2 Allens May Have Been in Bluefield

The Bluefield Telegraph, Bluefield, W. Va. Thursday Morning, March 21, 1912

TWO OF ALLENS MAY HAVE BEN IN BLUEFIELD

Men Seen Here Tuesday Night Answered Descriptions of Claud and Freel.

ONE GAVE IMPRESSION OF HIDING HIS FACE

Large One Attracted Attention by Wearing a Long Winter Coat in Spite of Fact That Weather Here That Night Was Warm.

MAN WHO SAW THEM HAD COPY OF REWARD POSTER

No news from Hillsville could be secured here last night from the local offices of the Baldwin-Felts Detectives. A message received said there were no new developments.

Two men were seen here on Tuesday night who so strongly resembled the descriptions given of Claude and Freel Allen that they could readily pass for those men under the descriptions given by the Baldwin-Felts detectives. The men got off either train No. 3 or train No. 17, or the Clinch Valley train and were strangers here. They were seen at the depot around 9 o'clock and were standing on the pavement in front of the baggage room and appeared to be waiting for a street car. The taller of the two, who may have been Claude Allen, wore a long black overcoat which reached nearly to his ankles and on his head wore, as near as the man who saw him can remember, a slouch hat. The feature which was most attractive about the man was his unusual height and his erect form, while underneath his hat a very dark complexion could be seen. His face was quiet and showed considerable interest in what was going on. His hands hung loosely at his sides and his general demeanor was that of a big, strong man who was confident of himself, although he did not try to be conspicuous. His age corresponds with that given of Claude Allen, twenty-two years, although he might perhaps be twenty-four or five. In appearance he was careless, but showed signs of breeding and good living. The man who saw him looked at him several times, at first out of curiosity, the second time because the man looked carefully at him, and the third because he was struck with the apparent strength of the man, who was evidently a man from back in the country, and for a second he thought it possible the man might be one of the Allen crowd. For the moment this impression was made all the more positive because the man turned about and watched where the Bluefielder went and upon his return the man and his companion had left.

The man who was with this big, dark faced fellow, was in reality a handsome man, although untouched by city life, and who appeared to be waiting for a street car, was not so closely noticed except for a quick glance.

On second thought his appearance corresponds with that of Freel Allen. He appeared to be rather careful about keeping his face down, and although he did not speak to his companion, who held his head erect upon his broad shoulders, he gave one the impression of hiding his face. He did not wear an overcoat, and as well as can be remembered by the one glance obtained of him, he wore a neat plaid suit, which might have been a mixed brown, with a small red stripe for plaid effect. The description is gained from a view of the man was standing at least thirty feet away, underneath the glare of the electric lights in front of the Altamont hotel. The young fellow appeared rather nervous and continually kicked his left foot which had been crossed over his right foot in the dirt on the pavement, while he, too, glanced several times at the man who had noticed him and his companion. He actually appeared as though he was just a little nervous under the quick look directed at him and the several slower glances at his tall companion.

Where the men went to is unknown, as the man who saw them paid little or no further attention, outside of thinking for a moment, that they might be members of the Allen clan.

The man who saw them gave as his reasons for not speaking of the matter quicker that he had never read a description of the man. He had a copy of the dead or alive reward poster sent out in his pocket at the time, but only for reference in case he should need to refer to it, and not for the purpose of catching the Allens, as he was laboring under the impression that they had not left the mountains, or if they had they had disappeared to the neighborhood of the Carolinas.

Last night he read the descriptions on the poster and at once the two men seen at the station on the previous night were recalled to his mind, and as he read on further he became more and more convinced that the two men might have been two of the men wanted dead or alive. This impression became all the stronger after the actions of the taller man of the two were recalled. Quiet, confident, and with his head straight up he returned look for look and appeared as though there was something he was carefully guarding against, because his eyebrows were lowered and his chin stood out, bringing all the more prominently into play the high cheek bones and the ruddy dark complexion which characterized him above all other things.

The clothes he wore were of dark material and may have been black serge or black cheviot, while his shoes appeared to have been roughly treated, looking as though they had been washed. They were of black leather. As near as can be remembered the man wore a black or dark string tie and a turn down collar. It is possible, however; that the tie may have been a black hand-tied bow tie.

It is certain this big man was from the country and it is certain that he appeared just a little lost in Bluefield. Furthermore, both he and the man with him appeared to be undecided just what they would do although at the time they were first noticed they appeared to have just completed a conversation. Neither, however, spoke after the Bluefielder saw them.

The long black coat worn by the tall man hung loosely upon his shoulders but few people wore overcoats Tuesday night. This man's wearing a long winter coat attracted attention almost before anything else except his height and his dark complexion which really made him appear to be handsome. Both men appeared to have been recently shaved and did not carry any baggage.

LETTER FROM JUROR

Man Who Helped to Convict Floyd Allen Writes to Relative in Roanoke.

One of the jurors in the trial of Floyd Allen has written a letter to a relative who lives in Roanoke. The Evening World reproduced the letter, which is as follows:

"Well, as usual, I was on the jury during March court, and I don't think I care for any more jury service for a while. The trial of Floyd Allen took two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. The jury did not reach a verdict Wednesday, so we were cared for at Thornton's that night. The jury was apprehensive of trouble, as well as everyone else but we had our duty to perform and could not shirk it. When we handed in our verdict Allen's counsel, Judge Bolen asked for a new trial on new evidence.

"Judge" Massie told him he would consider the application the next morning. Judge Bolen then asked that Allen be released on bail until morning. Judge Massie said that he could not do it after the verdict was in, and remanded Allen to jail.

Allen jumped up, swore he would never go, whipped out his pistol and began firing at Foster or Webb. I could not tell which, as they were all close together. My seat was in the jury box, about the top of the steps that lead up to the judge's stand from the west. Allen's gang had posted themselves and undoubtedly each one had his man agreed on. Ten or twelve pistol shots rang out at once from all over the house and in another instant there was a perfect roar. A man darted behind me, lay or squatted low on the step, and fired three shots at Judge Massie killing him.

"As I made an effort to get out I glanced at Massie. He had fell on the floor. I knew it was all over with him. I could have killed the man that shot Massie had I had a pistol, but I could not see his face to know him.

"The Allens had picked their men. They wanted to make sure of the court officials, then take the jury, or as many of them as they could get. They knew the jury was not armed and they could let them wait. The jury made use of the time and darted out into the crowd. Three of them were shot. Only one is dead. The closest call I got was a bullet by the ear. A little lock of hair was shaved from my head just above the back of the ear. This was just as close as I wanted them to get, so I made with the crowd to the door.

"The crowd surged down the steps and the clan followed. As I turned by the corner of the Thornton House I heard a man say, "They are after the jury and declare they will have every damned one of them."

"This was not encouraging news. I walked farther down the street. A man came to ____ and told me to get away, that they were looking for me and all the other jurors. I succeeded in eluding them.

James N. Early was a juror. They shot at him after he had got to the Sutherland House. They shot at another as he rode off on his horse and grazed his neck.

"This was the most horrible time I ever witnessed. Seven were lying on the floor of the court room, three dead, the others dying, apparently.

"Floyd Allen had walked to the feed shed below Johnson's store. He took a buggy from a man. Trying to step into it his thigh broke and he sank back, cursing his thigh for breaking. Times are quiet now."