The Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, W. Va.
Thursday Morning, July 18, 1912

CLAUDE ALLEN ARRAIGNED FOR A THIRD TRIAL

First Day Devoted Entirely to An Effort to Secure Twelve Jurymen.

BLUEFIELD ATTORNEY APPEARS IN THE CASE

Lawson Worrell, a Former Citizen of Carroll County, Retained by the De- fense--Novelty Wearing Off From The Oft-Repeated Stories and Little Interest is Manifested.

Wytheville, Va., July 17. --Floyd Allen, his sons, Claude and Victor, and his nephews, Friel Allen and Sidna Edwards were brought here this morning from the Roanoke jail by Baldwin detectives, and the case against Claude Allen for the murder of William M. Foster, at Hillsville, on March 14, was called for the second hearing, the first trial resulting last week in a hung jury.

Court convened at 9:30 with Judge Staples presiding, the Roanoke jurist having been designated by Governor Mann on yesterday to continue to sit for Judge Campbell in the hearing of the Allen cases.

A venire of one hundred men arrived here last night and this morning from Washington county, and the morning session was consumed in an effort to secure a panel of sixteen from which to select a trial jury of twelve men. The taking of evidence will begin tomorrow.

Judge Hairston of Roanoke, a member of the counsel for the defense, did not arrive in Wytheville until noon today.

Lawson Worrell, a former citizen of Carroll, now a practicing attorney, of Bluefield, W. Va., appeared in the case this morning for the first time. His services has been retained by the defense. The same lawyers for the prosecution are in the case as at the former trials.

But little interest is manifested in the case here now. The novelty and curiosity is wearing off from the oft repeated stories, and the continuous taking of the same testimony.

It seems to be practically settled that Victor and Friel Allen and Sidna Edwards will be tried together at the end of the Claude Allen case. There is a strong prevailing opinion to the effect that Byrd Marion who is on bail will never come to trial.