James Allen (1809-1837), also known as George Walton, Jonas Pierce, James H. York, Burley Grove, was a Massachusetts, United States highwayman in the early 19th century.
Start in crime
According to his confession, Allen made many attempts to find work in his early teens but turned to theft after multiple employers failed to pay him what he was owed. Allen was in and out of prison from 1825-1837, eventually imprisoned in the Massachusetts State Prison, which opened in 1805, in Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jabez Boyden robbery
Allen was released from the Charlestown state prison in December 1833 after a two year term for robbery. Upon his release, the warden advised him to make his "living by honest industry" instead of crime. Allen responded that he was not sure what direction his life would take following his release.
As soon as he was out, Allen purchased a pair of pistols and hid out in the woods along the Dedham Turnpike near the Roxbury line. Allen robbed Deacon Jabez Boyden of Dedham's Second Parish at gunpoint as he drove a wagon of goods down to Dedham.
Dedham fires
Around two o'clock in the morning on October 30, 1832, a fire broke out in the stable of Bride's Inn in Dedham, Massachusetts and quickly traveled to the hotel, leveling both in 90 minutes. The fire killed 66 horses and one man, who was sleeping in the barn. It was assumed that the man, a veteran of the Revolution walking to Washington, D.C. to beg for a pension, was the cause of the fire. The veteran was buried at the local cemetery, and it took several days to cart all of the dead horses down to the marshes where their carcasses could be sunk into the mud.
Bride rebuilt the inn, naming it the Phoenix Hotel in honor of it rising from the ashes. Another fire broke out in the stables around 2:00 a.m. on January 7, 1834, just 15 months later. After the second fire, the stables were rebuilt further down Washington Street and away from the hotel.
Around the time of the second fire, 70 or 80 horses owned by another stagecoach company were poisoned in a neighboring community, growing suspicions that the repeated fires were not accidental and might perhaps be related to the stagecoach companies. The Dedham Selectmen offered a $500 reward for the capture of the arsonist, and the Citizen's Stagecoach Company offered an additional $500.
John Wade, a resident at the competing Norfolk House, got drunk one evening and mentioned that he knew something about the first fire. He was arrested within an hour and eventually confessed that he had been hired by the owner of the Norfolk House to light the first fire. Allen was later identified as the culprit in the second fire and was indicted, but he died of consumption in prison before he could be tried.
Aborted bank robbery
Allen returned to Boston after robbing Boyden. He committed several more thefts before meeting up with John Wade, whom he knew from prison. The two considered robbing a bank in Rhode Island but, finding it too well guarded, decided to return to Massachusetts. During this time, Wade hinted to Allen that he was responsible for burning down Bride's Tavern. He also let Allen known that he knew Allen was responsible for the Boyden robbery.
The pair rented a room at the Norfolk House in Dedham. When the Phoenix Hotel caught fire again, Allen suspected Wade and quickly left, heading towards communities north of Boston.
Fenno robbery
Allen attempted to rob a wagon driven by Mr. Presser and John Fenno along the Salem Turnpike. Fenno leapt from the wagon onto Allen, and Allen's gun discharged. The bullet was deflected off a buckle on Fenno's suspenders. Allen escaped on his horse, but was arrested three days later on January 16.
Trials
After a three day trial, Allen was convicted of the attempted robbery of Fenno. He was sentenced to 20 years at the Charlestown state prison, plus two years at hard labor.
In May 1834, Allen was indicted for the Boyden robbery. Before he could be brought to Dedham, he escaped and ran off to Canada. In April 1835, he was arrested when he was found back in Boston.
At the trial, Allen was defended by Horace Mann, who tried to place a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury by pointing out that Boyden had previously identified someone else as the man who robbed him. The strategy worked, and there was a hung jury.