The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-03-15
ONE JUROR WAS
BADLY WOUNDED
TWO BROTHERS RUSH INTO THE
COURTROOM AND OPEN FIRE
On COURT OFFICIALS.
Brother of the TWO Desperadoes Had
Just Been Convicted of Resisting
Arrest-Men MA1e Their Escape,
But One Has Been Captured.

Bristol, Va, March 14.-Three men
We're killed in a courtroom fusillade
at Hillsville, Carroll county, Virginia,
about 8 o'clock this morning. The
dead are:
Judge T. l.. Massey of Pulaski, Va,
VINO was presicing over the court and
who was sho! dead on the bench.
Commonwealth Attorney William
Foster.
Deputy Sheriff Webb.
The men who did the shooting are
Jack and Sidney Allen, brothers of
Floyd Allen, a defendant who had
been convicted of charge of resist
ing arrest, and upon whom Judge
Massey had just imposed a prison
sentence Juror j. F. Blankenship
was fatally wounded.
Judge First Man Killed.
AS the fate of Floyd Allen was an
nounced from the bench, Jack and
Sidney Allen burst into the courtroom
and began wild firing of their wea-
pons, aiming lirst at the judge on the
bench and then at the commonwealth s
attorney, both of whom fell as the
first victims. The shooting continued
until three had been laid Tow III
death. Officers who had Floyd Allen
in custody resisted the attacks of the
brothers, who, Simultaneous with fir
ing Into the court, sought to gain lib
erty for their brother. In the strug-
gle the officers made unsuccessful
efforts 20 capture the two brothers.
One of the three Aliens was shot,
but he others made their escape. 1t
is not yet known here which of the
trio was shot.
The attack was wholly unanticipat-
victims were prepared to resist. I'M
mediately the courtroom became a
scene of wild chaos and excitement
and so intense was the pandemonium
that two of the Aliens escaped with
little difficulty. Posses were soon
organized, however, and went in pur-
suit.
Judge Massie was one of the best
known jurists in Virginia.
Hillsville, fa., March 14.-The spec
ter of outlawry bciched forth it's
fiery breath here today, consuming in
a few deadly seconds the entire fa-
brio OF the Carroll county circuit
court Judge Thornton MGssie of Pu-
laski, was the first victim. He was
shot dead on his bench by kinsmen
of Floyd Allen, who had just been
sentenced for moonshining and re-
sisting officers. William Goster, states
attorney, was the next to fall dead
with bullet-p pierced brain.
Then fell the sheriff, Lewis Webb.
As he reached for his gun the assas-
sims bullets hit home in dozen
places.
Implicable, the Allen brothers con-
tinued their work of death. They
aim I'd at the startled men in the jury
box. Several of them were shot. j.
H. Blankenship was fatally wounded
Their deadly guns finally stilled, the
outlaws backed from the courtroom,
holding a few of the remaining OIL
cials at bay. Then they broke for
cover. Bullets hissed after them.
One Of the Aliens is said to have been
shot. The others, with their friends,
fed to the mountains.
Posses are pursuing them late to-
day. &l8
All Join in Man Hunt.
The village was thrown into a FER
ment. The murderer of the law Off
GERS left affairs in the hands of un-
trained citizens, but nearly every man
in his section has Joined in the
hunt.
The scene of the wholesale murder
was the old fashioned red brick coun-
tv Courthouse Hillsdale being the
seat of Carroll county.
There had been reports that an at
tempt might be made to rescue FLOYD
Allen. who himself had aided pris-
onar friend recently to escape from
the county 6fficers. The trial had
been in progress for several days,
bowaver without any indication be-
nomjnq public of the carefully planned
Mot Of the Allen brothers and their