The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-16
,ouRr oFFIoeRs AssAssINArED
Mountaineers Shot Down
Three Officials


of mountain outlaws rode down out OF
the Blue Ridge 10 the Carroll county
court house here yesterday and assass-
mated the judge upon the bench, the
prosecutor before the bar and the
sheriff at the door in less time than 1t
takes to tell it, while sentence was
being pronounced upon Floyd Allen,
one OF their number. When the crack
Of the ri1Ss died away, only one mem
Der Of the human fabric Of tbs ocurt---
Dexter Coed, tho elsrk--'was alive,
and he had bssn wounded Jurymsn
and onlookers were struck by flying
bullets, but none was wounded ser
iously.
Last night, the outlaws. with a
good days start, were up in the noun
tains, with a citizens posse, little or
ganized, making a semblance Of pur
suit. Sheriffs and deputies from
neishboring counties could not reach
Hillsville before this morning. A
special train last night from Roanoke
carried 20 detectives to Galax, the
nearest railway station, nine miles
away. 1t was midnight before they
could get over the mountain roads,
hub deep in spring mud. A reward
of $1,000 for the capture of the band,
made yesterday by Gov. Mann, was
increased last night to $4,000. The
governors proclamation states that
$500 will be paid for individual mem
bers of the band, taken dead or alive
Capt. +. w. Devant of the End Vir-
ginia regiment has been ordered to
Hillsville with two men, 20 rifles and
ammunition. The troops at Roanoke
and Lynchburg probably may not be
called for. The shooting paralyzzed
Hillsville with terror, and there was
not man to give an order, or organ
ize a pursuit. Citizens fed to places
of safety mothers gathered up their
children while the assassins rode
out of town Judge Thornton l..
Massie rose from his chair as the bull
lets struck him and fell heavily across
his desk Commonwealth Attorney
William Foster, with half dozen bull
let's in his brain, crumpled down to
the floor. Sheriff Lewis S. Webb was
shot and killed as he reached for his
revolver Bullets grazed Clerk Goad
and in the confusion he was reported
to nave been killed. Jurors who had
been slightly wounded were reported
dead and by that indefnable method
of communication which prevails in
the woodland country reports of
wholesale slaughter spread through
the countryside.
Floyd Allen was before the bar yes.
terday morning, convicted of taking a
prisoner from a deputy sheriff. Allen
had struck the sheriff over the head
with the butt of a rifle and the pris
oner had escaped. Sheriff Webb had
sJne up into the mountains and ar
rested Allen, despite dire warnings oil
what such action might mean. Attor
ney Foster had prosecuted him fear
lessly and a mountaineer jury wa.
gathered from the inland section fol
no man in Carroll county cared to ST
in the trial of an Allen and convic
him.
Yesterday morning his sentence at
tracted an unusually large gathering
to the quaint old red brick COURTEOUS,
which stands on a green square, wei
in the center of the village. Just al
Allen was about to be called up 70
sentence his two brothers, Sidney ant
Jack, at the head OF troop OF q
mountaineers rode up to the cour
house. Their hardy ponies splashe,
with mud testified to a long rid
through the hills
The two brothers and their compar
ions, some carrying rifles and other
revolvers. crowded into the cour
room and stood behind the rail an
about the door. Floyd Allen, tall an
gaunt, much the familiar type O
mountaineer. was in the dock In hi
youth he was a fine figure OF strength
and even at 80 he is no weaklinl
Judge Massie mounted the bench an
Prosecutor Foster moved sentence VI
on Allen, who stood up.
The usual legal formalities owe
Judge Masse began pronouncing sci
Itence. The last words which Re
from his lips precipitated the mu
ders: "One year at hard labor"
Before the last word was uttered III
= volley began. Allen, with an oat
= that he would never 90 to priso
t sprang out Of the prisoners dock a
4 Judge Massie collapsed upon h
bench. Another roar of shots an
Prosecutor Foster was on the floor
: a heap. Sheriff Webb was springin
. forward for his prisoner when Il
; lead found him. Then holding Il
panic-stricken jurors and onlookel
; at bay, the assassins backed out
= the courthouse and across the gree
/ to the troop OF ponies. In a secor
, they were galloping like mad throu,
i the aroused village and OF to Il
J; hills.
( With them the assassins half ca
.. ried. half dragged one OF their nul
|, Der wounded. IL is said this was 81
!. ney Allen, one OF the brothers. Thr,
4 jurors, Fowler. Faddls and Kane al
J, A. +. Hewlett, Bruce Marshall M
), Stuart Worrell bystanders. we
2 wounded. Floyd Allen. the prison
, at the bar, was shot several times pr
: badly not fatally Sheriff Webb's d
. putty, with the county folk, is guar
= ing Allen.
Late yesterday Gov. Mann tel
4 graphod to Judge w. r. Staples
\ the Roanoke corporation court 10
4 to Hillsville and take charge OF Judi
ial proceedings. Attorney Gener
4 Williams OF the state OF VirginIa M
D also been ordered 10 Hillsville J