New-York tribune., 1912-03-15
Shoot Down Every Official of a
Virginia Court When One of
Their Band Is Sen
fenced to Jail.
PRICE PUT ON THEIR HEADS
Judge Falls Dead Across His
Desk and Prosecutor Sinks to
Floor Riddled with Bullets
People Terrorized as
Men Ride Away.

>'~SAA Ss~~~ --"~~J
Hillsville, Va, March IA troop Of
mountain outlaws rode down out Of the
Blue Ridge to-day to the Carroll County
Courthouse here and killed the Judge
upon the bench, the prosecutor before
the bar and the Sheriff at the door in
less time than it takes to tell 1t, 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 Goad the cierk-Was
alive. and he had beer wounded. jury
men and onookers were struck by the
fusillade. but none was wounded seri-
ously.
| DespitC the fact that the crowd ont
| side stood dumb with terror before them'
that not q hand was raised to stop them
| as they moved with drawn revolvers 10
the sheds i'm the rear Of the courthouse
| and mounted their rangy. hardy horses
to make good their fight to the hills,
rome OF the band attempted to carry the
| wounded Floyd Allen to refuge WIN
them. They probably left him for dead
for he had cried I'm gone." and went
| TO the floor in "A complete swoon.
But sydney Allen. Floyd's brother, was
dragged away wounded.
| Tonight the outlaws. with a good
DAVIS start. are up in the mountain bush,
with citizen posse, little organized
| Of nurcnit ShprinS
and deputies from neighbortng counties
| cannot reach here before early morning.
A special train from Roanoke tonight
brought twenty detectives To Galax, the
nearest railway station, nine miles away
II will be midnight before these can get
over the mountain roads, hun deep III
spring mud. II probably will he day
light before forces can be assembled.
| A reward of 81 900 for the capture of
the band. made to-day by Governor
Mann. was tonight increased 10 $4,000.
The Governors proclamation states that
$500 each will be paid for individuai
members OF the band, taken dead or
alive.
| Captain +. W. Devant Of the I'd Vir-
einia Regiment. has heen ordered TO
come here with his company. The troops
at Roanoke and Lynchburg probably
may not be called for
| The shooting terrorized Hillsville TO
the point Of paralysis. There was not Il
man 10 give an order or organize pur-
suit. Citizens fed To places OF safety,
| their children
while the assassiDs rode out OF town.
Judae Falls Dead Across Desk.
Judge Thornton /. Massie rose from
his chair as the bullets struck him and
| fell across his desk. Commonwealth
| Attorney William Foster. with half a
dozen bullets in his brain. crumpied
down To the floor. Sheriff Lewis webb
Was shot and killed as he reached for his
revolver. Bullets grazed the clerk. Dex-
ter Goad, and in the confusion he was
reported killed. Jurors who had been
slightly wounded were reported dead,
end by that indefnable method of COM
munication which prevails In the wood
land country reports of a wholesale
slaughter went out.
Floyd Allen was before the bar this
from a deputy sheriff. Allen had struck
the shoriT over the head with the butt
cf a rifle. and the prisoner escaped.
Sheriff Webb had gone up into the
mountains and taken Allen, despite dire
warnings Of what such a venture might
haI tn1 I'm
fearlessy, and mountaineer jury gath
cred from the inland section for no man
it Carroll County cared to sit on the
trial Of an Allen, had convicted him.
This morning his sentence attracted
an unusually large gathering to the
quaint ola red brick courthouse, which
stands on a green square well In the
centre of the village Those who could
Lot get IN the small room peered through
the windows opened to the first days Of
spring.
Just az Allen was about to be called
up cor sentence. his two brothers. Sid
ney and Jack, at the head of troop OF
twenty mountaineers, rode up to the
courthouse Their hardy ponies splashed
with mud, testified to a long ride through
The hills
The two brothers and their compap-
ions, some carrying rifles and others
armed with revolvers. crowded into the
small courtroom. and stood behind the
rail- and about the door. Floyd Allen,
tall and gaunt, much the familiar type Of
mountaineer. was In the dock. In his
youth he was a fine figure OF strength,
and even at fifty now, when his reddish
brown whiskers are turning to gray, he
Is no weaklng.
Judge Massie mounted the bench and
Prosecutor Foster moved sentence upon
Allen, VINO stood up. There was shuf-
fling of feet and general movement
among the mountaineers I'm the back Of
the room, but no sign to foretell the ter
rible tragedy then in the minds of every
one Of them.
Fired as Sentence Was Pronounced.
The usual legal formalities over, Judge
Massie began pronouncng sentence.
The last words that fell from his lips
precipitated the tragedy.
"One year at hard labor
Before the last word was finished the
.fusillade began. Allen. with an oath that
he would never go to prison. sprang out
of the prisoners dock as Judge Massie
collapsed upon the bench. Another roar
of shots and Prosecutor Foster was on
the floor in a heap Sheriff Webb was