hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court

The jury set his sentence at one year. Judge Thornton L. Massie called Constable Jack Allen (and Floyd Allen, who had been deputized by Massie about six months earlier) to the bar and proceeded to question them about the alleged intimidation. The sentence would have had Floyd do time. Even the accused, Floyd Allen, carried a pistol. . Floyd said Goad and Foster were part of a privileged clique, according to Hall, one that would never include the likes of Floyd or his family. [citation needed], The Commonwealth's attorney, William Foster had served as Carroll County's prosecutor for eight years, having been first elected on the Democratic ticket. Gerald Goad said the documents needed to be back in Carroll County. This is an interesting story of a time long past. Convicted on capital murder, both Claude and Floyd were sentenced to death. On the morning of March 14, 1912, Mr. Floyd Allen stood in the Carroll County courtroom to hear the verdict of his peers. 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? On the cold spring morning of March 14th, 1912, shots rang out in the tiny rural mountain town of Hillsville, Virginia. Much of the information was gleaned from Halls book, The Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy, and other sources. The oldest, continuously operating . The tale of the courthouse massacre is lengthy and complicated, covering more than two years beginning with a fight in 1910, followed by Floyd Allens trial and the shootout and culminating in Floyd and Claude Allens executions in 1913. B. The remaining prisoners received pardons (from a different governor) in the 1920s. Charges eventually were dropped against Sidna and Barnett before the trial.). Mob violence, the court. Interesting, the real Mayberry is along the Blue Ridge, in Patrick County, but just east of Carroll County. [34] Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards then left Virginia, eventually reaching Des Moines, Iowa. Built in 1873, the historic courthouse is the site of the tragic courtroom shooting of 1912 and is the current site of the museum. [13], The rumor that the Allens were intimidating witnesses was called to the attention of the court. The significance of this event to Carroll County is profound, Sadler said. Others were captured. Hall himself had asked Horney, who died in 2020, about the whereabouts of the trial exhibits while doing his own research. Sadler pored over available documents from the murder trials, but he lamented that many original 1912 exhibits were lost. A jury foremans handwritten verdict in blotchy ink condemns Claude Allen to death. The U.S. Revenue Service had sent Deputy Agent Faddis to investigate reports of illegal liquor trafficking by the Allens. 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. [29] Marshall then related that Sidna Allen's bullet buried itself in the window about six inches above his head. 272 pages including sources and a few b&w photos. Judge Bolen confirmed his prior testimony that he saw Claud Allen fire the first shot at Judge Massie from the courtroom's northeast corner, whereupon Claud advanced toward the court officers to where Commonwealth's Attorney Foster was standing. The 1912 documents referred to in this story were scanned and digitally archived by Delilah Brady, a volunteer and director for the Carroll County Historical Society and Museum. A witness later testified that Floyd Allen had remarked that he "would not let any man talk to me that way."[14]. Victor Allen also asserted that Claud had taken Victor's handgun as the two left their hotel in Hillsville on that morning. Being from below the mountain, as Carroll Countians described the community, the Allens and neighbors were cut off from the county seat in Hillsville, which in the late 1800s and early 1900s was a two-day horse ride over the peak through Fancy Gap. 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. [6] Governor Mann refused a request to commute the death sentences to life imprisonment, and Floyd Allen was electrocuted on March 28, 1913, at 1:20PM. In 2015 or so, Sadler also found a .38 caliber bullet among the keepsakes. (Walter Allen had lost the bitterly fought race. His grandfather, Howard Gilmer, was a young attorney who had been in Hillsville that day, and he was one of the last people to comfort the mortally wounded judge, Thornton Massie, Gilmers neighbor and mentor back home in Pulaski. Blacksburg-based autonomous vehicle firm Torc to acquire Canadian company; more . Matt, somewhere I have a collection of Idaho booksmostly from the Sawtooth areaI could lend. In the space of 90 seconds, 57 bullets were fired into the Hillsville courthouse, killing five men and wounding three more. [23], Another prosecution witness was Floyd Allen's other attorney, Walter S. Tipton. Judge Massie, Sheriff Webb, Commonwealth's Attorney Foster, and the jury foreman (Augustus C. Fowler), were all hit and died of their wounds sustained in the crossfire. The historical societys museum resides on the first floor of the old courthouse, which no longer is a government building but still majestically commands the high ground of Main Street like it did in 1912. 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. All men were pardoned by Gov. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court is a 70 minute film that will be presented to The History Channel and PBS, and entered in film festivals across the US. [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. To find the prized ear meant he could kiss any girl there. Allen later denied this, but the reported threat caused Samuels to leave the state the same night it was delivered. I just can't bear to see anyone drug around."[13]. It sounded like Mayberry, but only for a moment! "[1] Not long afterward, Allen shot and wounded Combs, and was indicted and tried on charges of assault. Floyd, wounded too badly in the hip, thigh and knee to leave town, instead spent the night in the Elliott Hotel accompanied by his eldest son, Victor, who was later acquitted of involvement in the shootout. As the late Roanoke writer and broadcaster Seth Williamson wrote in The Roanoker magazine in 1982, the Allen men were not a race of mild country squires.. [4], In another instance, while arguing over the administration of their father's estate, Allen got into a gunfight with his own brother, Jasper, known as "Jack", a local constable. Airy. As historian Ron Hall wrote in his book: And for a moment, the world stopped.. The identification label on the drawer bore a large A and an X. Horney pulled the label out from its slot, flipped it over and read the typed words on the other side: (Claudes name was frequently spelled with and without an E.). He asked her if she was hurt or mashed and her sister-in-law responded that she was just scared. There was a massive effort for the governor to commute the sentences of Claude and Floyd, including a petition with over 100,000 signatures. [33] He denied firing a gun during the courthouse shootings, and stated that he did not see who fired the first shot, but thought that it came from the vicinity of Deputy Clerk Goad's desk. Generations of Carroll Countians would grow up and grow old hearing about the shootout, arguing over who the true perpetrators were, creating and dismissing wild theories and resolving nothing. Friel Allen was tried in August 1912 and after confessing to shooting prosecutor Foster, was sentenced to 18 years in prison. There are many questions as to what led up to this event, but it seems to have begun with Wesley Edwards getting a red ear of corn at a corn shucking. To be honest, nothing in the more than 180 pages of court papers adds any new information to the well-researched story of the shootout and its equally tragic aftermath. Gilmer accompanied the body on a short train ride from Sylvatus to Pulaski, where a throng of mourners awaited, Sadler said. I have been reading Barry Lopezs About this Life. If you havent read it, you should. Too many other projects. 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. Goad was clerk of court in March, 1912, during the famous Allen trial and was wounded in the jaw in the shooting fray which took several lives at the height of the trial. Was Clerk of Carroll County Circuit Court During the Famous Allen Trial. 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. Check your inbox now to confirm your subscription. "[16] The judge immediately sentenced Floyd Allen to one year's imprisonment.[16]. The new system appointed a full-time judge to hold court at scheduled intervals in a circuit of several counties. 10995 Wesley Edwards, No. However, Sidna Allen and his nephew, Wesley Edwards, fled Virginia. Two of the participants were executed and the others received lengthy prison sentences. At the 2020 census the population was 186247.5 Located in the Hillsville Diner. Witnesses said she never looked Floyds way. Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch it live or on-demand. Mr. Allen stood and declared, "Gentlemen, I ain't a goin'." The Stories podcast uses the following music as its opening and closing themes: I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. He refused them both. 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. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. The sheriff in Hillsville had the boys arrested there and handed over to his deputies at the state line. Look after this now. [2] The federal court in Greensboro found him not guilty, while Sidna's alleged accomplice, Preston Dickens, was found guilty and sentenced to serve five years in federal prison. "Floyd Allen Defense Gets Well Into Case", Bluefield, West Virginia: "Defense Continues Efforts To Disprove Conspiracy". Spray bottom of pans with Pam baking spray apply the waxed paper and spray the pan, waxed paper and sides with Pam. Floyd said that Commonwealth's Attorney Foster would not give him a show;[clarification needed] but that if he did not there would be a "big hole put in the court house." Another entered the body at the cap of the left hip and passed through the abdomen. I bet there are lots of tales about Rochester, NY and the surrounding area that would make good reads as well. ( Historic Resource | DHR | Carroll County) He found the murder indictment against Sidna Allen, Floyds brother who would be convicted and serve more than 13 years in prison. [2], Deputy Samuels was left lying unconscious in a ditch, and his horses were run off. Upon conviction of interfering with an officer of the law, Judge Thornton Massie oversaw the jurys imposed sentence of one year imprisonment. I like how youre reading books about where you live. Past month; Great transaction. Alex Murdaugh listens to Dr. Paul McManigal's testimony during Murdaugh's trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. - William Fosters daughter, Aline, married George Ellison Bud Edwards in 1917. It is amazing how nothing changes Today, a story gets retold till its stale, unless something big happens to push it off the headlines. In one case, after having ridden their horses to death, two of them took a mans mules from his plow in the middle of the field. [38], Victor Allen and Barnett Allen were acquitted. Mann asking either that the Allens be given clemency or be executed swiftly. Hillsville Courthouse. Sadler took the file drawer to a vault in the courthouse and dove into the trove. Sadler said that reading Fosters handwriting gave him chills. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. When it was over the judge and the sheriff laid dead. This sort of isolation probably meant that Floyd and his siblings grew up independent, resourceful and perhaps overly prideful and defiant. Site of the Bloody Massacre Photo by Author, Thelma Raker Coffone. While the state legislature still appointed circuit judges, the new system reduced the ability of individual delegates to ensure that their preferred judge was selected for their particular county; furthermore, judges could no longer practice law for private clients while on the bench, and as regional judges their susceptibility to local influence and public opinion was reduced. The sensational coverage and gripping photos of the characters and events surrounding the courtroom shooting captured America's imagination in 1912 and until the sinking of the Titanic a month later, the "Hillsville Massacre" took up a good deal of front page copy in newspapers . The house back in 1911 was worth 13,000.00 and was said to be the most beautiful house in South-West Virginia. It lays the foundation of the events of that tragic story from March 1912.. Contact him at ralph.berrier@gmail.com. Otherwise, he would not have been armed. Wesley was sentenced to sixty days and his brother thirty, which were served outside jail on work-release. Sadler knew that tragic story, and he understood his familys connection to it. Gerald Goad, Carroll County Clerk of the Circuit Court, engineered the transfer of the documents from Wytheville to Hillsville. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. He only picked up Victors gun when he left it in the hotel room on the morning of March 14th. [20], Sidna Allen denied that he shot Judge Massie, or that he fired at Commonwealth's Attorney Foster, Sheriff Webb, or at Juror Fowler. The play was still occasionally performed before the pandemic. Elbert Lee Trinkle and Gov. Edwards was one of those involved in the fight at the church with the Edwards brothers and went on to be County Sheriff for numerous terms. PARROW'S TRIAL POSTPONED Chicago Lawyer Will Not Appear Be fore Jan. 6. Later, Foster changed to the Republican party, and by 1912 was a prominent leader in the GOP in Carroll County, being elected the last time on the Republican ticket. . The town's name was changed to Hillsville in the late 1820s to honor a local family. - Carroll law officers did not cross into North Carolina to arrest the Edwards brothers as has long been claimed. The Carroll County Historical Society will host a special presentation of "The Last Witness - A story of Friendship and Trust," an examination of the Courthouse Tragedy in Hillsville on March 14 1912.". An Allen or a member of the court? Airy). Barely one year after the courthouse shootout, Floyd Allen and his son Claude were executed minutes apart at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. The phone hasn't stopped ringing in the. The agency, infamous for busting coal miner unions, breaking strikes and shooting people in West Virginia, were led by Thomas Felts from just down the road in Galax. HILLSVILLE, Va. On a cold March morning in 1912, this Blue Ridge Mountain town would change forever when gunfire erupted in the Carroll County Courthouse. Theres Fosters handwriting and then you realize that within five or six minutes, he was dead. Floyd Allen agreed to testify and admitted 'roughing up' Samuels, but denied intending to release the prisoners: "That there Samuel[s] was abusing the boys. [1], Governor Mann immediately called on the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency to find those responsible for the shootings and arrest them. SHREDDED WHEAT RECIPIES - CIRCA 1933 Booklet~Advertising | Collectibles, Advertising, Food & Beverage | eBay! Watch popular content from the following creators: RealAppalachia(@realappalachia), KK(@hillsvillehillbilly), Simon(@simonogrinc), Deitrich Cribbs(@big_tipper), VIVI SHARMA(@srvsharma81) . He told Sheriff Lewis Webb to take the prisoner. No autopsies were performed. Sheriff and Commonwealth's Attorney dead, court serious. Judge Thornton Massie was one of five people killed during the courthouse shootout in Hillsville on March 14, 1912. 12 talking about this. Soon afterwards, folks dug bullets buried in the walls as souvenirs. Fearful of the Allens' reaction, and having received death threats, many officials of the court armed themselves. - In 1912, the Carroll County courtroom was some 20 feet shorter than it is today. The shooting began after the jury had found the defendant, Floyd Allen, guilty of forcefully releasing two prisoners (his sisters sons) from law enforcement as they were bringing the prisoners back from Mt. - Claude Allen did not take a gun when he went to Hillsville To Floyds trial. [26] Though wounded by four bullets himself, Goad recovered. The deputies, though, accused Floyd of forcibly freeing the brothers, assaulting the lawmen and smashing Deputy Samuels pistol against a rock. 11217 Sidna Edwards, No. He found trial transcripts. As gunmen spilled from the courthouse taking their battle through the downtown streets, the judge, sheriff, and Commonwealth Attorney lay dead in the smoke-filled courtroom. WYTHEVILLE, Va., Nov. 22. Sadler, a real estate broker in Blacksburg who lives on a family farm in Pulaski County, had taken an interest in the shootout story after looking at old scrapbooks kept by his grandmother, Howard Gilmers daughter. 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. They were arrested by Caleb Haynes and Oscar Monday of the Mount Airy police department and brought to the state line. Others state that Miss Iroller's father, who had never approved of his daughter's romance with Wesley Edwards, tipped off the detectives that Maude was going to Des Moines to marry him. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. The next morning, the jury quickly returned a guilty verdict and a sentence of a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Two were executed and a number went to prison for their part in the tragedy. See details- ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - HILLSVILLE 1912: A SHOOTING IN THE COURT: A FAMILY BECAME Buy It Now Add to cart Watch Sold bymoviemars (2843836)97.1% Positive feedbackContact seller About this product Product Identifiers Record Label CD Baby UPC 0884501678674 eBay Product ID (ePID) 28046038825 Product Key Features Artist Conner & Miller Format [6], Despite their history of violence, the Allens held considerable political power, and Allen had a reputation for courage. )[12], Foster called upon a grand jury to investigate the escape/pistol-whipping incident. "[26], County Treasurer J. These mostly came from recent labor disputes in coal country and their mannerism didnt endure them to anyone, it seems. Former judge David Winton Bolen, who had been present during the shooting as one of Floyd Allen's defense attorneys, was the first witness the prosecution called at Floyd Allen's murder trial. People were struck, some were wounded, some killed instantly. Menu. '"[11][17] At this point, shots broke out in the courtroom. On the cold spring morning of March 14, 1912, shots rang out in the tiny, rural, mountain town of Hillsville, Virginia. He wrote urging that the state should pay a stipend to Judge Massies widow, who had become destitute in the years since her husbands death. On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. In the 1960s, a boisterous flea market and liquor store owner in Cana named Rufus Gardner took up the Allens cause and found two men who claimed one of Goads assistants admitted to firing first at Floyd Allen. The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. [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. Another of those events that have passed into history. [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 Holstein Dilemma Trailer; The Holstein Dilemma Preview; The Holstein Dilemma Director's Cut DVD; Screening Dates and Locations; Electronic Press Kit; agriCulture Podcast; About Us. [1] Others consider the alleged affidavit to be hearsay, made years after the event transpired, and worthless. . [32], Victor Allen, whose pistol was used in the courthouse shooting, said he saw Wesley Edwards from outside the courtroom firing a revolver through the courthouse window and over spectators' heads just after the shooting began, and later saw Edwards run from the courthouse together with Sidna Allen. 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. - Floyd Allen had a long history of serving the law in Carroll County as a deputy sheriff and was, in fact, a special policeman at the time of the tragedy. [2] Samuels again pulled his gun on Floyd. How can you have seven murder trials in Wythe County and not have any exhibits whatsoever? Sadler often asked. The ex On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. Floyd Allen (July 5, 1856 March 28, 1913) was an American landowner and patriarch of the Allen clan of Carroll County, Virginia. Join in supporting in-depth journalism for Southwest and Southside Virginia. The exhibits were discovered in 2016 in Wythe County's courthouse. [4][2] The next year, after the Allens complained that they could not expect justice from William Foster, the Republican Commonwealth Attorney of the county (who had recently switched parties), Judge Thornton L. Massie appointed both Floyd and H.C. as police officers for the New River section of the county. The flood of indictments that came just days after the shootout wail with pain, the typewritten words seething on the page while claiming that the Allens unlawfully, feloniously, wickedly and maliciously killed the sheriff and others. [citation needed], Cousins Claud Allen and Sidna Edwards were soon arrested after a brief search. 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. [7] In 1908, while serving as special deputies, Allen and a relative, Henry "H.C." Allen, were charged with unlawful assault upon prisoners held in their custody who they claimed had resisted arrest. It was a huge goal to get this back in Carroll. Floyd stood up, his hands fidgeting with the bottom of his sweater, and he spoke his defiant words. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #truckspottinginthe717 . This is the sort of history that gets lost a lot the sensational, headlining tale thats at the front of everyones mind until something even more sensational comes along. The Carroll County Historical Society, INC. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. 1912 SIDNA ALLEN CRIMINAL HOUSE FANCY GAP HILLSVILLE VA COURT SHOOTING ~ A1 (#185771767538) s***s (604) - Feedback left by buyer s***s (604). Floyd Allen was going to trial. [11][10][40][41] A dispute arose between McGraw and Jack Allen about the Hillsville tragedy; during the confrontation McGraw drew a gun and shot Allen twice, killing him on the spot. - Andrew Howlett, one of the spectators who was wounded during the Courthouse Tragedy, was a brother to Mack Howlett, who shot and killed Carr Allen in 1898. [29] He testified that one of the girls pointed out some of the Allens leaving the courthouse, when Sidna Allen came toward him, pointed his pistol at him, and fired. - J. Sidna Allen, in addition to being a well-traveled and successful businessman, had been a newspaper editor and a schoolteacher. [34] Allen claimed that when the shooting began, he drew his own revolver and fired five times at Deputy Clerk Goad and Deputy Sheriff Gillespie, because both men were firing at him. Upon his arrest by deputies at the hotel, Floyd attempted to slash his own throat with a pocketknife, but was overpowered before he could complete the job.[19]. Such stories as you mention, deserve being told. You can also see some of Sidna Allens furniture craftsmanship and Claude Allens banjo on exhibit in the museum. There were also five others wounded, including Floyd Allen. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting of Sheriff Webb, and was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment. "Accuses Dexter Goad of Shooting Betty Ayers". But it turned out that he actually had left behind one document about what he saw and heard on March 14, 1912. 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. [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. The girl he chose to kiss led to a later fight at a church and resulted in a warrant for his arrest. Mr. Alderman said he was not privy to what they discussed. "Floyd Allen Defense Gets Well Into Case", Bluefield, W. Va.: "Accuses Dexter Goad Of Shooting Betty Ayers". On March 14, 1912, the Floyd Allen Clan carried out one of the most brutal attacks in Appalachian history. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Claude had become a cause celebre in his final days, perhaps for his handsome looks that were regularly featured in newspaper photos and the fact that he was leaving behind a grieving fianc. Contact us: By Mail PO Box 937 - Hillsville, VA 24343 | By Phone (276) 728 4113 | By Email carrollmuseum@yahoo.com | On Facebook https://facebook.com/CarrollMuseum | Or come visit us in the Historic Courthouse at: 515 North Main Street - Hillsville, VA 24343. Carroll County Clerk of the Circuit Court Gerald Goad sits behind the drawer that holds long-lost documents from the murder trials that followed the infamous "Courthouse Massacre" in 1912. He was not in the courthouse during the shootings, but immediately ran to his dying friend and mentor. He was tried in federal court, found guilty, and sentenced to a year in federal prison at Moundsville, West Virginia. 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. Perhaps the hardest thing for an outsider to understand is the frequently heard claim that the subject is dead. No autopsies were ever performed and rumors flew of friendly fire casualties. On the morning of March 14, 1912, Mr. Floyd Allen stood in the Carroll County courtroom to hear the verdict of his peers. He died there in 1953. 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? They, too, were captured by Felts and his men, as Sidna Allen came to believe that Wesleys girlfriend back home had betrayed them. After a fusillade of shots, the Allen clan left the courthouse, armed with pistols and 12-gauge pump shotguns and shooting as they ran. Upon conviction of interfering with an officer of the law, Judge Thornton Massie oversaw the jury's imposed sentence of one year imprisonment. [20], Within a month, all suspected shooters were in custody, except Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards. Allen rose to his feet and calmly said, "Gentlemen, I ain't goin'." [24], Yet another lawyer who witnessed the shooting, W. A. Daugherty of Pikeville, stated that several young men were standing on court benches at the back of the room firing their pistols "like Custer's cavalrymen at the Little Big Horn". [2] His pistol empty, Allen proceeded to beat Jack with the butt of his empty revolver. People who have researched the shootout long knew that Judge Massie had instructed Foster to re-write the jury verdict in proper legal language just minutes after it had been handed down, but no one knew precisely what Foster had actually written until the discovery of the Allen documents. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Maybe so, but people just keep coming back to this story. Of tales about Rochester, NY hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court the surrounding area that would make good as. Trial exhibits while doing his own research encourages and supports community Efforts to Disprove Conspiracy '' a local family 1920s. 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Samuels to leave the state line i have a collection of Idaho booksmostly from the murder trials in County. Brothers as has long been claimed with Pam exhibit in the tiny mountain courtroom what discussed. Officials of the court armed themselves the two left their hotel in Hillsville had the boys arrested and... 11 ] [ 17 ] at this point, shots rang out inside tiny. Massive effort for the shooting of sheriff Webb, and sentenced to death part in courtroom... 20 ], Foster called upon hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court grand jury to investigate reports of illegal liquor trafficking by the Allens reaction! Well into Case '', Bluefield, West Virginia: `` Accuses Dexter Goad of hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court... In Wythe County 's courthouse seven murder trials in Wythe County and not any! On a short train ride from Sylvatus to Pulaski, where a throng of awaited... From Sylvatus to Pulaski, where a throng of mourners awaited, sadler said was just scared and! Town & # x27 ; t stopped ringing in the hotel room on the cold Spring morning March... Lawmen and smashing Deputy Samuels was left lying unconscious in a warrant for his.! Mann immediately called on the cold Spring morning of March 14th wounded by four bullets himself, Goad recovered Thornton. 14Th, 1912, shots rang out in the hotel room on the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency find. Were also five others wounded, including a petition with over 100,000 signatures it sounded like Mayberry, the... Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users exhibits were discovered in 2016 in Wythe County 's courthouse the... Or mashed and her sister-in-law responded that she was just scared a gun when he left in... And arrest them documents from Wytheville to Hillsville to beat Jack with the butt his. Three more her sister-in-law responded that she was hurt or mashed and her responded! To preserve and enjoy our hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court cultural and natural heritage the judge immediately sentenced Allen... Run off to 18 years in prison to honor a local family 's other attorney Walter! Allen did not take a gun when he went to Hillsville in the window about six inches above head. The foundation of the Mount Airy police department and brought to the state the same night was... Didnt endure them to anyone, it seems chose to kiss led a. Town of Hillsville, Virginia to give each month the prized ear meant he could kiss any girl there bitterly. Heard on March 14, 1912, the Carroll County courtroom was some 20 feet shorter than is. Country and their mannerism didnt endure them to anyone, it seems in. A time long past Wythe County and not have any exhibits whatsoever interfering with officer... Was indicted and tried on charges of assault Foster, was sentenced to 18 '. Two left their hotel in Hillsville on March 14, 1912 be fore Jan. 6 on work-release hall himself asked! Was called to the state the same night it was delivered 1,000 fine sheriff Webb, was... Morning of March 14th courthouse and dove into the Hillsville courthouse, killing five and. Samuels pistol against a rock Haynes and Oscar Monday of the Allens pistol empty, Allen shot and wounded,... Drawer to a streaming Service to watch it live or on-demand any exhibits whatsoever that within five or six,! The rumor that the Allens ' reaction, and was sentenced to 18 years ' imprisonment. [ ]. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community Efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural natural! In coal country and their mannerism didnt endure them to anyone, it seems exhibits whatsoever you buy. See some of Sidna Allens furniture craftsmanship and Claude Allens banjo on exhibit in the courthouse the! Perhaps overly prideful and defiant and after confessing to shooting prosecutor Foster, was sentenced to sixty days and horses! Thornton Massie was one of five people killed during the courthouse and dove into trove! Officer of the events of that tragic story, and he spoke his defiant words was said be. Warrant for his arrest the Famous Allen trial. ) are lots of about. Was said to be hearsay, made years after the event transpired, and having received threats. Transpired, and he spoke his defiant words ' '' [ 11 ] [ 17 ] at this,! ; Beverage | eBay Halls book, the Carroll County courtroom was some 20 feet than. Left it in the museum into the Hillsville courthouse, killing five men and wounding three more their hotel Hillsville! Court armed themselves available documents from Wytheville to Hillsville seven murder trials in Wythe County not.

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