Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-02-21
Wiping Out the Allen Clan in Car.
roll County


the little mountain village Of Hills
Vile, Va, the county court house was
attacked by "morntain wild pack, /"
who fired into the crowded court room
and killed the judge, the county pros
ecutor, sheriff and a juror, and Sc
verely wounded a girl witness and a
second juror.
The mountain wolves" who per-
petuated the outrage were moon
Sinners" named Allen, who quickly be-
came known throughout the land as
the "Allen gang"
AS Hillsville is almost in the shade
of the capital dome, the crime was all
the more revolving to the State and
Federal authorities and the word went
out to get them dead or alive.
In order to better illustrate the feel
ing which prompted the wholesale muir
der, one must know the events that
led up to it.
Judge Thornton Massie was the
Judge OF the circuit court. He was
the representative of law and order
in Carroll county, which had for more
than a hundred years housed the Al
len wolf-pack and was known as a
district Of moonshiners and gun play.
The duty of Thornton Massie was to
administer justice according to law,
and he did his duty well-too we'll in
the opinion Of the Aliens.
There is a saying in southwestern
Virginia that no good could can come
out Of Carroll county, and such was
evidently the case.
The Aliens we're source of con-
slant discomfort to law and order,
from the time William Allen, a giant
+ with fists like battering rams and
eyes like a hawk first settled in Fan
cy Gap a hundred years ago. If he
was given his own way, William Allen
was a peacable man, but once crossed
he was a raging demon, who killed
for the pure love of it. His son, Jer-
ry, father of the present generation,
was like him, and Jerry had five sons.
So the wolf pack came into being.
At the time of the Hillsville shoot
ing, the gang was composed Of : Vic
tor, aged sixty Floyd, fifty-seven ;
Jack, a few years younger Garland
and a sister Alverta, besides numer-
Gus relations who, for self-protection,
enlisted under the Allen standard.
Revenue officers had often barked
at the Aliens, but never bitten. Their
reputation was widespread, and no
one was anxious for the job of find
ing their moonshine still.
Victor, Floyd's eldest son, was driv-
ing out a load of moonshine whis-
key when he was stopped by reve-
nue. officer.
what are you loaded with there ?"
asked the officer.
Manhood and moonshine," ans
wered Allen and the officer, con-
vinced of the truth. rode on his way.
Twelve years before the shooting
Floyd Allen, then a deputy sheriff,
and the rest Of the gang, shot and
killed man named Mack Hewlett,
who had killed one Of the pack in self
defense. The coroner's jury returned
a verdict of "KiIled by parties un-
known" although Hewlett was taken
from the Jail at the time of the shoot
ing.
Numerous other crimes, including
the murder Of minister who had
dared testify against them, were cred
tied to the Allen gang, and the slo-
gan became paramount, can Allen new
er goes to Jail"
Carroll county was Republican
strong hold The Allen boys were
off and land owners. They we're
brighter than their neighbors, and
they were absolute rulers OF the noun
tain district, both politically and fl
nancially.
AS the mountains feared the AL
lens, so did the meadows and valleys
below wherein dwelt the Massies, led
by the brilliant Thornton Massie, who
was circuit judge. One of the Aliens
had finally been arrested in civil
suit and Judge Massie armed with
nothing but his faith in the right went
to Hillsville to try the case.
With the exception of the judge,
every one in the court room was arm
ed. All day during the trial a visit
from the wolf pack was expected.
The case was almost completed.
Floyd Allen was seated in the mid
die of the room between his two at
torneys. Sidna Allen suddenly ap-
peared against the left wall in line with
the judges desk. Claude Swanson
Allen, Floyd's second son, lolled close
to the bars back railing facing Mas
sie Coad, the court clerk, and Sher-
iff Lew Webb stood near the judge.
The jury filed in and announced
the defendant guilty" Every eye
in the room sought Floyd Aliens dark
ening face. Massie corrected the
foreman's opinion to "guilty as charg-
ed" and ordered the sheriff to take
the prisoner into custody. Floyd
Allen started to reach for his gun
shouting, q won't go to Jail" The
sheriff covered him. Judge Massie
leaned forward. Sid Allen opened
fire from the back of the room and
the audience stampeded for the door
like cattle going into a chute.