The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-04
SELF-DEFENSE
Claims Of The Last Of The
Allen Clan

Hillsville, Va, April AT the April
term of the Carroll County Court,
which will sit in the same courtroom
where the Allen clan "shot up" the
court, killing the judge, the brosecut-
or, the sheriff, juror and a witness,
four years ago, hearing will be given
Will McGraw, the self-confessed slay-
er of Jack Allen, the last of the Allen
clan. McGraw rid the world of the
last of the Aliens during a fight in
the home of Mrs. Roberta Martin, five
miles from Mount Airy, N. c., on
March II. 1t was four years almost
to the day from the "shooting-up' of
the little courtroom here, which as
founded the country.
McGraw, who is known as a bad
man all through this section, will
plead self-defense. He claims that AL
len objected to his remarks concern
ing the Allen clan, and was about to
take his life when, in self-defense, he
shot Allen through the head. AT the
| time of the shooting, the women and
children in the house had fed. Two
shots were heard. McGraw, hatless
and coatless, plunged from the door
way of the house and disappeared.
Sheriff Edwards of Carroll County
went after McGraw and brought him
into Roanoke for safe-keeping.
i ~ % .,
total of deaths resulting from the
courtroom shooting here, on March Ia,
1912, to eight. Five died in the little
mountain courthouse. Floyd Allen,
brother of Jack Allen, and his son,
Claude Allen, were executed March
2S, 1913, at Richmond. Jack Allen,
who met his death March II, last, was
the eighth.
The victims of the Allen clan were
Judge Thornton l.. Massie, one of the
most prominent jurists in Virginia,
who was presiding at the trial; Coun-
ty Prosecutor William M. Foster, Sher
| iff Lewis A. Webb, Juror Augustus
Flower, and Elizabeth Ayers, a wit
ness.
ing up of the court. Two nephews of
Floyd Allen, Wesley Edward and Sid
ma, had been arrested for disorderly
conduct, growing out of a church meet
ing in which Il kinsman of the Aliens
! who was not in favor with the remain
der of the clan, was given beating,
The arrest of the nephews touched
the pride OF Floyd Allen, great, Hg
mountaineer. With his followers, he
boasted that no Allen ever had gone
to Jail. He beat up the sheriff that
had his nephews in charge, and liber-
ated them. Then Floyd Allen himself
was arrested and ultimately convicted
of interfering with an officer.
The shooting took place at a dram
attic moment on the day the prisoner
was 10 have been sentenced to year
in prison. Seven persons, in addition
to Floyd Allen, were accused of hav-
ing taken part in the shooting. Besides
| FAlltn anu nOll Cihuutt WIN lhNti
died with him at Richmond, the ac-
cused men were Sidna and Wesley Ed
wards Allen, the two nephews; Sidna
Allen, brother, co-leader of the AL
len clan that had terrified the Blue
Ridge Mountains for three genera
tions; Victor Allen, another son;
Freel Allen. nephew, and Byrd Mar
ion, a cousin.
Victor Allen was acquitted for lack
of evidence. Sidna Allen and Wesley
Edwards Allen were caught at Des
Moines, and the former was sentenced
to thirty-hve years and the later to
twenty-seven years in prison Byrd
Marion became state witness and
was discharged Freel Allen was
caught two weeks after the court room
slaughter and, although only II years
old. was given Is years in prison, Sid.
ma Edwards Allen went to Jail for lif-
teen years for his part in the shoot
ing bee.