The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-20
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
JUDGE, SOLICITOR and SHERIFF
SHOT TO DEATH
While HOLDING COURT
Nurderous Work OF Outlaws in 8
Virgins Courthouse-Cierk, Ju-
rors and Witnesses Wcunded--Af-
ter Their Bloody Work Assassins
Flee to the Mountains.

Flee to the Mountains.
A troop Of mountain outlaws rode
down out OF the Blue Ridge Thurs
day to the Carroll County Court
House at Hillsville, Va, and assassi-
mated the Judge upon the bench. the
Solicitor and the Sheriff at the door,
while sentence was being pronounced
upon Floyd Allen, one Of their num-
Der. When the crack OF the rifles
died away only one member Of the
human labric OF the Court-Dexter
Goad, the Clerk-Was alive, and he
had been wounded. Jurymen and
onlookers were struck in the fusil-
lade and several wounded seriously.
Judge Thornton L. Massie had ris-
en- from his chair as the bullets
struck him and fell dead across his
desk. Commonwealth Attorney
William Foster, with half q dozen
bullets in his body, crumpled down
to the floor. Sheriff Lewis Webb was
shot and killed as he reacher for his
revolver and sprang forward. Bull
lets grazed Clerk Goad and in the
confusion he was reported killed.
Jurors who had been slightly wound
ed were reported dead, and by that
indefnable method Of communica-
ton which prevails in the woodland
country reports Of a wholesale
slaughter was spread to the country
side.
FLOYD Allen was before the bar
this morning, convicted OF taking a
prisoner from a deputy sheriff. AL
len had struck the sheriff over the
head with the butt Of a rife and the
prisoner escaped. Sheriff Webb had
gone up into the mountains and TAX
en- Allen. despite dire warnings OF
what such a venture might mean.
Attorney Foster had prosecuted fear
Iessly and mountainer jury gath
cred from the inland section. for no
man in Carroll County cared to sit
on the trial Of an Allen, had convict
ed him.
Thursday morning the sentence OF
Allen attracted an unusually large
gathering to the quaint old red brick
Court House, which stands Oh
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 up for sen
tence his two brothers, Sidney and
Jack, at the head Of troop Of twen-
ty mountaineers, rode up to the
Court House.
The brothers and their conpan-
ions, some carrying rifles and others
armed with revolvers, crowded into
the small court room and stool be-
hind the rail and about the door.
FLOYD Allen, aged so, tall and gaun-,
much the familiar type Of the noun
taineer, was in the dock.
Judge Nassie mounted the bench
and Prosecutor Foster moved SEN
tence upon Allen. who stood up.
There was shutting Of feet and a
general movement among the noun
taineers in the back OF the room, but
no sign to toretell the terrible trag-
edv then in the minds Of every one
Of them. The usual legal formalities
over, Judge Massie began pronounc-
ing sentence The last words that
fell from his lips preciDitateo the
tragedy.
lone year at hard labor"
Before the last word was cold, the
fusilade began. Allen muttering an
oath that he would never go to pris-
on. sprang out Of the prisoners dock
as Judge Massie collapsed upon the
bench. Another road Of shots and
Prosecutor Foster was on the floor
in a heap. Sheriff Webb was spring
ing forward for his prisoner when
the lead found him.
Then holding the panic-stricken
Jurors and on-lookers at bay, al
though that probably was not neces-
sary, the assassins slowly backed out
of the Court House and across the
green to their troop OF ponies In g
second they were gallow:np like mad
men through the aroused village of
to the hills.
The shooting terrorized H!llsville
tc the point OF paralysis. There was
not man to give an order or or
ganize a pursuit. Citizens ned to
nlaces OF safety and mothers gath
cred up their children while the as
sasins rode out Of town.