Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-15
MOB KILLSJtDGE
In COURT ROOM
Virginia Mountaineers Wipe Out
Entire Human Fabric of Tri-
bunal in Carroll County.
FOUR OTHER OFFICIALS DEAD
Sheriff, County Attorney, Clerk and
One Juror Are Shot.
COME TO RESCUE PRISONER
Judge Had Just Sentenced Floyd
Allen to Pen.
SEVERAL OTHER MEN WOUNDED
Sheriff, County Attorney, Clerk and
One Juror Are Shot.
COME TO RESCUE PRISONER
SEVERAL OTHER MEN WOUNDED
Mountaineers Make Dash for Home
on Horseback, with Posse Fol-
Iowing--Govcrnor VIII
send Ont Troops.

HILLSVILLE, Va, March H-ln a
flame Of unprecedented outlawry the en-.
tire human fabric OF the Carroll county
circuit court In session here today was
wiped out by assassination. Just as
Judge Thornton MaSsie had sentenced
Floyd Allen TO one year in prison for
aiding in the escape of a county prisoner,
two OF Aliens brothers and several OF
their friends opened fire with revolvers.
Judge Massle fell dead in his place on
the bench on the first volley. Then the
weapons were turned on Commonwealth
Attorney william Foster and he sank to
the floor with several bullets in his brain.
death being sudden. Sheriff Lewis Webb.
making a frantic effort TO reach the ring
leaders. was shot dead before he had
taken ten steps. Several of the Jurors
who had tried the case were seriously
wounded, j. IL. Blankenship probably IA
tally.
Two More Are Dead.
Dexter Goad clerk OF the court. and
Juror Douglass. who we're wounded dur
ing the fighting in the court room. died
late today. This makes total OF five
dead up TO this time.
: The Aliens. including the prisoner and
their friends. after the killing of the
sheriff, backed slowly out of the court
room. holding all would-be pursuers in
check at the point Of reyolvers. Once
outside they made dash for the noun
tains on horseback.
A posse OF citizens soon Was in pursuit
and reports have reached here that one
Of the Aliens had been seriously wounded
IN pitched battle fought with the posse.
Special officers are being rushed into
the county to help In running down the
murderers, Governor Mann Is holding
two companies of militia In readiness In
case the Aliens and their friends gather
recruits In the mountain fsstnesss
Hilisville is in a remote quarter, fifteen
miles from Barren Springs. the nearest
railroad station, and outside help will be
late in arriving
Governor Will scnd Troops.
ROANOKE, Va. March H.-Thornton
Massie. circuit Judge of Carroll county:
Sheriff Lewis Webb and commonwealth's
Attorney William Foster were assassl :
mated today by mob OF mountain out
laws at Hillsville, the county seat The
clerk of the court and three jurors were
wounded. Floyd Allen. a mountalneer.
had been sentenced 10 one year in the
state prison for Illicit distllling.
A pitched battle followed the attack OF
ks. att..o -
reported to have been seriously wounded.
but after their murderous assault on the
court officers the ''moonshiners" rode
hard for the FOUNTAINS and had good
start on the hastily organized posse OF
citizens which is in pursuit. More kill
ings are likely.
A special train has left Roanoke with
law officers for Hillsville, but part Of
the journey will have to be made on
horseback.
Floyd Allen, one OF a family OF three
brothers, charged with Illicit distilling
in the Blue Ridge mountains for years.
was the defendant whose case was heard
today.
Mountaineers Intrenchcd In Barn.
CINCINNATI. o., March A-A special
from Bristol. Tenn, says that seven
teen OF the mountaineers who made their
escape from Hillsville took refuge in an
old barn in a mountainous spot and pre-
pared TO resist efforts Of any posse that
may catch up with them. All are said to
be plentlfully supplied with ammunition
and from the advantageous position of
the barn could Withstand much larger
body Of men.