Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Sidney Allen

Sidney Allen

Sidney Allen

Come all you rounders if you want to hear
The story about a cruel mountaineer.
Sidney Alien was the villain's name.
It was in a court house he won his fame.

The caller called the juror right at half past nine.
Sidnev Allen was the prisoner: he was right on time.
He mounted to the bar with his pistol in his hand
And he sent Judge .Mathey to the promised land.

Just in a few minutes the place was in a roar
The dead and the dying mere lying on the floor.
With a 39 special and a 38 fall
Sidney backed the sheriff up against the wall.

The sheriff he was in a mighty close place
With the mountaineer staring him right in the face.
He turned to the window and then he said,
"In a few more minutes we'll all be dead."

Sidney got on his pony and away he did ride,
His friends and his nephew riding by his side.
They all shook hands and swore they would hang
Before they would give up to the Valton gang.

Sidney Alien traveled, and he wandered all around
Until he was captured in that far western town.
They carried him to the station with a ball and chain,
And they put poor Sidney on that last-bound train.

They arrived at Sidney's home just at11:41,
Met his wife and his daughter and his two little sons.
They all shook hands and they knelt down to pray,
And they said, "Oh, Lord don't take our papa away.

The people all gathered from far and near
To see poor Sidney sentenced to the electric chair;
But to their great surprise the judge he said,
"He`s going to the penitentiary instead."

DT #777
Laws E5
From Hudson, Folksongs of Mississippi
Collected from Mr. T.A. Bickerstaff of Tishomingo MS
courthouse massacre occurred in Hillsville VA in 1912
SOF
apr97