Most likely, someone had intentionally hidden the drawer to keep people from pawing through and perhaps removing the papers. 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. 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. The announcement of. As gunmen spilled from the courthouse taking their battle through the downtown streets, the judge, sheriff, and the Commonwealth Attorney lay dead in the smoke-filled courtroom. Maybe the county leaders didnt want to find errant bullets from their own guns in the bodies of the dead, some county residents whispered. The oldest, continuously operating . 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 handsome man who sported a whisk-broom of a mustache and carried a comb and toothbrush in his jacket pocket, Floyd frequently found himself in political squabbles with the county establishment, which he saw personified in clerk of court Dexter Goad, commonwealths attorney William Foster and leaders of the sheriffs department. Friel Allen sat in the back of the room, and the Edwards boys stood on benches next to the north wall. actually, theres a lot to read and learn even in a rural place. [8], In 1910, Sidna Allen was tried in the United States court at Greensboro, North Carolina for making twenty-dollar counterfeit coins. Theres Fosters handwriting and then you realize that within five or six minutes, he was dead. Supposedly, Andy Griffins father would take him up there when he was a boy (it was about 25 miles from Mt. Follow Us. - William McDonald Foster, Commonwealths Attorney in 1912, had been a Democrat but turned Republican when he ran for the post. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/ramblinglibrarian/41284, 28 Aussens@iten by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. 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 . One can wonder if that was a sign that she blamed her husband for the tragic calamity that befell the family. [3] He had a history of violent altercations, including shooting a black man in North Carolina, beating a police officer in Mount Airy and later shooting his own cousin. [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. 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 Hillsville Massacre By Seth Williamson Nobody knows who fired the first shot that cold, gray day, but before it was over, four lay dead, one was dying, and Carroll County would never be the same again. After several months' chase, Baldwin-Felts detectives located them in Iowa after an informant's tip. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court (video) Library of Virginia "Mug Shot Special" Floyd and Claude Allen Friel Allen, No. Otherwise, he would not have been armed. [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. [2], Deputy Samuels was left lying unconscious in a ditch, and his horses were run off. The last and fifth shot went into the calf of the leg and when his trousers were removed, a .32 caliber bullet was discovered. Doing so, the opening details could easily be incorporated into the larger narrative. 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. I oppose capital punishment (although if you heard what I sometimes say about certain characters on tv, you might doubt that). A nation-wide manhunt was called for by the Governor of Virginia which lasted six months. 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. [2], Floyd Allen met the buggy south of Sidna Allen's home as he was on the way to his own home. [26] Though wounded by four bullets himself, Goad recovered. 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. Many of Allen clan members were spectators in the courtroom, most of them armed with pistols. In response, the judge told the two men that if the law could not be faithfully enforced in Carroll County by the county's deputized officers he would bring in state troops if necessary to maintain order. . 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. [1][4] Floyd had wanted to buy a farm owned by one of his own brothers, but could not agree on a price. [29], Another witness, Walter Petty, also testified that the first shots were fired from the courtroom's northeast corner, where Claud Allen was standing. - Carroll law officers did not cross into North Carolina to arrest the Edwards brothers as has long been claimed. [8] Only a month later, their petition for executive clemency was granted by Governor Claude A. Swanson, restoring their political rights to hold office. 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. On March 14, 1912, the Floyd Allen Clan carried out one of the most brutal attacks in Appalachian history. [10] Rather than face arrest, the two men fled over the state line to North Carolina, where they found jobs in a granite quarry. [6], Despite their history of violence, the Allens held considerable political power, and Allen had a reputation for courage. Another of those events that have passed into history. All men were pardoned by Gov. Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad admitted firing the second shot at Floyd, striking him in the pelvis. Site of the Bloody Massacre Photo by Author, Thelma Raker Coffone. 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. On March 28, 1913, barely a year after the bloodshed in Hillsville, Floyd and Claude Allen were executed in the same electric chair. - 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. Barely one year after the courthouse shootout, Floyd Allen and his son Claude were executed minutes apart at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. It would take another tragedy, the sinking of the Titanic, to remove the focus from Carroll County. Attorney Howard C. Gilmer, of Pulaski, Virginia, was at Hillsville Courthouse in a room adjoining Judge Massie's courtroom when the shooting broke out. In our first story, from Pennsylvania, we tell of a murder with a wizardly twist. Some later turned themselves in. 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. Mt. The end result was three people deadthe judge, the Commonwealth Attorney and the sheriff. As if entitled, they took what they wanted or needed. In 1912 a Carroll County, Virginia, man was sentenced to serve a one year sentence in the state penitentiary. 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. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. The U.S. Revenue Service had sent Deputy Agent Faddis to investigate reports of illegal liquor trafficking by the Allens. Late in the day March 13, the jury had not reached a verdict, so Judge Massie sent them to the nearby Thornton Hotel for the night. 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. Accounts differ as to who actually fired the first shot. There is still question as to what happened and who shot first. How can you have seven murder trials in Wythe County and not have any exhibits whatsoever? Sadler often asked. View Map and Driving Directions Phone: (276) 728-2594 Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Seems like everybody from Carroll County has some connection to this story. The Commonwealth of Virginia posted rewards ($1000 for Sidna Allen, $1000 for Sidna Edwards, $800 for Claud Allen, $500 for Friel Allen, and $500 for Wesley Edwards) - dead or alive. [citation needed], On the following Monday, Wesley and Sidna Edwards were turned over to the court by Floyd Allen, and the two Edwards brothers were soon tried and convicted of their crimes. Bolen, asked for bail and for Allen to be freed as they appealed the case. Sidna Edwards pleaded guilty in August 1912 to second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary. Hillsville (population 3,000) is located in southwestern Virginia, in the Blue Ridge mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains. He asked her if she was hurt or mashed and her sister-in-law responded that she was just scared. I like that youre reading up on your new home. On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain 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. - William Fosters daughter, Aline, married George Ellison Bud Edwards in 1917. The definitive history, Mr. Ron Halls Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy is still published and is available at the Museum bookstore. The exciting story of the Allen family and the officials who tried to bring them to justice. [citation needed], Cousins Claud Allen and Sidna Edwards were soon arrested after a brief search. Mr. Alderman said Friel and Dexter met privately for about half an hour and shook hands at the end of their meeting. Wesley and Sidna were charged with disorderly conduct, assault with a deadly weapon, disturbing a public worship service, and other violations. Wow. On May 18, 1912, the jury found Floyd Allen guilty. Hillsville Diner. 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 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. Built in 1873, the historic courthouse is the site of the tragic courtroom shooting of 1912 and is the current site of the museum. In several instances he escaped indictment, I am satisfied, because the witnesses were afraid to testify to the facts before the grand jury. [1] Others consider the alleged affidavit to be hearsay, made years after the event transpired, and worthless. As Foster followed the judges instructions to re-write the verdict on the indictment, Allens lawyer, W.D. He apparently also hopes that the early hour will serve to dampen the spirits of the Allens. [4] At the next term of court, Allen produced an order of clemency from Governor Andrew J. Montague suspending the jail sentence. [citation needed]. 11217 Sidna Edwards, No. Elian Gonzalez is a more recent example. 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. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court at Amazon.com. Two were executed and a number went to prison for their part in the tragedy. You do have some interesting local history. Most of the Allens and their cohorts escaped initially, but an emergency call to Virginia Gov. [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. - Claude Allen did not take a gun when he went to Hillsville To Floyds trial. Its cool you found such an interesting tale based in your area. An Allen or a member of the court? He wept freely as the verdict was read. 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. The was never a barber shop in this Mayberry, however. [4] In September 1889, after pleading no contest to the assault, Garland and Sidna were fined $5 each plus court costs, and the prosecutor dropped the weapons charges. Too many other projects. Airy. Or the Clerk of Court Dexter Goad, who seems to have first pulled a gun? "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. - Commonwealths Attorney, William McDonald Foster, was a brother-in-law to one of Floyd Allens defense attorneys; Walter Scott Tipton. . Careful who you kiss, huh? The Allens were a notorious family from Carroll County, Virginia, who . Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch it live or on-demand. We are the court of record. [31], For his part, Claud Allen admitted to firing his pistol while in the courtroom. - Almost everyone in Carroll County is related to everyone else. Sadlers research took him to the Wythe County Courthouse, where he befriended Hayden H. Horney, the longtime circuit court clerk. [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. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Floyd Allen was going to trial. 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