If done right, this sounds as though it could make for a captivating film. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. [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. - Carroll law officers did not cross into North Carolina to arrest the Edwards brothers as has long been claimed. . Petty also witnessed a pistol duel between Sidna Allen and Deputy Clerk Dexter Goad. "[26], County Treasurer J. - 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. It also hired Baldwin-Felt hired detectives (a group like the Pinkertons). [34] They returned to their homes by traveling cross-country through the farm fields rather than public roads. 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. His brother, Sidna? I like how youre reading books about where you live. Court testimony says she was outside throwing up on the lawn when Doctor Nuckolls came by. -- 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 . [34] He stated that he fired back at Goad on the courthouse steps, but denied shooting at Treasurer J. See production, box office & company info. Massie refused, saying he was there to prosecute, not persecute.. The documents dont answer the seemingly unsolvable questions that have lingered in the air like gun smoke for 110 years. Floyd spent the night at his brother Sidnas splendid new home in Fancy Gap, about 7 miles away. In April 1926, Governor Harry Flood Byrd pardoned Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards. COOPERSTOWN NEW YORK POSTCARD~Orphanage Building/House~Cart 1911 (#185750574261) l***n (1544) - Feedback left by buyer l***n (1544). 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.. - 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. He told Sheriff Lewis Webb to take the prisoner. The judge refused. [21] After three wrongful death lawsuits by the victims' estates and survivors, that property was confiscated and sold at auction, forcing Sidna Allen's wife and two small daughters to live in rented quarters and work at menial jobs until Sidna's eventual pardon. [29] Marshall also testified he had been standing near Sheriff Webb, but did not see any pistol in the Sheriff's hand. On the cold spring morning of March 14th, 1912, shots rang out in the tiny rural mountain town of Hillsville, Virginia. Neither died, but Jack had a silver plate in his head until he died. Because of his vision to preserve and protect these exhibits, theyll never be lost again.. Harry F. Byrd Sr. in the 1920s. Horney told Sadler he decided to take one more look in the basement for the lost documents, moving more than 700 boxes. However, Goad denied firing the first shot in the fusillade. But there they were, hidden in a drawer in the basement of the Wythe County Courthouse, where a longtime clerk discovered them in the fall of 2016. Two were executed and a number went to prison for their part in the tragedy. Contact him at ralph.berrier@gmail.com. WALTERBORO, S.C. ( WCSC /Gray News) - Attorneys in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial are expected to deliver their closing arguments beginning Wednesday after jurors visited the scene of the killings . Floyd stood up, his hands fidgeting with the bottom of his sweater, and he spoke his defiant words. Courthouse Productions will stage "Thunder in the Hills" again at the historic Carroll County Courthouse, North Main Street, Hillsville, Virginia, beginning April 7. There is still question as to what happened and who shot first. In March 1912, there was a shooting at the Carroll County, Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia. March broke cold and rainy in the mountains. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court Great Video Historical documentary of the 1912 Hillsville, VA courthouse shootout between the Allen family and the officers of the court. [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. Sadler said that his grandfathers reputation was that of an attorney who possessed a great gift of gab and was a prolific letter writer, but he never left behind any record of what he saw or heard that day in the Hillsville courtroom. [1] Others consider the alleged affidavit to be hearsay, made years after the event transpired, and worthless. But the governor refused. Now, the manner by which he freed them depended on who was telling the story. 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. If the Blacksburg-Roanoke-Lynchburg area wants a regional tech hub, here's a chance to help write the rules, Beware the Ides of March; bloom-busting cold likely lurks. The men were gunned down during one of the most notorious events in Southwest Virginia history. The judge hopes that since the normal court opening time is 9 a.m. the Allen case can be dispensed with rapidly and the normal caseload handled in due time. 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. Eventually, Carroll County deputies Thomas Pink Samuels and Peter Easter nabbed the brothers in North Carolina, shackled them and loaded them on a wagon for the long ride up the mountain, passing by Sidna Allens home and store in Fancy Gap where they were met by none other than a hot-tempered Floyd Allen, who was angered that his kinfolk were hog-tied in a wagon like livestock being carted to market. Upon conviction of interfering with an officer of the law, Judge Thornton Massie oversaw the jury's imposed sentence of one year imprisonment. I should do better and learn more about the area I call home. 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.). Sheriff and Commonwealth's Attorney dead, court serious. This is another book that Ive read in order to learn about my new locale. Eleven minutes later, his son, Claud, followed his father to death in the electric chair. The exciting story of the Allen family and the officials who tried to bring them to justice. I enjoyed the book even though it took me a while to get into it. However, once the story began, it flowed better. [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. In his defense testimony, Floyd Allen stated that Sheriff Lew F. Webb fired first, but that the shot missed Allen, at which point Deputy Clerk Goad, the Clerk of Court, fired and hit Allen, causing him to fall. Atop a shelf, he saw what looked like a drawer among the boxes. One can wonder if that was a sign that she blamed her husband for the tragic calamity that befell the family. [26] Though wounded by four bullets himself, Goad recovered. Despite taking his nephews to jail himself, Floyd was accused that he did feloniously and forcably [sic] rescue his nephews, according to a grand jury indictment. A local tradition maintained that if a boy discovered a red ear of corn, he had the choice to kiss any girl at the party. Check your inbox now to confirm your subscription. The museum has extensive archive and reference materials in its resource section, as well as exhibits and artifacts that reflect the heritage of Carroll County. . The documents found their way to Wytheville because that was the site of the ensuing trials that followed the shootout, the venue having been moved from Hillsville where anger against the defendants boiled. For example, Betty Ayers, who was killed in the courthouse tragedy, was a 4th cousin to Dexter Goad (clerk of court), 4th cousin, twice removed, from Woodson Quesenberry (deputy clerk), 2nd cousin, twice removed, from Floyd Allens wife and a 3rd cousin to the Edwards brothers, Wesley and Sidna. View over 100 different photos - art pieces about the 1912 courthouse tragedy and Allen family from Cana, VA in this. Many of Allen clan members were spectators in the courtroom, most of them armed with pistols. 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. Floyd even paid their bail. The jury found Allen guilty of assault on 14 March and sentenced him to one year in the penitentiary. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court watch movie for free Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court full movie *Watch Movie Online or Watch Best Free HD 1080p Videos on Desktop, Laptop, Notebook, Tablet, iPhone, iPad, Mac Pro and more. The Historical Society has gathered significant materials, published over the years, that attempt to interpret this event in our local history. Perhaps to get even, Goad charged Allen with falsifying expense reports when he worked as a county deputy. He never wrote a damn word about the most significant event in his life, Sadler said. In a presentation he called The Last Witness, he recounted his grandfathers story and reminded people that, with the return of the trial documents to Carroll County, they were all watching history unfold. [23], Another prosecution witness was Floyd Allen's other attorney, Walter S. Tipton. He teased Horney about Wythe County losing such valuable historical artifacts. As Sadler studied his grandmothers old scrapbooks, he found a copy of a letter that he had written to state legislators nearly 20 years after the shootout. 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. Sadler knew that tragic story, and he understood his familys connection to it. Did Floyd force their release or were they released into his custody? The remaining prisoners received pardons (from a different governor) in the 1920s. 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. 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. Convicted on capital murder, both Claude and Floyd were sentenced to death. 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. 1912 SIDNA ALLEN CRIMINAL HOUSE FANCY GAP HILLSVILLE VA COURT SHOOTING ~ A1 (#185771767538) s***s (604) - Feedback left by buyer s***s (604). [2] Wesley Edwards tried to grapple with Easter, but Easter got away and fired a shot at Floyd as he did so, wounding Floyd in the finger. 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. Please call to schedule an appointment. Those documents can be found at www.ccva.digital/1912-historical-courthouse-tragedy.html. Sidna was released from prison, but he never set foot in his fine house again. [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. Friel settled in Inglewood, CA where he married twice, but never had any children. [2] Sentenced to a $100 fine and one hour in jail for wounding Jack, Floyd refused to go, saying that he "would never spend a minute in jail as long as the blood flowed through his veins". The town's name was changed to Hillsville in the late 1820s to honor a local family. Bringing in Sheaves: The Western Revivals of the Reverend A. Mr. Allen stood and declared, Gentlemen, I aint a goin. Gunfire, chaos, death ensued all in a moment. Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch it live or on-demand. Allen and several members of his family immediately fled the courtroom but were later captured and convicted of murder. Again, no investigation was made at the scene. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. He died there in 1953. Seems like everybody from Carroll County has some connection to this story. Floyd freed his nephews and took them himself to the Hillsville jail two days later. The jury set his sentence at one year. As the smoke cleared the sheriff, judge, and the common wealth attorney all lay dead. [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". Virginia law held that when a sheriff died his deputies lost all legal powers, so the shooting left Carroll County without law enforcement. Carroll County Historical Society and Museum. 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. October 2, 2022. Sadler pored over available documents from the murder trials, but he lamented that many original 1912 exhibits were lost. Sidna Allen received a 35-year prison sentence, his nephews Wesley and Sidna Edwards and Friel Allen got lesser sentences. The exciting story of the Allen family and the officials who tried to bring them to justice. 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. [20], Within a month, all suspected shooters were in custody, except Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards. He apparently also hopes that the early hour will serve to dampen the spirits of the Allens. Sheriff. There are even questions as to what happened here. [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. [1] Combs wanted the land badly enough to pay the asking price and bought it despite Floyd Allen's warnings not to "butt in. 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. 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. The exciting story of the Allen family and the officials who tried to bring them to justice. However, no extradition order was issued. Otherwise, neither Sidna Edwards nor Victor Allen would have been present. As historian Ron Hall wrote in his book: And for a moment, the world stopped.. The defense attempted to show that Deputy Clerk Goad shot Elizabeth Ayers in his exchange of fire with the Allens, a charge Goad denied. Wow. 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. He found trial transcripts. On March 17, 1916, he stopped for the night in a roadhouse near Mt. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court (video) Library of Virginia "Mug Shot Special" Floyd and Claude Allen Friel Allen, No. No autopsies were ever performed and rumors flew of friendly fire casualties. How can you have seven murder trials in Wythe County and not have any exhibits whatsoever? Sadler often asked. The courtroom buzzed. - Commonwealths Attorney, William McDonald Foster, was a brother-in-law to one of Floyd Allens defense attorneys; Walter Scott Tipton. This story could have been written in a Creative Non-Fiction genre. - William Fosters daughter, Aline, married George Ellison Bud Edwards in 1917. [1] Sentenced by the jury to an hour in jail and a $100 fine, plus costs, Allen immediately posted bail pending an appeal. Burden "Byrd" Marion, a cousin and neighbor, had all charges against him dropped. [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. In our first story, from Pennsylvania, we tell of a murder with a wizardly twist. Samuels' departure forced Commonwealth's Attorney William M. Foster to rely on testimony from Deputy Easter. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting of Sheriff Webb, and was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment. The book begins with character sketches of the various parties involved. No autopsies were performed. 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. The home is owned by Bert and Marlene Widener, who offer tours by appointment. 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. He was called Pink because of a birthmark on his cheek. The last and fifth shot went into the calf of the leg and when his trousers were removed, a .32 caliber bullet was discovered. 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. Judge W. R. Staples presided over the courthouse shooting trials, which were prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Samuel W. Williams and involved attorneys Draper, Landreth, Poage and Wysor. 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. So was the judge. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court; Videos; The Holstein Dilemma. The sheriff in Hillsville had the boys arrested there and handed over to his deputies at the state line. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. A second shot entered the back about four inches lower, while a third shot cut the sheriff across the chin. Floyd had been seriously wounded. Sadler took the file drawer to a vault in the courthouse and dove into the trove. Otherwise, he would not have been armed. Director Rick Bowman Writers Rick Bowman Bill Perrine Stars - J. Sidna Allen, in addition to being a well-traveled and successful businessman, had been a newspaper editor and a schoolteacher. A large collection of portrait photos, newspaper accounts, and a marvelous diorama of the 1912 courtroom scene are on display in the historic courthouse, as is the collection of folk marquetry furniture made by J. Sidna Allen. 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. On the morning of March 14, 1912, Mr. Floyd Allen stood in the Carroll County courtroom to hear the verdict of his peers. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/56171 Ft: Aussens@iter (tobias_weber), Gerd Kohlmeier, Audio Podcast WordPress Theme By VWThemes, Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers Killed August 1, 1921, World War I Anti-Conscription Movement 1917, https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/49746687/download.mp3, The Hatfields and the McCoys: After the Feud, http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/ramblinglibrarian/41284. [8] On February 1, 1908, the Allens were convicted of the charge and sentenced to ten days in jail and a fine of $10. 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. [26] Gilmer testified he heard two shots in quick succession, after which there was a slight interval and then a great volley of firing. Floyd Allen grew up in a large family in southern Carroll County, raised on a farm wedged between the North Carolina border and the front wall of the Blue Ridge Mountains. - William McDonald Foster, Commonwealths Attorney in 1912, had been a Democrat but turned Republican when he ran for the post. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court, is a documentary feature concerning the Carroll County Courthouse shootings that occurred in Hillsville, Virginia. [8] Only a month later, their petition for executive clemency was granted by Governor Claude A. Swanson, restoring their political rights to hold office. Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court On the cold Spring morning of March 14th, 1912 shots rang out inside the tiny mountain courtroom. Hall has done an outstanding job researching this subjectt. Allen rose to his feet and calmly said, "Gentlemen, I ain't goin'." During a second glance Tipton again saw Floyd with his pistol raised and held in both hands; he then saw Floyd Allen fire his pistol. Gerald Goad said the documents needed to be back in Carroll County. Follow Us. Or the Clerk of Court Dexter Goad, who seems to have first pulled a gun? The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. When it was over the judge and the sheriff laid dead. The announcement of. - Floyd Allen was tried in 1903 for shooting his first cousin, Noah Combs, and was sentenced to spend 1 hour in jail and pay a fine. - 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. [2] His pistol empty, Allen proceeded to beat Jack with the butt of his empty revolver. The definitive history, Mr. Ron Halls Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy is still published and is available at the Museum bookstore. 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. Floyd called home to have his son, Victor, bring him to court on Wednesday, March 13th. [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. Thats why the discovery of the trial exhibits and documents in Wythe County is significant. 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. It lays the foundation of the events of that tragic story from March 1912.. [29], Another witness, Walter Petty, also testified that the first shots were fired from the courtroom's northeast corner, where Claud Allen was standing. The oldest, continuously operating . Three trials were needed to finally convict Claude. They didnt find Andrew because the cell was dark and he had climbed up between the chimney and wall near the ceiling. 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. During my term of office Floyd Allen was several times charged with violations of law. Friel Allen gave himself up to detectives in the company of his father, Jack Allen, who worried his son might be killed while being apprehended. [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. Many accounts claim that Allen initiated the confrontation by pulling a gun in court. [26] Gilmer said he heard Floyd Allen say two or three times, "I am shot, but I got the damn scoundrel. 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. He was shot dead in the courtroom.. The next witness was Sidney Towe, who largely corroborated the testimony of Sheriff Edwards. We must have similar tendencies as I like to pick up a few books about the history of any area I spend some time in. Massie, Foster, Webb and juror Augustus Fowler died in the courtroom. "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. 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