Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-12-31
BRINGS TEARS WITH
STORY OF KILLING
When Armed Men Attacked
Breathitt County Jail At
Jackson-Lee Jury on Duty


matte incident which stirred cv-
or person in the courtroom oc-
Cured here Friday when \. y.
Allen, ZO-ycar-old jailer, was dc
Scribing at the trial of Tom Por-
ter what took place at the jail
the night a band of armed and
masked men killed his daughter.
Miss Maggie Ailen. and his ne
phcw. Albert Roberts. and wound
cd his son, Oscar Allen, and his
sons wife.
When nc reached the point OF
his narrative where nc was
awakened from his bed by hear
ing shots AMI his daughter cry:
I'm dN ing. please don't shoot
again, and then more SHOTS: and
he rushed into the hall to find
four members OF his family lying
wounded. the old man broke
down aud wcpt like a child.
His grief was respected. y.
huSl unbrokcn save by the >oh-
of the witness. fell over the
courtroom. Tears came into thcI
ewes ui the Judge. lawyers, jur-i
ors and spectators. tvcn the
defendant. accused ui being "a.
member oi the murder band. rub
bed his ewes with his >lcct"
The jaiicr'> story was ono 81
cold hluudcd murder.
lie said nc was aroused FROM
his sleep shortly after midnight
and was told by Porter. whose
voice he recognized. that a prs
oner wa, being held outside. The !
taller called To hi son. Oscar. F,
asleep upstairs. to come down
and lock up the prisoner. The
hall va, dark. the jajlcr said. AMI /
he did not recognize any oi tn, /
men.
\ ne returned t. his bed the /
jailer testified, he heard someone
start up the steps. Then shots :
were fred The jailcr though;
tho prisoner was trying To- get
away. But then he heard In, /
daughters screams. He rushed !
into the hall with a light Tie
saw Bud Noble and Bccchcr NJ
bic fleeing from the house. iol-l
lowed by the jailcr'S nephew.
Albcrj Roberts. who vas firing
at them, tho witness testified.
The jaiiCr saw Roberts iall ~ the
doorway. Then he saw the two
girls and hi> son lying wounded
on the stairs
That wa, al the jailcr knew.
except nc found hat IN tie hall
way. which later va> Identified
H. bud Noblc's.
Allcn was the only witness Fri.
d7y. Preceding hi> testimony, +
both >idc> made their statements
To- the jury, Which was impauclcd
from a vcnirc of 100 citizen, from
Ice county.
Commonwealth Attorney VIII
kash said nc would be able tot
prove that Tom Porter entered
INTO a conspiracy with Bud Noble !
EccchCr Noble. Soldier Noble. !
William Penn Watts. and others
tn rescue relatives who were /
prisoners in the Jail. lie said thar
Tom Porter. the 20-ycar-oid de
frndani. went into Perry county A.,
and obtained a gun from Alfrcd
Noble To bc used in the raid.
y. :. Johnson. ono of the attor- /
ucv sappointcl by Circuit Judge
sam Hurst to defend Porter. told
The jury the defense would prove
that the defendant was two miles
from the jail at the time of the
attack. II i true. he SAID, that
Porter had part i'll the plan to
free the prisoners but that Bud
Noble had told him the Jailer had
agreed beforehand TO permit a
fake rescue and that the men
would be released without a fight.
Portcr's part. the lawyer contin
ucd, was TO wait al Quicksand.
two miles away. with a gun to
give the prisoners.
According to the prosecution it
would introduce witnesses who
Jaw the Mobiles and Porter on
their way home from the shoot
ing. One witness would testify.
according to the prosecution, that
the men stopped at his house at
$50 O'Clock to warm: another.