Allen Family Papers 1912

Access and use

Location of collection:
Wytheville Community College
F.B. Kegley Library
Wytheville Community College
Smyth Hall, Room 103
1000 East Main Street
Wytheville, VA 24382
Contact for questions and access:
POC: William A. “Bill” Veselik
Phone: (276) 223-4876
POC: George Mattis
Phone: (276) 223-4744
Fax: (276) 223-4745

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Two wanted cards, measuring 3" x 5 3/4", for Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards issued by the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency of Roanoke, Virginia and Bluefield, West Virginia, comprise this collection. The card for Sidna Allen offers a $1,000 reward for his capture dead or alive while the card for Wesley Edwards offers $500.

Photocopies of the cards have been placed in the Kegley Library vertical file for Families-Allen.

Biographical / historical:

Sidna Allen and his nephew Wesley Edwards were members of the gang involved in the shooting deaths of Judge Thornton L. Massie, Commonwealth Attorney William Foster, Sheriff Lewis F. Webb, juror Augustus C. Fowler, and witness Nancy Elizabeth Ayers during the sentencing of Floyd Allen on 14 March 1912 in Hillsville, Virginia. The incident became known as the Carroll County Courthouse shooting or the Hillsville shooting.

While other gang members including Floyd Allen, Friel Allen, Sidna Edwards, Victor Allen, and Claude Allen, were captured quickly, Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards evaded capture for several months.

The Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, producers of the wanted cards in this collection, finally tracked the fugitives to Des Moines, Iowa. Allen's girlfriend, Maude Iroller, supplied information as to their location.

Acquisition information:
Unknown.
Physical description:
2 items.