The Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, W. Va.
Thursday Morning, May 30, 1912

CLAUDE ALLEN TESTIFIES IN OWN BEHALF

Boy Tells The Story of The Famous Hillsville Court House Shooting.

HE ADMITS THAT HE FIRED THE THIRD SHOT

Contended That He Only Fired After He Saw Clerk Goad Shooting at His Father Goad He Declared Fired The First Shot – Testimony Covered Entire Trouble.

Claude Allen, charged with the murder of Judge Massie was the fourth witness placed on the stand this morning by the defense, and his examination in chief and and cross-examination consumed nearly all of the forenoon. He told of the shooting making but little if any changes to his former testimony given at the trial of his father, Floyd Allen.

As to the shooting, he admitted that he fired the third sot. The first shot he said was fired by Dexter Goad, and the second came from by his side? and was evidently fired by his uncle Sidna Allen. The prisoner contended that he only shot when he saw them shooting at his father. He said that he fired at Goad “because Goad was shooting at pap.” He stated he fired for shots at Clerk Goad’s head.

He gave a long rambling account of the tragedy, starting with the beginning of the trouble between his father and Constable Samuels. He then detailed all of the circumstances of the Hillsville shooting as he saw them.