The Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, W. Va.
Friday Morning, May 24, 1912

SAID EDWARDS DISTRIBUTED AMMUNITION

Witness Testifies That Several Handfuls of Bullets Were Di- vided Among Allens

OCCURRED JUST BEFORE
ENACTMENT OF TRAGEDY

Byrd Marion Admitted to Was Rearrested By Reason of Develop- ments of The Day--A Number of Witnesses Examined.

COURT RECESSED TO PASS
ON ADMISSION OF EVIDENCE.

Wytheville, Va., May 23. --John Dalton, a Hillsville farmer, testifying today against Claude Swanson Allen, said that just before the enactment of the tragedy he saw the defendant receive a part of several handfuls of bullets which were distributed by Wesley Edwards, one of the clansmen who is still at large. Dalton said that Edwards also gave some of the bullets to Sidna and Floyd Allen and to Sidna Edwards and to two others whom he did not know. He also testified that he saw Byrd Marion fire twice in the court house yard. It was the knowledge of the latter evidence that caused the re-arrest of Marion after he had been released on bond.

Developments in the case of Claude Allen, charged with the murder of Judge Massie, were slow today, only two or three witnesses being placed on the stand.

The morning session of the court adjourned early in order to gave the attorneys an opportunity to discuss the admission of evidence sought to be introduced by the prosecution in the testimony of F. B. Weddell, who was a witness in the trial of Floyd Allen, and whose evidence the defense claimed to have impeached.

Without give any evidence, the court took a recess at an early hour in order that the matter might be decided in the absence of the jury.

Thomas Green was the first witness. His testimony was brief. He stated he had met Claude Allen on the road between Hillsville and Fancy Gap on the evening of the tragedy and while talking to him saw a pistol in his pocket when his coat was pulled to one side.

J. T. Cochran testified as to seeing the beginning of the courthouse fight and that he saw a pistol in Claude Allen's hand.

A dispatch from Pulaski says that Byrd Marion, who was released on a bond of $1,000, was arrested in that town this morning on complaint of the commonwealth and taken back to Wytheville on the ground that new evidence had been discovered against him. He is said to have taken his arrest coolly.

An Associated Press dispatch received later says that the new evidence tends to show that Marion was seen shooting outside the Hillsville court house on the day of the tragedy.