He apparently also hopes that the early hour will serve to dampen the spirits of the Allens. Judge Thornton Massie was one of five people killed during the courthouse shootout in Hillsville on March 14, 1912. The was never a barber shop in this Mayberry, however. Samuels' departure forced Commonwealth's Attorney William M. Foster to rely on testimony from Deputy Easter. In 1921, however, Victor moved his family to Tabernacle Township, New Jersey. [25], Deputy Sheriff George W. Edwards, who became the sheriff of Carroll County after Sheriff Webb's death, testified that, as a deputy sheriff at the time, he had spoken with Floyd Allen just after Allen learned of his indictment. He pointed toward what appeared to Sadler to be a metal file. Steep Canyon Rangers, Amythyst Kiah, Sam Bush highlight Blue Ridge Music Center season; more Former Fieldale High School in Henry County is being turned into housing. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court, is a documentary feature concerning the Carroll County Courthouse shootings that occurred in Hillsville, Virginia. [29], Another witness, Walter Petty, also testified that the first shots were fired from the courtroom's northeast corner, where Claud Allen was standing. Another younger brother, Sidna, was a successful businessman who had prospected for gold in Alaska, operated a store, owned a considerable amount of land and built a lovely Queen Anne-style home in Fancy Gap, and yet he was accused of being a counterfeiter who barely avoided jail time even though one of his associates was sent up the river. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/56171 Ft: Aussens@iter (tobias_weber), Gerd Kohlmeier, Audio Podcast WordPress Theme By VWThemes, Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers Killed August 1, 1921, World War I Anti-Conscription Movement 1917, https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/49746687/download.mp3, The Hatfields and the McCoys: After the Feud, http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/ramblinglibrarian/41284. Wesley was sentenced to sixty days and his brother thirty, which were served outside jail on work-release. Nonetheless, the grand jury indicted Floyd Allen, Sidna Allen and Barnett Allen for interfering with the deputies, and Floyd Allen was also indicted for assault and battery upon Samuels. The men were gunned down during one of the most notorious events in Southwest Virginia history. Who fired their pistol first? Sheriff and Commonwealth's Attorney dead, court serious. In March 1912, there was a shooting at the Carroll County, Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia. During a second glance Tipton again saw Floyd with his pistol raised and held in both hands; he then saw Floyd Allen fire his pistol. Mr. Allen stood and declared, "Gentlemen, I ain't a goin'." [2] Deputy Samuels pulled a gun (later determined to be inoperative) and ordered Floyd to move away, and Floyd rode back past the buggy to Sidna's store where he then blocked the narrow road with his mare. Hall thinks that Sheriff Webb, who was carrying a borrowed gun, might have fired accidentally. Eventually, Carroll County deputies Thomas Pink Samuels and Peter Easter nabbed the brothers in North Carolina, shackled them and loaded them on a wagon for the long ride up the mountain, passing by Sidna Allens home and store in Fancy Gap where they were met by none other than a hot-tempered Floyd Allen, who was angered that his kinfolk were hog-tied in a wagon like livestock being carted to market. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court 7,494 views Jan 8, 2011 42 Dislike Share Save Bill Perrine 320 subscribers A brief trailer for the upcoming documentary about the 1912 Hillsville. Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad admitted firing the second shot at Floyd, striking him in the pelvis. Preserving and Presenting the History of the County of Carroll, Commonwealth of Virginia. Mt. Everybody was packing weapons, it seemed. More by Ralph Berrier Jr. Support Cardinal News and connect with more than 13,000 of our most engaged readers by sponsoring a Cardinal News newsletter. Soon afterwards, folks dug bullets buried in the walls as souvenirs. Betty Ayers, an 18-year-old witness, was hit in the back while fleeing the courtroom and died the next day. M arch 14, 1912, arrives just as badly as the day before. Spread the loveOne of the first writers to bring the real Appalachia to the world was John Fox Jr., who had come to the coal boom town of Big Stone, Spread the loveWe have a two-fer for you this week! However, no extradition order was issued. At least two of the participants, Judge Massie and Sheriff Webb, had told friends that they expected trouble. [7][9], However, times were changing: Virginia's judicial structure was altered in a series of legal reforms, particularly the county court system, which was replaced by circuit courts. "Claude Allen First To Fire At Hillsville". Massie sentenced Allen to one year in prison. No autopsies were ever performed and rumors flew of friendly fire casualties. A jury foremans handwritten verdict in blotchy ink condemns Claude Allen to death. Was Clerk of Carroll County Circuit Court During the Famous Allen Trial. The battle of tradition against modernity seemed to be the heart of the rivalries: Would Carroll County be a 20th century civilized bastion of law, order and rules, or would the hidebound rugged frontier individualism of taking law into ones own hands and the bucking of authority prevail? Commonwealth's Attorney, Sheriff, some jurors and others shot on the conviction of Floyd Allen for a felony. shot up the Carroll county court at Hillsville last March, resulting in the death of five persons, was found guilty of murder in the Second degree for the killing of Judge Thornton L. Mas sie. Elizabeth Ayers, a 19-year-old subpoenaed witness who had testified against Floyd Allen, was shot in the back while trying to leave the courtroom, and died at home the next day. [32] Claud testified that he saw Sidna Allen firing just about the time he saw Deputy Clerk Goad fire. He was the patriarch of the county's most prominent family, which, in addition to owning large tracts of farmland and a prosperous general store, were also active in local politics as proud Southern Democrats. - After the shootout ended, people in Hillsville were afraid the Allen family would come back into town and kill everyone in sight. Officers often had a violent past. S. E. Gardner, a Hillsville undertaker who prepared the body of Sheriff Webb for burial, testified that the Sheriff was shot no less than five times. In a fusillade of shots, Allen hit Jack in the head, which struck a glancing blow on Jack's scalp, while one of Jack's bullets hit Allen in the chest. The announcement of that sentence set off a gun battle that became one of the worst incidences of violence ever to occur in an American courtroom. When all the smoke cleared, there were five dead, seven wounded. "The Courthouse Massacre? Supposedly Floyd said, as the Sheriff and the Clerk of the Court approached to take him into custody, Im not going. The shooting then started. We dont sell ads, or block you with a paywall. On the cold spring morning of March 14th, 1912, shots rang out in the tiny rural mountain town of Hillsville, Virginia. On the morning of March 14, 1912, Mr. Floyd Allen stood in the Carroll County courtroom to hear the verdict of his peers. Was it Floyds son Claude? The legend also claims that the marker was removed as a condition of Sidna Allens pardon in 1926 after he served 14 years. Features three historians (two that have written books about the incident)and their interpretations of the events that led up to the shooting and the consequences. We are the court of record. [2] Samuels again pulled his gun on Floyd. [citation needed], Floyd Allen was tried for the first-degree murder of Commonwealth's Attorney Foster. He teased Horney about Wythe County losing such valuable historical artifacts. An Allen or a member of the court? Floyd, 56, a once proud man now destroyed, was strapped to the electric chair, a leather mask placed over his face and four, 1-minute bursts of 2,000-volt electrical shocks were sent coursing through his body until he was pronounced dead at 1:26 p.m. Claude, just 24, was electrocuted in the same chair 12 minutes later. Photo courtesy Carroll County Historical Society and Museum Howard Gilmer was a young attorney and protege of Judge Thornton Massie, who cradled the dying judge during his last moments in the courtroom. [35] In July 1912, after three separate trials, Claud Allen was convicted of first-degree murder for the killing of Commonwealth's Attorney Foster, and for second-degree murder for the killing of Judge Massie. The words, the handwriting and the language remind us that these people long dead and seemingly characters set in stone like the Confederate statue that still stands in front of the old courthouse were human beings caught up in a cataclysmic tragedy. For example, Betty Ayers, who was killed in the courthouse tragedy, was a 4th cousin to Dexter Goad (clerk of court), 4th cousin, twice removed, from Woodson Quesenberry (deputy clerk), 2nd cousin, twice removed, from Floyd Allens wife and a 3rd cousin to the Edwards brothers, Wesley and Sidna. Two months after the shootout, Floyd Allen was convicted in Wytheville of killing Foster, the commonwealths attorney. On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. Take care, my friend! Sadler knew the family lore that Judge Massie had died in his grandfathers arms, and that Gilmer had helped transport the judges remains back to Pulaski, and he even helped a mortician examine the corpse. Other members of the family received long sentences. Howard, I believe thats what youve been looking for, Horney said. Published in the SW VA Enterprise, Wytheville, Virginia Tuesday, July 4, 1939. Maybe so, but people just keep coming back to this story. We must have similar tendencies as I like to pick up a few books about the history of any area I spend some time in. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court; Videos; The Holstein Dilemma. actually, theres a lot to read and learn even in a rural place. March 14, 1912 - Hillsville Massacre Hillsville's history has a bit of a dark spot within it; the dark spot is known as the 1912 Courthouse Tragedy which was rivaled in the news only by the devastation known as the Titanic. There are still questions to be answered, but they probably never will be answered. [citation needed]. He found trial transcripts. He never carried a gun as a matter of course, but on his way to court, the first day of Floyd Allens trial, his cousin, Allan Webb, advised him to borrow a pistol. - William Fosters daughter, Aline, married George Ellison Bud Edwards in 1917. The sheriff in Hillsville had the boys arrested there and handed over to his deputies at the state line. Sadler, who said he spent more than 1,700 hours researching the story, spoke to a gathering in March that commemorated the 110th anniversary of the tragedy. The Allens were a notorious family from Carroll County, Virginia, who . -- Sidna Allen, leader of the Allen clan, which shot up the Carroll County Court at Hillsville last March, causing the death of five person, was to-day found guilty of . In some ways, the county never recovered from that day. Charges eventually were dropped against Sidna and Barnett before the trial.). . Sadler looked at Fosters cursive handwriting of Floyd Allens conviction and understood the documents gravity. All men were pardoned by Gov. The remaining prisoners received pardons (from a different governor) in the 1920s. The next witness was Sidney Towe, who largely corroborated the testimony of Sheriff Edwards. Three trials were needed to finally convict Claude. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. Howard Gilmer testified during the subsequent murder trials about the judges fatal bullet wound. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court Great Video Historical documentary of the 1912 Hillsville, VA courthouse shootout between the Allen family and the officers of the court. Sidna Edwards pleaded guilty in August 1912 to second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary. [13], The rumor that the Allens were intimidating witnesses was called to the attention of the court. He lived to be the last surviving member of the jury, dying in 1963. [34] Sidna Allen claimed that when he left the courthouse, Goad followed behind him, shooting him through the left arm, the bullet lodging in his left side. - Sidna Edwards presence at Floyd Allens trial was requested by Floyds lawyers. Allen also had political run-ins with Foster, who switched parties from Democrat to Republican in order to defeat an Allen relative for the prosecutors post. The historical society held a symposium that featured several speakers, and a play about the tragedy called Thunder in the Hills, written by Carroll County author/playwright/orchardist Frank Levering, was performed before sold-out audiences in the courtroom of the old courthouse where the shootout happened. Maybe he didnt want anybody else rifling through those things, Hall said. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. [2] In May 1889, Floyd's brothers, Garland and Sidna Allen, were tried for carrying concealed pistols and assaulting a group of thirteen men. [2] Sentenced to a $100 fine and one hour in jail for wounding Jack, Floyd refused to go, saying that he "would never spend a minute in jail as long as the blood flowed through his veins". 11218 The Roanoker - Hillsville Massacre Industrial Survey - Carroll County (NOTE a 1929 publication) Media The Carroll News The Carroll County prosecutor placed liens on all property owned by Floyd Allen and Sidna Allen for the heirs of the victims. Because of his vision to preserve and protect these exhibits, theyll never be lost again.. Indications are that they will clash with the Allen's tonight or early in the morning. - Floyd Allen was tried in 1903 for shooting his first cousin, Noah Combs, and was sentenced to spend 1 hour in jail and pay a fine. He refused them both. - To illustrate the volatility of turn-of-the-century mountaineers, when Jeremiah Allen died in 1898, Floyd and Jack Allen got into a ruckus over a barrel of brandy when the estate was being divided. Mob violence, the court. Is Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court (2011) streaming on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, or 50+ other streaming services? We depend entirely on donations. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court watch movie for free Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court full movie *Watch Movie Online or Watch Best Free HD 1080p Videos on Desktop, Laptop, Notebook, Tablet, iPhone, iPad, Mac Pro and more. The oldest, continuously operating . Allen and Goad had butted heads before. Harry F. Byrd Sr. in the 1920s. For a while, Hillsville was at the top of the nation's newspaper. Felts and his team strode into action, quickly arresting a badly wounded Floyd Allen at a Hillsville Hotel during a staged scene for newspaper photographs. [5] Floyd's body bore the scars of thirteen bullet wounds, five of them inflicted in quarrels with his own family. They were proud men, perhaps none more so than Floyd, who it could be said carried a log-sized chip on his shoulder. Director Rick Bowman Writers Rick Bowman Bill Perrine Stars Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. In the case of J. Sidna Allen, one of Massies relatives complained that the raw bacon that was seized needed to be sold before it spoiled. [34] He also said he went to Blankenship's Livery Stable after the incident, where he met other family members and left Hillsville with Claud Allen, Wesley Edwards, and Sidna Edwards. - Old timers said that when Wesley kissed the McCraw girl at the cornshucking, it wasnt out of affection for her, it was to irritate her boyfriend, John William Thomas. Ralph Berrier Jr. is a writer who lives in Roanoke. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, IHeart Radio or on your favorite podcast app. He was convicted and executed for murder in 1913 after a sensational courthouse shootout the previous year that left a judge, prosecutor, sheriff, and two others dead, although the validity of the conviction has been a source of debate within Carroll County for decades. Another entered the body at the cap of the left hip and passed through the abdomen. Tipton testified he saw Claud Allen in the courthouse with a pistol raised in both hands as if he had just fired it. Why does Carroll County have the lowest vaccination rate in Virginia? Two of the participants were executed and the others received lengthy prison sentences. The jury set his sentence at one year. [8] Only a month later, their petition for executive clemency was granted by Governor Claude A. Swanson, restoring their political rights to hold office. Blacksburg-based autonomous vehicle firm Torc to acquire Canadian company; more . [26], On the other hand, Floyd Allen and his relatives claimed Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad had fired first, prompted by a long-standing vendetta he and Foster held against the Allen family. Floyd Allen was the first to be brought to trial on a charge of murdering Judge Massie, Sheriff Webb, and Commonwealth's Attorney Foster. Located in the Fancy Gap community near I-77 Exit 14. If the Blacksburg-Roanoke-Lynchburg area wants a regional tech hub, here's a chance to help write the rules, Beware the Ides of March; bloom-busting cold likely lurks. [1] Allen, who was before the bar for sentencing after being convicted of taking a prisoner from a deputy sheriff, allegedly triggered the shooting at the Carroll County Courthouse in Hillsville on March 14, 1912. His mother was afraid theyd find him guilty of 1st degree murder, which carried the death penalty, so she convinced him to plead guilty to 2nd degree murder, which did not. One local historian interviewed by Williamson for The Roanoker magazine in 1982 stated unequivocally that Claude Allen, Floyds son, fired first. Floyd Allen jury member, John W. Farris, remarked that they wouldnt be back until they were brought back. So was the judge. Hillsville Diner. When Floyd Allen's case was set for trial, rumors arose that he had sent word to Deputy Samuels that he would kill Samuels if the deputy testified against him. [26] Gilmer said he heard Floyd Allen say two or three times, "I am shot, but I got the damn scoundrel. The last two bullets were fired by Floyd and went through two of the steps of one of the courthouse's stairways, where they can still be viewed today. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #truckspottinginthe717 . A nation-wide manhunt was called for by the Governor of Virginia which lasted six months. Find the cheapest option or how to watch with a free trial. And the storys controversies, conspiracies, debates over justice and moral lessons have long outlived the verdicts and punishments that sought to settle matters more than a century ago. COOPERSTOWN NEW YORK POSTCARD~Orphanage Building/House~Cart 1911 (#185750574261) l***n (1544) - Feedback left by buyer l***n (1544). Wow. The jury could not agree on a verdict immediately as the trial ended, and were sequestered in a local hotel overnight. The last and fifth shot went into the calf of the leg and when his trousers were removed, a .32 caliber bullet was discovered. He was with his brother when the shooting occurred and was in jail with him when a vigilante mob took his brother into the jail yard and killed him. Two others had been shot and would soon diethe jury foreman and a 19-year-old girl who had testified against Allen. However, Goad denied firing the first shot in the fusillade. The documents dont answer the seemingly unsolvable questions that have lingered in the air like gun smoke for 110 years. The historical society has raised thousands of dollars and conducted much-needed remodeling work in order to resume free tours, with the next public opening happening June 4-5. He only picked up Victors gun when he left it in the hotel room on the morning of March 14th. After a fusillade of shots, the Allen clan left the courthouse, armed with pistols and 12-gauge pump shotguns and shooting as they ran. Atop a shelf, he saw what looked like a drawer among the boxes. He told Sheriff Lewis Webb to take the prisoner. As I always read about where I am living and I spent several summers directing a church camp that was about a dozen miles north of Ketchum. J. E. Kearn, a traveling salesman from Roanoke, testified he sold Sidna Allen a lot of ammunition at the March term of the Hillsville court, specifically 500 each of .32 and .38 caliber pistol cartridges and 500 12-gauge shotgun shells. I just can't bear to see anyone drug around."[13]. [20] Sidna Edwards had scalded his foot some years before and was partially lame, and limped out of the courthouse, riding his mother's horse back to his home. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. See production, box office & company info. Court testimony says she was outside throwing up on the lawn when Doctor Nuckolls came by. Interesting story. Again, no thorough investigation of the courtroom happened, and the scene was almost immediately compromised by people who dug bullets out of the walls with pocketknives to keep as souvenirs. In April 1926, Governor Harry Flood Byrd pardoned Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards. Movies. Floyd Allen (July 5, 1856 March 28, 1913) was an American landowner and patriarch of the Allen clan of Carroll County, Virginia. Built in 1873, the historic courthouse is the site of the tragic courtroom shooting of 1912 and is the current site of the museum. Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch it live or on-demand. The detectives left at Hillsville have gone to the mountains, headed by Lee Felts. 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