The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-03-19
COURT OFFICIALS DIE
BY ASSASSINS' BULLETS
TRAGEDY ENACTED IN
VIRGINIA COURT HOUSE.
Presiding Judge, Sheriff and States
Attorney Shot Down Without
Warning.

Presiding Judge, SneFlH anu Slhle .
Attorney Shot Down Without
Warming.
Hillsville, Va, March IA troop
of mountain outlaws rode down out
of the Blue Ridge today to the Carroll
county court house here and assassi-
mated the judge upon the bench, the
prosecutor before the bar and the
sheriff at the door, while sentence was
being pronounced upon Floyd Allen,
one of their number.
When the crack of the rifles died
away only one member Of the human
fabric of the court-DeXter Goard, the
clerk-was alive, and he had been
wounded. Jurymen and onlookers
were struck in the fusillade and sew
eral wounded seriously.
Governor Mann has offered $4,000
reward for the capture of the assas-
sins and holds State troops under
arms for orders at Lynchburg and
Roanoke.
The shooting terrorized Hillsville to
the point of paralysis. There was not
a man to give an order or organize a
pursuit Citizens fed to places OF
safety and mothers gathered up their
children while the assassins rode out
of town.
Assassin's Aim True.
Judge Thornton L. Massie had risen
from his chair as the bullets struck
him and fell dead across his desk.
Commonwealth's Attorney William
Foster, with half a dozen bullets in
his body, crumpled down to the floor.
Sheriff Lewis Webb was shot and kill
ed as he reached for his revolved and
sprang forward. Bullets grazed Clerk
Goad and in the confusion he was re-
ported 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 a whole
sale slaughter was spread to the coun-
tryside.
Prisoner Awaiting Sentence.
Floyd Allen was before the bar this
morning, convicted off taking pris-
oner from a deputy sheriff. Allen had
struck the sheriff over the head with
the b:;tt Of rifle and the prisoner
escaped. Sheriff Webb had gone up
into tie mountains and taken Allen,
despite dire warnings of what such a
venture might mean. Attorney Foster
had prosecuted fearlessly and a noun
taineer jury gathered from the inland
section, for no man in Carroll county
cared to sit on the trial of an Allen,
had convicted him.
Court Room Crowded.
This morning the sentence Of Allen
attracted an unusually large gather
ing to the quaint old red brick court
house, which stands on green square
we'll in the centre of the village. Those
who could not get into the small room
peered through the windows, opened
to the first days of spring.
Just as Allen was about to be called
I'D for sentence his two brothers, Sid
ney and Jack, at the head Of a troop
of twenty mountaineers, rode up to the
court house.
Outlaws Enter Court House.
The brothers and their companions,
some carrying rifles and other armed
with revolvers, crowded into the small
court room and stood behind the rail
and about the door Floyd Allen, aged
so, tall and gaunt, much the familiar
type of the mountaineer, was in the
dock.
Judge Massie mounted the bencn
and Prosecutor Foster moved sentence
upon Allen, who stood up. There was
shuffling of feet and general move
ment among the mountaineers in the
hack of the room, but no sign to fore
tell the terrible tragedy then IN the
minds of every one Of them
The usual legal formalities over,
Judge Massie began pronouncing SEN
tence. The last words that fell from
his lips precipitated the tragedy
Judges Last Words.