this en-
deavor you spree d broadcast over Car
roll County a proclamation to the ef-
feet that any persons assisting tho
Aliens would be dealt with as Grim
inals. However innocent may have
been your intention in so doing, the
dreadful fact was that the ignorant
mountaineers already terrified by the
county being overrun with armed men,
construed this TO mean that inforIna-
ton should not be given TO attorneys
representing the defendants, with the
result that attorneys Went TO trial In
Floyd Aliens case and had heaped up
mountain high against them evidence
Of a most damaging character, which
Was as untrue as it was injurious to
the case CT the defense, and they had
no way TO meet it.
Sensational Press.
But during the course OF this trial,
outstanding the sensational press
accounts, the people of Wythe County.
who had heard and seen the witnesses
testify began TO catch glimmerings
of what had actually occurred In that
courtroom on the l4th day OF March,
and a jury was obtained To try Claude
Allen that was really In position to
render true verdict between the
Commonwealth ana the defendant. This
jury found Claude Allen guilty. under
the Instructions OF, the court. or hav-
inE shot under the impulse of the mo-
men. TO defend his father and SEN
fenced nm to fifteen years in the peni.
Tertiary.
after this the newspapers through
out the State quoted YOU as having
publicly criticized this verdict OF the
iury rendered in court of justice
where tho interests OF the Common
wealth had been safeguarded TO a poin,
where, as a matter OF fact IL devolv ed
upon the de:endtnt to prove his own
Innocence. YoN were reported TO have
criticized thu verdict OF jury rem
dered upon evidence that YOU had not
heard and under circumstances that
sou had no reason to say were no;
proper, and thereafter every jurymar
Who went in the box went in with the
knowledge that. regardless of what the
evidence might be, verdict OF any
thing short of murder in the first de-
gree would incur the bitter displeasure
Of the chief executive Of his state
Stnte Bent Conviction.
THE trial OF CLAUDE Allen pro
crossed. in pursuance cf the avowcd
and expressed determination OF the
Commonwealth. TO prosecute this boy
Tor the same saction until he had
been convicted % murder in the frs,
degree Before the conclusion ~
tho argument counsel Tor tie de-
Tense were able TO ge, testimony
TO show that these statements
were Il cruel aud deliberate falschood
4 statement or facts by men who were
not in the county at the time But Tho
TRIAL court refused TO permit this cVi-
dence 10 be put on the stand and Coun.
sci for defense we're required 10 ST
hy and hasr counsel for Common
wealth argue at great Ienpth tina
the defense had been manufacturing
testimony. when they knew that sit
ting there IN tho courtroom at tn
time were witnesses who could show
tina, Goad had been doing exactly wha
the defense was charged with
Hound by Precedent.