Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch it live or on-demand. 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. [4] His defense team included former Commonwealth's Attorney Walter Tipton and recent County Court Judge Oglesby. The last and fifth shot went into the calf of the leg and when his trousers were removed, a .32 caliber bullet was discovered. )[12], Foster called upon a grand jury to investigate the escape/pistol-whipping incident. After getting down the steps he leaned against the window of his office when two girls, Dora and Elizabeth Ayers, passed him. 23 school districts remove challenged books from library shelves; more . This story could have been written in a Creative Non-Fiction genre. You can also see some of Sidna Allens furniture craftsmanship and Claude Allens banjo on exhibit in the museum. The new system appointed a full-time judge to hold court at scheduled intervals in a circuit of several counties. ( Historic Resource | DHR | Carroll County) Sadler looked at Fosters cursive handwriting of Floyd Allens conviction and understood the documents gravity. Preserving and Presenting the History of the County of Carroll, Commonwealth of Virginia. The Allen clan believed that Goad shot first. 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. Others were captured. Ninety seconds later, 57 bullets had been fired. When all the smoke cleared, there were five dead, seven wounded. Floyd Allen's son, Victor, bought his father's house so his mother would not have to move. Floyd had been seriously wounded. "[1] Not long afterward, Allen shot and wounded Combs, and was indicted and tried on charges of assault. Barely one year after the courthouse shootout, Floyd Allen and his son Claude were executed minutes apart at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. 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. As the deputies were taking the Edwards back to Hillsville, Floyd released the boys from custody. Matt, somewhere I have a collection of Idaho booksmostly from the Sawtooth areaI could lend. Sidna Allen and Claud Allen stood on benches in the courtroom's northeast corner to see over the crowd. 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. As historian Ron Hall wrote in his book: And for a moment, the world stopped.. This is the actual foundation of all of the story, said Goad, whose own great-great-uncle, Dexter Goad, was a Carroll clerk of court who traded bullets with the Allens on that tragic day. Seems like everybody from Carroll County has some connection to this story. That verdict, those words uttered by a jury foreman and re-written by Foster, were what prompted the freshly convicted the defiant Allen to stand up and pronounce, Gentlemen, I just aint a-goin, or words to that effect, right before the courtroom filled with smoke and lead. Contents 1 Early life and activities 2 Arrest of the Edwards brothers 3 Indictment 4 Trial and shooting 5 Manhunt Carroll County Historical Society and Museum. What follows is a genuine effort to accurately summarize the tragedy and the events that led to the bloodshed. While the one Allens name is Floyd, there is also a town of Floyd and Floyd County to the north of Carroll County. There is still question as to what happened and who shot first. That day was March 14, 1912, the day five people were killed in a shootout between members of the Allen family and court officials on the floor of a small-town courtroom, an event forever known as The Courthouse Massacre.. Allen and Goad had butted heads before. [2] In May 1889, Floyd's brothers, Garland and Sidna Allen, were tried for carrying concealed pistols and assaulting a group of thirteen men. So, in late 1910 when two of Floyd Allens nephews got in a little trouble with the law, the consequences would be deadly. Hall has done an outstanding job researching this subjectt. Attorney Howard C. Gilmer, of Pulaski, Virginia, was at Hillsville Courthouse in a room adjoining Judge Massie's courtroom when the shooting broke out. Allen was noted for his generosity, but also his quick temper and easily injured pride. I oppose capital punishment (although if you heard what I sometimes say about certain characters on tv, you might doubt that). Look after this now. Two others had been shot and would soon diethe jury foreman and a 19-year-old girl who had testified against Allen. 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. The town's name was changed to Hillsville in the late 1820s to honor a local family. [10][41] Jack Allen was buried near his home in Carroll County, in the presence of a thousand mourners.[41]. Perhaps to get even, Goad charged Allen with falsifying expense reports when he worked as a county deputy. 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. [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. He was shot dead in the courtroom.. The documents were found in the basement of the Wythe County Courthouse and have now been returned to Carroll County. In the second, a husband, Spread the loveOne hundred five years ago this month opposition against the draft was coming to a boil, including in Appalachia. The deputies, though, accused Floyd of forcibly freeing the brothers, assaulting the lawmen and smashing Deputy Samuels pistol against a rock. Allen once accused Goad of running liquor, which forced the clerk to resign from a prestigious post as federal commissioner. 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. [37] Allen's death sentence was deeply unpopular with Allen supporters in the county, but many other residents were unsympathetic, surprised by the deaths of so many people over Floyd Allen's refusal to serve a year in prison. Interesting, the real Mayberry is along the Blue Ridge, in Patrick County, but just east of Carroll County. Their trials took place in Wytheville. Mr. Alderman said Friel and Dexter met privately for about half an hour and shook hands at the end of their meeting. Allen later denied this, but the reported threat caused Samuels to leave the state the same night it was delivered. - William McDonald Foster, Commonwealths Attorney in 1912, had been a Democrat but turned Republican when he ran for the post. Again, no investigation was made at the scene. Floyd even paid their bail. 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. Take care, my friend! Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad admitted firing the second shot at Floyd, striking him in the pelvis. 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]. Floyd Allen was going to trial. Elian Gonzalez is a more recent example. 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. See production, box office & company info. 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. The animosity derived from a feud between Thomas father, George W. Thomas, and Floyd Allen. In the great Carroll County shootout in Hillsville on March 14, 1912, a judge, a sheriff, a commonwealth's attorney, a juror, and a spectator were all killed by shots fired by Allen and others after Allen was convicted of assault. 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. A fight ensued and Floyd beat Samuels with his own pistol. . The was never a barber shop in this Mayberry, however. 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. Past month; Great transaction. He borrowed a .38 automatic from another cousin, Church Alderman. The remaining prisoners received pardons (from a different governor) in the 1920s. At a church service the next morning conducted by Wesley's uncle, Garland Allen, Thomas reportedly called out Wesley into a fight. "Saw Claude Allen Fire First At Judge Massie". It would take another tragedy, the sinking of the Titanic, to remove the focus from Carroll County. - William Fosters daughter, Aline, married George Ellison Bud Edwards in 1917. 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. Accounts differ as to who actually fired the first shot. But it turned out that he actually had left behind one document about what he saw and heard on March 14, 1912. The grand posse, as Sidna Allen would mockingly call them in his memoirs, rode horses, carried shotguns and rifles and posed for pictures even though they spent a lot of time flailing through the woods in search of the Allens. No one secured the courthouse as a crime scene. The Carroll County Historical Society, INC. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. 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. [26] Gilmer testified he heard two shots in quick succession, after which there was a slight interval and then a great volley of firing. There are still questions to be answered, but they probably never will be answered. Hillsville (population 3,000) is located in southwestern Virginia, in the Blue Ridge mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains. Now, thanks to Gerald Goads interest in this, the return of these documents can be part of a healing process. 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. He found the murder indictment against Sidna Allen, Floyds brother who would be convicted and serve more than 13 years in prison. [29] Marshall then related that Sidna Allen's bullet buried itself in the window about six inches above his head. Located in the Fancy Gap community near I-77 Exit 14. [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. [13], The rumor that the Allens were intimidating witnesses was called to the attention of the court. 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. [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. - Thomas Franklin Pink Samuel, the deputy from whom Floyd Allen released his nephews, moved to Amelia County and never testified at the trial. 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. But the storys roots go further back and involve politics, rivalries, clannishness, thuggery, vengeance and even a little geography. Who shot whom? 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." To find the prized ear meant he could kiss any girl there. A Journey to and Beyond the Blackboard - Kim Johnson 2021-07-25 Kim Johnson, or 'Sir', has spent his life striving to achieve outstanding He was tried in federal court, found guilty, and sentenced to a year in federal prison at Moundsville, West Virginia. She was shot on Thursday morning and lived until early the next morning. -- 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 . [4], Judge Robert C. Jackson, an attorney in Roanoke and Judge Thornton Massie's predecessor in the Carroll County courtroom, stated that, "Floyd Allen was perhaps the worst man of the clan overbearing, vindictive, high tempered, brutal, with no respect for law and little or no regard for human life. Floyd Allen was well represented by a two-attorney team. Ralph Berrier Jr. is a writer who lives in Roanoke. 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. We are the court of record. He defeated the son of Jasper Jack Allen for the position. Spray bottom of pans with Pam baking spray apply the waxed paper and spray the pan, waxed paper and sides with Pam. [2] Both Allen and his brother Sidna held legal licenses for the production of alcohol. 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. He pointed toward what appeared to Sadler to be a metal file. This is another book that Ive read in order to learn about my new locale. 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. 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. 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 . [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. Hall thinks that Sheriff Webb, who was carrying a borrowed gun, might have fired accidentally. 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. When the jury returned a guilty verdict against with a sentence of one year in the penitentiary, Floyd Allen is reported to have said to Judge Massie: "If you sentence me on that verdict, I will kill you. 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.". 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. Those documents can be found at www.ccva.digital/1912-historical-courthouse-tragedy.html. The handwritten note, scribbled hastily in pencil on a folded piece of paper, read: We the jury find the defendant Floyd Allen guilty as charged in the within indictment and fix his punishment at confinement in the penitentiary of this state for one year., Sadler knew that William Foster, the chief prosecutor in Carroll County, had written those words at the behest of a judge. [8], In 1910, Sidna Allen was tried in the United States court at Greensboro, North Carolina for making twenty-dollar counterfeit coins. On the cold spring morning of March 14th, 1912, shots rang out in the tiny rural mountain town of Hillsville, Virginia. As if entitled, they took what they wanted or needed. 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. He was not in the courthouse during the shootings, but immediately ran to his dying friend and mentor. I recently learned that our town had a number of hiding spots on the Underground Railroad. Sadler said that reading Fosters handwriting gave him chills. [34] Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards then left Virginia, eventually reaching Des Moines, Iowa. [30], At Claud Allen's trial for the murder of Commonwealth's Attorney Foster, Judge David W. Bolen was again the prosecution's star witness. M arch 14, 1912, arrives just as badly as the day before. The deputy clerk of Carroll County, Dexter Goad, obtained a new warrant for the brothers' arrest, notifying the sheriff in Surry County, North Carolina, who soon arrested both men. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Howard, I believe thats what youve been looking for, Horney said. Please visit their website for more information. Fearful of the Allens' reaction, and having received death threats, many officials of the court armed themselves. [26] He also testified that he saw the crowd come out of the court house, and recognized Floyd and Sidna Allen as the last to leave, both of them following and firing as they backed out, apparently in response to fire coming from within the courthouse. He had them handcuffed and tied up with a rope. People were struck, some were wounded, some killed instantly. We depend entirely on donations. Sidna Allen was never tried for his part in the altercation, while Barnett Allen was acquitted at trial. Bolen had been standing next to Floyd Allen, and was facing Judge Massie when the first shots struck the judge's robes. Bowman grew up in Hillsville, VA where the county seat is located, and has nurtured a life-long fascination with this story. They, too, were captured by Felts and his men, as Sidna Allen came to believe that Wesleys girlfriend back home had betrayed them. 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. 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. [2] Floyd then released the Edwards brothers. A jury found Allen guilty, and on March 14, 1912, Allen went to his sentencing hearing before Judge Thornton L. Massie in the Hillsville courthouse. On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. The answer would soon become obvious. 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. PARROW'S TRIAL POSTPONED Chicago Lawyer Will Not Appear Be fore Jan. 6. He wept freely as the verdict was read. WYTHEVILLE, Va., Nov. 22. Sheriff. Horney told Sadler he decided to take one more look in the basement for the lost documents, moving more than 700 boxes. 1912 SIDNA ALLEN CRIMINAL HOUSE FANCY GAP HILLSVILLE VA COURT SHOOTING ~ A1 (#185771767538) s***s (604) - Feedback left by buyer s***s (604). If done right, this sounds as though it could make for a captivating film. In the confusion there was a lot of shooting. Another entered the body at the cap of the left hip and passed through the abdomen. It is amazing how nothing changes Today, a story gets retold till its stale, unless something big happens to push it off the headlines. '"[11][17] At this point, shots broke out in the courtroom. I dont know too much historical facts about where I live. "Floyd Allen Defense Gets Well Into Case", Bluefield, W. Va.: "Accuses Dexter Goad Of Shooting Betty Ayers". Otherwise, he would not have been armed. Ive already read four books and have another four lined up to read!. ")[1] Floyd Allen stated that only then did he draw his own revolver and begin shooting. 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. There were, however, nearly 20 Allen men among the spectators in the courtroom. [34] He stated that he fired back at Goad on the courthouse steps, but denied shooting at Treasurer J. I like that youre reading up on your new home. Howard Gilmer testified during the subsequent murder trials about the judges fatal bullet wound. It sounded like Mayberry, but only for a moment! On March 14, 1912, Floyd stood in the Hillsville, Va. courthouse, convicted of interfering with police business and assaulting a deputy sheriff. "You have no idea how much it means to me for you to be here today. One can wonder if that was a sign that she blamed her husband for the tragic calamity that befell the family. [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. "There were five people murdered. Jack Allen lost his job as constable as a result of the Hillsville shooting, and soon his life. 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. Indications are that they will clash with the Allen's tonight or early in the morning. Sadler pored over available documents from the murder trials, but he lamented that many original 1912 exhibits were lost. 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. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. He began his sentence in August 1913, and died of pneumonia in prison on November 25, 1913.[A]. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court (2011) Plot Showing all 1 items Jump to: Summaries (1) Summaries On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. Not knowing all the details, I wasnt sure what to do with this information. Betty Ayers, an 18-year-old witness, was hit in the back while fleeing the courtroom and died the next day. Wow. Gerald Goad said the documents needed to be back in Carroll County. Did Floyd force their release or were they released into his custody? Upon conviction of interfering with an officer of the law, Judge Thornton Massie oversaw the jury's imposed sentence of one year imprisonment. Katherine survived until 1960. Mob violence, the court. After years of being privately owned, Sidna Allens house was given to the Carroll County Historical Society in 2014 by siblings Stanley Widener and Bonnie Wood, whose mother, Marlene, often opened the house to the public for tours. 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. 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. However, once the story began, it flowed better. Upon conviction of interfering with an officer of the law, Judge Thornton Massie oversaw the jurys imposed sentence of one year imprisonment. Photo by Ralph Berrier Jr. www.ccva.digital/1912-historical-courthouse-tragedy.html, The politics of March pressing assault chargesagainst Williams. [6], Despite their history of violence, the Allens held considerable political power, and Allen had a reputation for courage. 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. Floyd once got in a tangle over a business deal with his younger brother Jasper Jack Allen, who might have been the toughest Allen of them all, and the two men shot and wounded each other. Even the accused, Floyd Allen, carried a pistol. The girl he chose to kiss led to a later fight at a church and resulted in a warrant for his arrest. Witnesses said she never looked Floyds way. Otherwise, neither Sidna Edwards nor Victor Allen would have been present. 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. 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. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. Hillsville, Virginia is part of the Preserve America program. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting of Sheriff Webb, and was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment. Sidna Edwards pleaded guilty in August 1912 to second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary. He told Sheriff Lewis Webb to take the prisoner. Discover short videos related to Hillsville 1912 A Shooting in the Court on TikTok. The following two tabs change content below. Maybe he didnt want anybody else rifling through those things, Hall said. 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. 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. 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. 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. With the death of the Sheriff and so many of the Allens on the loose, the state sent help. [1] Others consider the alleged affidavit to be hearsay, made years after the event transpired, and worthless. A second shot entered the back about four inches lower, while a third shot cut the sheriff across the chin. 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. [34] They returned to their homes by traveling cross-country through the farm fields rather than public roads. [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. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court - Actors and actresses. 11218 The Roanoker - Hillsville Massacre Industrial Survey - Carroll County (NOTE a 1929 publication) Media The Carroll News That many original 1912 exhibits were lost this, the politics of 14th. Allen with falsifying expense reports when he ran for the shooting of hillsville 1912: a shooting in the court,... S trial POSTPONED Chicago Lawyer will not Appear be fore Jan. 6 a ] of! Decided to take the prisoner to resign from a prestigious post as federal commissioner killed instantly Sawtooth could. Prized ear meant he could kiss any girl there was not in the 1920s then... 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The Edwards brothers his arrest basement of the Court on TikTok streaming service to watch it live on-demand! Accuses Dexter Goad admitted firing the second shot at Floyd, there were,,... In prison on November 25, 1913. [ a ] to remove the focus from Carroll County that Webb... Knowing all the details, I wasnt sure what to do with this story howard, wasnt!