The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-03-22
HORRIBLE ASSASSINATION
IN VIRGINIA COURA COON
Judge, Lawyer, Sheriff and One Juror
Shot to Death by Friends Of Man
Who Had Just Been Convicted
and Sentenced.

special on Thursday from Hills
Vile, Va, gave the following account
of a bloody assassination In the
court house of that town:
The spectre of outlawry belched
forth It's fiery breath here today, con-
suming in few deadly seconds the
entire fabric Of the Carroll county
circuit court.
Judge Thornton Massie of Pulaski
was the first victim. He was shot
dead on his bench by kinsmen of
Clyde Floyd, who had just been SEN
fenced for "moonshining" and resist
ing officers.
William Foster, states attorney,
was the next to fall dead. with bull
let pierced brain.
Then fell the sheriff, Louis Webb.
AS he reached for the assassins bull
lets hit him in about four places. i
The Floyd brothers continued their
work Of death. They aimed at the
startled men in the jury box. Sever
al Of them were shot. j. H. Blanken-
ship is dead.
Their guns finally stilled, the out
laws backed from the court room,
holding few Of the remaining Of
ficers at bay. Then they broke for
cover. Bullets Missed after them.
One Of the Floyds is said to have been
shot The others with their friends
fled to the mountains. Posses are
pursuing.
The village was thrown into q fer
ment. The murder of the law officers
left affairs in the hands OF unframed
citizens, but nearly every man in this
section has Joined in the hunt
The scene Of the wholesale murder
was the old-fashiened red brick coun-
ty court house, Hillsville being the
county seat Of Carroll county.
There had been reports that an at
tempt might be made to rescue Clyde
Floyd, who himself had aided a pris-
oner friend recently to escape from
the county officers. The trial had
been in progress for several days,
however, without any indication be-
coming public of the carefully planned
plot Of the Floyd brothers and their
associates.
Clyde Floyd had been convicted and
had been called for sentence today
The stuffy little court room was
crowded. Sidney and Jack Floyd
were among the first arrivals. They
took places near the rail marking
the enclosure for the prisoner and
counsel engaged In the case. Stand
ing near by were a. number of their
assc ciates and friends from the Blue
Ridge.
Judge Massie went about the SEN.
fencing OF the prisoner in the usual
matter of fact way, but the words
"ones year at hard labor" had scarce
ly passed his lips when there came
the crack of revolver. In an instant
this was followed by volley of shots
and the Judge, who had partly arisen
at the first shot, lay back bleeding on
the bench.
Commemorative Attorney Foster
was sitting directly in front Of the
bench and was next to succumb.
The brothers and their friends must
have been well armed, for 1t seemed
to spectators who escaped from the
shambles that fully 100 shots were
fired. In the first fusillade several ju-
rors had been wounded. Blankenship
probably fatally. Sheriff Webb, whip
ping out his own weapon, made for
the prisoner, who had joined in the
shooting with jan oath and declara-
ton that he would never go. to Jail,
but the officer was stopped by a hail
OF lead and crumpled into a lifeless
heap on the floor.
BY this time the shooting in the
court room had become general and
there was wild rush Of the unarmed
for windows and doors.
Dexter Goad, clerk of the court, re-
ceived a bullet wound in the neck and
is desperately hurt. His death would
mean the wiping out of the last of the
court officers.
Hunting Outlaws in Wild Country.
Hillsville, Va. March 1S.--Another
dav,o chaao ~ tho cOurt houaa aaaaS-