Allen and several members of his family immediately fled the courtroom but were later captured and convicted of murder. The exhibits were discovered in 2016 in Wythe County's courthouse. He asked her if she was hurt or mashed and her sister-in-law responded that she was just scared. Far from the backward, murderous mob of hillbillies as they would later be portrayed in sensational news accounts, Floyd and his brothers were farmers, business people and even occasional lawmen who sometimes had their own run-ins with the law, usually stemming from their participation in the illegal liquor trade. Massie refused, saying he was there to prosecute, not persecute.. Why does Carroll County have the lowest vaccination rate in Virginia? After several months' chase, Baldwin-Felts detectives located them in Iowa after an informant's tip. The Allens were unreconstructed Democrats, the county fathers were mildly progressive, albeit still conservative, Republicans. It was Thomas and his father who swore out warrants for the Edwards brothers as a result of the fight at the schoolhouse/church the next day. Petty also witnessed a pistol duel between Sidna Allen and Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad. This is another book that Ive read in order to learn about my new locale. View Map and Driving Directions Phone: (276) 728-2594 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. No autopsies were ever performed and rumors flew of friendly fire casualties. Such tampering hindered the ability to link bullets to the guns fire or the direction from which they came. Floyd Allen was the first to be brought to trial on a charge of murdering Judge Massie, Sheriff Webb, and Commonwealth's Attorney Foster. Sadler knew that tragic story, and he understood his familys connection to it. He has a wonderful essay in there titled The American Geographies. He speaks of the need to understand the stories, the voices of memory over the land. I think that is why I always insist on exploring my neighborhoods by walking (or on bicycle) and reading about them. The sentence would have had Floyd do time. Many accounts claim that Allen initiated the confrontation by pulling a gun in court. 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. The legend also claims that the marker was removed as a condition of Sidna Allens pardon in 1926 after he served 14 years. Most of the documents from the subsequent murder trials that followed the shootout had been lost or were thought to have been lost or stolen. Katherine survived until 1960. [21] Sadler said that reading Fosters handwriting gave him chills. - 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. According to local legend, a headstone placed atop their graves read: Sacred to the memory of Claude S. Allen and his father, who was judicially murdered in the Va. Penitentiary March 28 1913 by order of the Governor of the State over the protest of 100,000 citizens of the state of Va.. Foster was a political enemy of the Allens, who had supported Jack Allen's son, Walter, as Democratic candidate for Commonwealth's Attorney against Foster in the last election. SHREDDED WHEAT RECIPIES - CIRCA 1933 Booklet~Advertising | Collectibles, Advertising, Food & Beverage | eBay! On the morning of March 14, 1912, Mr. Floyd Allen stood in the Carroll County courtroom to hear the verdict of his peers. Eventually, most of the clan was captured, although Sidna Allen and his nephew Wesley Edwards, whose fight in a churchyard had lit the fuse on this powder keg in 1910, made it to Des Moines, Iowa, where they worked and lived under aliases. 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. 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. Hillsville Courthouse. He also wrote that as the judge lay dying, he told his young protg, Tell my brother Robert to take care of my family.. [4] At the next term of court, Allen produced an order of clemency from Governor Andrew J. Montague suspending the jail sentence. 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 was not in the courthouse during the shootings, but immediately ran to his dying friend and mentor. Mr. Allen stood and declared, Gentlemen, I aint a goin. Gunfire, chaos, death ensued all in a moment. The prosecutor's case was based on the formation of a conspiracy by the Allens to kill the trial judge, local law enforcement, and others who had wronged them in the event of a guilty verdict. Bowman grew up in Hillsville, VA where the county seat is located, and has nurtured a life-long fascination with this story. In some ways, the county never recovered from that day. One bullet entered the back and ranged upward, lodging directly under the collarbone. This film is currently in development. . Take care, my friend! 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. [26] Gilmer said he heard Floyd Allen say two or three times, "I am shot, but I got the damn scoundrel. Carroll County Clerk of Circuit Court Gerald Goad opened the formal transfer of the papers from Wythe County in the very room where the shootout occurred - a circle completed some 100 years, nine months and six days since traveling to Wythe County. The house back in 1911 was worth 13,000.00 and was said to be the most beautiful house in South-West Virginia. There were also five others wounded, including Floyd Allen. 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. The home is owned by Bert and Marlene Widener, who offer tours by appointment. As if entitled, they took what they wanted or needed. The Allens could be a rough bunch, who fought with and shot at enemies which they had no shortage of, apparently and even each other. Barely one year after the courthouse shootout, Floyd Allen and his son Claude were executed minutes apart at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. He wept freely as the verdict was read. When all the smoke cleared, there were five dead, seven wounded. The play was still occasionally performed before the pandemic. A stolen kiss. "The Courthouse Massacre? Spray bottom of pans with Pam baking spray apply the waxed paper and spray the pan, waxed paper and sides with Pam. 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. [1] Combs wanted the land badly enough to pay the asking price and bought it despite Floyd Allen's warnings not to "butt in. Many of Allen clan members were spectators in the courtroom, most of them armed with pistols. Airy). A nation-wide manhunt was called for by the Governor of Virginia which lasted six months. On 13 March 1912, in the Carroll County Circuit Court, Floyd Allen was tried for attacking two deputies who had arrested two of his nephews for fighting and disturbing a religious meeting. No one secured the courthouse as a crime scene. [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. He found the murder indictment against Sidna Allen, Floyds brother who would be convicted and serve more than 13 years in prison. 11218 The Roanoker - Hillsville Massacre Industrial Survey - Carroll County (NOTE a 1929 publication) Media The Carroll News He died there in 1953. The police of 1912 were not exactly professional. B. Marshall testified that when the shooting started he turned to escape the courthouse. Wesley was sentenced to sixty days and his brother thirty, which were served outside jail on work-release. Synopsis On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. Floyd? "Floyd Allen Defense Gets Well Into Case", Bluefield, West Virginia: "Defense Continues Efforts To Disprove Conspiracy". Airy, North Carolina where he encountered Will McGraw, a moonshine hauler. [23], Another prosecution witness was Floyd Allen's other attorney, Walter S. Tipton. But the governor refused. It sounded like Mayberry, but only for a moment! [1], In his testimony at his murder trial, Floyd Allen admitted he had fired at Deputy Clerk Quesinberry and again twice more at other unknown persons once he had left the courthouse.[28]. 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. Virginia law held that when a sheriff died his deputies lost all legal powers, so the shooting left Carroll County without law enforcement. Justice came swiftly to the Allens, perhaps a bit too swiftly for those folks who began to believe that a grave conspiracy among county officials had provoked the Allens in order to bring them down. 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.". [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. ")[1] Floyd Allen stated that only then did he draw his own revolver and begin shooting. [32], Sidna Edwards testified that he was not armed on the day of the shooting and that he did not like to carry guns. There is still question as to what happened and who shot first. Two others had been shot and would soon diethe jury foreman and a 19-year-old girl who had testified against Allen. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. We are the court of record. [21] Two more illegal stills were found at Sidna Edwards' house. [4] In July 1889, the Carroll County court indicted Floyd for assault as well, but in December of that year the Commonwealth's Attorney dropped the case. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court - Actors and actresses. 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 jury set his sentence at one year. - As a result of the deaths that occurred in the courtroom in 1912, the entire estates of Floyd and J. Sidna Allen were seized in settlement of wrongful death suits by the families of Massie, Foster and Webb. Sidna Allen maintained until the end of his life that this informant was Maude Iroller, Wesley's fiancee, who provided information on the fugitives' location in exchange for $500 from the detective agency. Director Rick Bowman Writers Rick Bowman Bill Perrine Stars The last and fifth shot went into the calf of the leg and when his trousers were removed, a .32 caliber bullet was discovered. Now, the manner by which he freed them depended on who was telling the story. 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. Easter ran to an acquaintance's home, and he telephoned the sheriff at Hillsville. - Almost everyone in Carroll County is related to everyone else. Who shot whom? Witnesses said she never looked Floyds way. The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. With the death of the Sheriff and so many of the Allens on the loose, the state sent help. Court Crime The 1910's Spread the love In 1912 a Carroll County, Virginia, man was sentenced to serve a one year sentence in the state penitentiary. It is the county seat of Carroll County and the only incorporated community in the county. In March 1912, there was a shooting at the Carroll County, Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia. Floyd stood up, his hands fidgeting with the bottom of his sweater, and he spoke his defiant words. I like how youre reading books about where you live. [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. Another entered the body at the cap of the left hip and passed through the abdomen. [34] Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards then left Virginia, eventually reaching Des Moines, Iowa. 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. Officers often had a violent past. He told Sheriff Lewis Webb to take the prisoner. There was a massive effort for the governor to commute the sentences of Claude and Floyd, including a petition with over 100,000 signatures. COOPERSTOWN NEW YORK POSTCARD~Orphanage Building/House~Cart 1911 (#185750574261) l***n (1544) - Feedback left by buyer l***n (1544). Autopsies were not conducted on the dead nor was any meaningful forensic investigation of the crime scene undertaken even though the science such studies existed in 1912 which only generated more questions, arguments, fights and conspiracy theories over the decades. A recent documentary film "Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court" won an independent film award last year and will be shown this week in Hillsville. Samuels' departure forced Commonwealth's Attorney William M. Foster to rely on testimony from Deputy Easter. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court; Videos; The Holstein Dilemma. The Hillsville Courthouse Shootout 1,426 views Jul 30, 2021 In 1912 a Carroll County, Virginia, man was sentenced to serve a one year sentence in the state penitentiary. A witness later testified that Floyd Allen had remarked that he "would not let any man talk to me that way."[14]. - Claude Allen did not take a gun when he went to Hillsville To Floyds trial. No autopsies were performed. Neither was prosecuted. There are still questions to be answered, but they probably never will be answered. 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. Careful who you kiss, huh? 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. - 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. Interest in the story never wanes, even though, as the historian Hall said, weve about beaten the thing to death.. It is amazing how nothing changes Today, a story gets retold till its stale, unless something big happens to push it off the headlines. [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. The pop of a single revolver. - Sidna Edwards presence at Floyd Allens trial was requested by Floyds lawyers. But the documents do bring humanity to a story often told through tintype pictures, brittle newspaper clippings, hazy memories and fables passed down through generations. Those involved on the Allen side ran away. . As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. But a year later the Hillsvile courthouse tragedy occurred and Sidna and his wife had only lived there a year. The law provided that everything could be seized with the exception of a few bare essentials necessary for existence, for example, 1 cow, 1 pig, etc. 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. Most likely, someone had intentionally hidden the drawer to keep people from pawing through and perhaps removing the papers. [13], The rumor that the Allens were intimidating witnesses was called to the attention of the court. Check your inbox now to confirm your subscription. [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. Thousands of people wrote letters to Gov. 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. Wesley, the story goes, shucked a red ear of corn and proceeded to kiss the girlfriend of a Thomas boy who he did not like. Those old papers were lost or stolen, Horney replied. [11] There was only one set of handcuffs, and because Sidna Edwards had tried to escape a couple of times, Wesley was handcuffed in the front seat of the buggy and Sidna was tied in the back seat. Floyd Allen was going to trial. Entdecke 1960er Jahre ORLANDO FLORIDA MCCOY FLUGHAFEN ~ Delta Air Lines Flugzeug Start- und Landebahn ~ Postkarte ~ A5 in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, IHeart Radio or on your favorite podcast app. They, too, were captured by Felts and his men, as Sidna Allen came to believe that Wesleys girlfriend back home had betrayed them. Discover short videos related to Hillsville 1912 A Shooting in the Court on TikTok. [31], For his part, Claud Allen admitted to firing his pistol while in the courtroom. 1982-2023 The Carroll County Historical Society, INC. - The Carroll County Historical Society and Museum website, The Carroll County Historical Society and Museum, Welcome To The Carroll County Historical Society and Museum Website, Family Search.org | Carroll County, Virginia Genealogy, Family Search.org | Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy, Mount Airy, NC Museum of Regional History. [2] In May 1889, Floyd's brothers, Garland and Sidna Allen, were tried for carrying concealed pistols and assaulting a group of thirteen men. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court at Amazon.com. The new system appointed a full-time judge to hold court at scheduled intervals in a circuit of several counties. Convicted on capital murder, both Claude and Floyd were sentenced to death. [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. Yep, I think we do have similar tendencies. 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. 12 talking about this. 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. [27] Years later, an allegation surfaced that Deputy Clerk H.C. Quesinberry had confessed on his deathbed to starting the shooting; two men swore an affidavit to that effect in 1967 (for which each man was reportedly paid $25). Sadler took the file drawer to a vault in the courthouse and dove into the trove. On a different occasion, he heard Floyd Allen make the same threat of putting the biggest hole in the courthouse that any man ever had seen. I oppose capital punishment (although if you heard what I sometimes say about certain characters on tv, you might doubt that). [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. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court, is a documentary feature concerning the Carroll County Courthouse shootings that occurred in Hillsville, Virginia. "You have no idea how much it means to me for you to be here today. Bolen testified that Claud Allen fired the first shot, and that Claud Allen's pistol shot, together with a second shot fired by Sidna Allen, killed Judge Massie. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #truckspottinginthe717 . Photo by Ralph Berrier Jr. www.ccva.digital/1912-historical-courthouse-tragedy.html, The politics of March pressing assault chargesagainst Williams. [8], In 1910, Sidna Allen was tried in the United States court at Greensboro, North Carolina for making twenty-dollar counterfeit coins. [29], Another witness, Walter Petty, also testified that the first shots were fired from the courtroom's northeast corner, where Claud Allen was standing. V. Ray Bowman is known for Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court (2011). 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. Accounts differ as to whether this was for a lack of evidence, or because Marion became a state's witness and admitted his role in aiding the Allens. Was Clerk of Carroll County Circuit Court During the Famous Allen Trial. 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. In March 1912, there was a shooting at the Carroll County, Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia. His grandfather had taken the round from the courthouse the day of the killings. But it turned out that he actually had left behind one document about what he saw and heard on March 14, 1912. "Saw Claude Allen Fire First At Judge Massie". Floyd freed his nephews and took them himself to the Hillsville jail two days later. They were arrested by Caleb Haynes and Oscar Monday of the Mount Airy police department and brought to the state line. He teased Horney about Wythe County losing such valuable historical artifacts. There is a story of where I live now that has never been written about that I have found very fascinating and have extensive notes on it. "Claude Allen Convicted: He Is Found Guilty of Murdering Commonwealth's Attorney Foster", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Allen Clan Hillsville Courthouse Shootout", The Wheeling Intelligencer March 15, 1912 p.15, Transcriptions of contemporary newspaper articles, "Mug Shot Monday Special Edition: Floyd and Claude Allen", The UncommonWealth: Voices from the Library of Virginia at the Library of Virginia, The UncommonWealth: Voices from the Library of Virginia, "Hillsville Massacre - The UncommonWealth", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Floyd_Allen&oldid=1137936144, People executed by Virginia by electric chair, 20th-century executions of American people, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2020, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from December 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Lewis Franklin Webb, Carroll County sheriff, William McDonald Foster, Commonwealth's Attorney, Augustus Cezar Fowler, juror (died of wounds), This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 04:22. [10] Rather than face arrest, the two men fled over the state line to North Carolina, where they found jobs in a granite quarry. 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. 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. The remaining prisoners received pardons (from a different governor) in the 1920s. Wesley Edwards drew nine years for each count of murder for the slaying of Foster, Massie, and Webb for a total of 27 years' imprisonment. The jury could not agree on a verdict immediately as the trial ended, and were sequestered in a local hotel overnight. He lived to be the last surviving member of the jury, dying in 1963. At one time, there was another store and a tannery and a number of dairies and some local micro-distilleries (before they became popular or legal). This sideline didnt add to the story. View over 100 different photos - art pieces about the 1912 courthouse tragedy and Allen family from Cana, VA in this. Floyd Allen's son, Victor, bought his father's house so his mother would not have to move. [11] On the way to the courthouse, the buggy passed by several properties owned by the Allens. According to Floyd Allen's defense attorney, David Winton Bolen, "[Floyd] hesitated a moment, and then he aroseHe looked to me like a man who was about to say something, and had hardly made up his mind what he was going to say, but as he got straight, he moved off to my left, I would say five or six feet, and he seemed to gain his speech, and he said something like this, 'I just tell you, I ain't a'going. More than fifty bullets were later recovered from the shooting scene. - 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. It lays the foundation of the events of that tragic story from March 1912.. He only lived 7 years after the trial. Howard, I believe thats what youve been looking for, Horney said. Ive already read four books and have another four lined up to read!. "Claude Allen First To Fire At Hillsville". Sidna Allen and Claud Allen stood on benches in the courtroom's northeast corner to see over the crowd. Bringing in Sheaves: The Western Revivals of the Reverend A. "[4], Judge Jackson recalled a trial in 1904 in which Allen was convicted of assaulting a neighbor, Noah Combs. 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Fosters handwriting gave him chills is Why I always insist on exploring my neighborhoods walking... Were five dead, seven wounded against Sidna Allen and Claud Allen admitted to firing his pistol while in story... Hidden the drawer to keep people from pawing through and perhaps removing hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court...