The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, March 21, 1912, Page 2, Image 2
TERRIBLE TRAGE
ENACT
Presiding Judge, Sheriff
Shot Down.?Byst
Assassins Flee
Hillsville, Va., March 14.?A troop
of mountain outlaws rode down ou
of the Blue Ridge to-day to the Carroll
county courthouse here and assassinated
the judge upon the bench,
the prosecutor before the bar and
the sheriff at the door, while sentence I
was being pronounced upon Floyd
Alien, one of their number.
When the crack of the rifles died
av ::; i nly one member of the human
fabric of the court?Dexter GoadJ
the clerk?was alive, and he had
been wounded. Jurymen and on-,
_ i
lookers were struck in the fusillade
and several wounded seriously.
Citizens in Pursuit.
To-night the outlaws, with a good
day's start, are up in the mountain
bush with a citizen posse in pursuit.
Sheriffs and deputies from neighbor- j
ing counties cannot reach here before
early morning. A special train from
Roanoke to-night brought twenty detectives
to Galax, the nearest railroad
station, nine miles away. It will be
i
midnight before these can get over j
the mountain roads, hub deep in
spring mud. It probably will be day- i
light before forces can be assembled.,
Reward-?Troops Ready.
Governor Mann has offered a $3,-|
000 reward for the capture of the assassins
and holds State troops under J
arms for orders at Lynchburg and
Roanoke.
The shooting terrorized Hillsville'
to the point of paralysis. There was
not a man to give an order or organ- i
rmrsnit. Citizens fled to Dlaces
of safety and mothers gathered up
their children while the assassins
rode out of town.
Assassins' Aim True.
Judge Thornton L. Massie had risen
from his chair as the bullets struck j
him and fell dead across his desk, j
Commonwealth's Attorney William
Foster, with half a dozen bullets in
his body, crumpled down to the floor
Sheriff Lewis Webb was shot and j
killed as he reached for his revolver
and sprang forward. Bullets grazed |,
Clerk Goad and in the confusion, he
was reported killed. Jurors who had
been slightly wounded were reported ;,
dead, and by that indefinable method i (
of communication whicn prevails in j
the woodland country reports of a
wholesale slaughter was spread to ,
the countryside. i J
Prisoner Awaiting Sentence. j ]
Floyd Allen was before the bar
this morning, convicted of taking a j 1
^ prisoner from a deputy sheriff. Al- j i
len had struck the sheriff over the 1
head with the butt of a rifle and the i <
prisoner escaped. Sheriff Webb had i <
gone up into the mountains and j1
taken Allen, despite dire warnings or: <
what such a venture might mean, j 1
Attorney Foster had prosecuted {
fearlessly and a * mountaineer jury >
gathered from the inland section, for .
no man in Carroll county cared to sit 1
on the trial of an Allen, had convicted
him. ,
Court Koom Crowded. t
This morning the sentence of Al- I
len attracted an unusually large i
gathering to the quaint old red brick 11
court house, which stands on a green
square well in the centre of the vil-! 1
lage. Those who could not get into 1
the small room peered through the 1
windows, opened to the first days of ]
spring. | i
Just as Allen was about to be call-j i
ed up for sentence his two brothers <
Sidney and Jack, at the l?ead of a
troop of twenty mountaineers, rode 1
up to the court house. j?'
Outlaws Knter Court House.
The brothers and their companions,
some carrying rifles and others j?
armed with revolvers, crowded into :
1
the small court room and stood behind
the rail and about the door.
Floyd Allen, aged 50, tall and gaunt,
much the familiar type of the mountaineer,
was in the dock.
Judge Massie mounted the bench
and Prosecutor Foster moved sen- 1
tence upon Allen, who stood up.
There was a shuffling of feet and a :
general movement among the mountaineers
in the back of the room, h
but no sign to foretell the terrible
tragedy then in the minds of every
one of them.
The usual legal formalities over,
Judge Massie began pronouncing sentence.
The last words that fell from
his hps precipitated the tragedy.
Judge's Last Words.
"One \aar at hard labor
Before ihe last word was cold, the
h'er-m n-mftovino'
IU?>I.' .111V11 11UUU 1 t. I
oath that he would never go to prison,
sprang out of the prisoner's dock
as Judge -Massie collapsed upon the
bench. Another roar of shots and
Prosecutor Foster was on the floor
in a heap. Sheriff Webb was springing
forward for his prisoner when
:dy
rED IN VIRGINIA
and State's Attorney
anders Wounded,
to Mountains.
the lead found him.
Back to the Hills.
Then holding the panic-stricke:
jurors and on-lookers at bay, aJ
though that probably was not neces
sary, the assassins slowly backed ou
of the court house and across th
green to their troop of ponies. I]
a second they were galloping lik
mad men through the aroused vil
lage and off to the hills.
Town Thrown Into Panic.
The quiet of Hillsville had neve
been disturbed by such a roar o
tiring, and 300 men women and chil
dren rushed to the court house. Web'
and Foster were stone dead. Judg
Massie died in less than an hour.
When a semblance of order cam
out of the chaos that followed, som
horsemen hurried down into Beaver
dam Valley to spread the news am
get help. More intrepid men rod
off toward Betty Baker, where ther
is a railroad station and a telegrap]
wire. Word of the tragedy was slo^
in getting to points from which hel;
could be asked, but the machiner
of the law once started, workei
quickly.
Preparations for Pursuit.
Governor Mann ordered the Stat
companies of militia at Roanoke am
Lynchburg ready to go to Hillsville
if there aid should be necessary. Pc
lice, detectives and volunteers fror
nearby places took all possible mean
of transportation to get to Hillsville
Late to-day Governor Mann tele
graphed to Judge W. R. Staples, o
the Roanoke corporation court, to g
to Hillsville and take charge of ju
dicial proceedings there. Attorne
General Williams, of the State o
Virginia, has also been ordered t
Hillsville. He and Judge Staple
will meet at Pulaski to-morrow am
proceed together.
Almost Inaccessible.
The town is awkwardly situate!
for such an emergency as this. It i
the county seat of Carroll count}
and lies in the Beaver Dam Valley
four miles from the top of the Blu
Ridge Mountains across the valley
and a strip of indigo along the sk;
on a clear day shows the Allegha
neys. The country is rough, th
roads are bad and at this time o
year with spring thaws, nearly im
passable. Illicit stills are said to b<
many.
Floyd Allen lived on one side o
Lhe town and his two brothers 01
:he other. All the men of the famil:
Pave been known as bad character!
and were feared by many in th<
:-ounty. The deputy sheriff wh<
would serve a warrant or a summon:
an one of them was accounted ?
arave man.
Judge Massie Prominent.
Judge .Massie was one of the mos
prominent jurists of the State. H<
was appointed to the bench by Gov
arnor Swanson, in 1908, was 4f
- ears old and is survived by a wife
wo sons and a daughter. Judg*
Massie has been considered recently
or promotion to the State supreme
aench.
Commonwealth's Attorney Fostei
iad held his office for eight years. H<
was 40 years of age and known as i
earless prosecutor. He was a Re
publican leader in the county. Sher
ff Webb had been a deputy fo:
lfteen or twenty years before elect
ad sheriff last November.
At 10 o'clock to-night the detec
:ives from Roanoke had not arrivet
ind everything was quiet.
Others Badly Wounded.
The three jurors, Fowler, 'Faddis:
and Kane, were seriously wounded
and A. T. Howlett, Brue Marshal
and Stuart Woorrell, by-standers
were more or less seriously injured
r-n j *11 iU. +V.rt tier
r loyu Aiieu, tut: yi i&uuci at mc ua 1
was shot several times, probably no
fatally. Sidney Allen, his brother
who killed Judge Massie, was wound
ed, but left town with his friends.
Sheriff Webb's deputy, with count;
people, is guarding Floyd Allen. I
is reported that friends of Allen wil
attempt to rescue him to-night.
The final obstacle to getting new
of the tragedy to the outside worh
presented itself to-night when Mis
Ella Wilcox, the telephone operator
collapsed from the day's nervous ex
citement .and closed up the office
Muddy roads over steep grades, wit1
Jew vehicles, will be Hillsville's onl
connection with the world until to
morrow morning.
A Fearless Jurist.
"Rather than indicate a fear o
1 1. Kf f innr rvn f Vr A Iaatia
iii\v urcaiveis ui 3111:115 \ju
with a weapon in my pocket, 1 pre
fer to be killed in the administrate
of justice," was the statement mad
by Judge Massie only last night to
friend who urged him to take step
SUES HIS WIFE FOR SUPPORT.
Rut Court's Judgment is Against
^ Cleveland Man.
Cleveland, March 13.?Mrs. Clan
C. Churchill, daughter of J. E. Up
J son, socially prominent in Clevelanc
and wealthy, was in common plea.court
to-day for the hearing accord
ed the suit of her paralytic husbanc
against his wife for support. She
sat blankly staring at a wall while
letter after letter from other womei
to her husband, most of them replete
with endearing phrases, were read.
Eugene H. Churchill was wheelec
into court in an invalid chair. His
' lower limbs have been useless since
1906. The couple were married ir
^ 1904 and he testified they lived happily
until the paralytic stroke came
0
after which Mrs. Churchill left him
One of the letters; to Churchill began:
"My Darling Gene," and closed
r "Always yours loving Annie."
f Judge Vickery decided againsl
- Churchill", finding as follows-:
b "I find that Mr. Upson has beer
e supporting Mr. Churchill and his
wife, Mr. Upson's daughter there
e all their married life. Despite this
e Churchill conducted a vigorous cor
respondence with numerous lad>
3 friends of his all over the country
e That in itself wculd justify Mrs
e Churchill's desertion of the man.
h "The point is that Churchill wants
v to live all his life on his wealthj
P father-in-law. My decree is that h<
y is not entitled to it."
Churchill's attorneys sought to ex
plain that the letters were froir
Christian Scientist practitioners wh<
e were seeking to heal him.
^ If you owe us anything, remembe
that we need the money and expec
i- prompt settlement.
a for his own protection against tin
s lawless element he had determiner
to bring to justice.
Commonwealth's Attorney Foste
^ said this morning, just before In
0 went into the court room, that i
would probably be his last day or
J earth. It was expected that troubl*
^ would follow the rendering of a ver
0 diet if the jury should convict. Whei
s Floyd Allen fired, as sentence was
^ pronounced, Sheriff Webb quickly re
turned it, and it is believed that <
bullet from his revolver struck A1
i
d len.
s
Won't Send Troops.
r, Richmond, Va., March 14.?Aftei
e a conference with Adjt. Gen. Sale
r, Governor Mann to-night announced
y that troops would not be sent tc
Hillsville, although companies ai
e Roanoke and Lynchburg were orderf
ed to hold themselves in readiness
- to proceed to the scene of the wholee
sale court murder if conditions
j should demand. Capt. F. W. Def
| vant, of Company F, 2d Virginia
i j regiment, was ordered by the adju
? j tant general to leave on an early
3 j train to-morrow for Hillsville, with
3! two men. 20 rifles and ample ammu3
nition. The governor was informed
3 to-night that fifteen detectives sent
i from Roanoke had reached Hillsville,
although he was not advised of any
important developments at that
t point
a Reward Now $3,000.
The reward of 51,00 offered to-day
> for the arrest of the murderers was
, later increased to 53,000, the procla?
mation stipulating that $300 each
f will be paid for members of the Al?
len band, captured dead or alive.
Attorney General Williams left here
r this afternoon fcr Carroll county,
? having been designated by Governor
i Mann to temporarily take up the
- duties of Commonwealth's Attorney
- Foster. Judge Staples, of Roanoke,
r was appointed to sit at Hillsville in
- place of Judge Massie.
Previous Plan Frustrated?
Greensboro, N. C., March 14.?But
* for extraordinary precautions United
States officers here believe that the
Allen brothers, who figured in the
s court room tragedy at Hills,
ville, Va., to-day, would have at1
tempted a similar demonstration iD
;, the United States court here a year
,. ago, when Judge Boyd sentenced
Sidney Allen to a term of two and a
t half years in the Federal prison at
Atlanta for perjury.
Warned of Possible Trouble.
During the trial information was
^ given the United States marshall that
t
before leaving Floyd county, Vir1
giniar to come here for the trial ot
their brother, the Aliens declared
s that Sidney should never be carried
^ to jail alive. Upon this information
Q . . ,
~ the marshal toK special precautions
' to prevent trouble and during the
trial the brothers were kept undei
dose surveillance. When the jury's
1 verdict o;' guilty was brought in and
v .fudge P.oyd passed sentence, an extra
loi'cc oi ollieers was stationed ir
the court room and every precaution
was taken to see that the Aliens did
f not attempt a demonstration. I mineh
diately after sentence was passed ar
appeal was taken and the brothers
n with other mountain friends present
e made security for the appeal bond
a The case was to have been retried
s here next April.
Attention: Farmers
;|of South Carolina
le - *"
This is the year for you to return to your "first love,"
the Old Reliable "Star Brand" Wilcox & Gibbs Guano
i- Go's Manipulated Guano, and use it on your crops ex?
. ? t/
HKXKY GOES TO ATLANTA.
t Sjiaitanbnrg Kditor to 1*111)1 i<
"Georgian," Owned by Hearst.
i Spartanburg, March 13.?Charh
- H. Henry, editor and publisher of tli
1 Journal, of this city, has accepte
5 the appointment as publisher of tii
- Atlanta Georgian, William ltandolp
1 Hearst's Southern newspaper. 11
3 will assume his new duties in a ie
i weeks. No announcement has y<
i been been made as to who will sui
5 cced h'.m as editor of the Spartai
burg paper. Mr. Henry started th
1 Journal twelve years ago and h?
; made a splendid success of it. It :
; one of the best known papers i
l South Carolina. Mr. Henry is ik
- only a vigorous editorial writer bi
, he is also a practical business ma
. a good organizer and manager
Prior to starting the Spartanbur
Journal, Mr. Henry was busines
manager and part owner of t lie Spa'
tanburg Herald for five years, an
t was with the Greenville News fc
two years. The confidence in M
i Henry's newspaper ability shown b
; Mr. Hearst and his managers is quit
. a compliment to him.
BEATS WIFE, KILLS HIMSELF.
r ???
Man Commits Suicide After Leavin
Woman for Dead.
Elmira, N. Y., March 1 7.?Durin
; a temporary fit of insanity, Nat !
r Boerem, a former resident of th
; city, beat his wife over the head wit
a hatchet, and leaving her for dea
. went up-stairs, where he shot an
i killed himself. The tragedy oceurre
) at the Boerem home, about thre
miles from Tioga, Pa., last Frida
but was not discovered until th
? morning, when a neighbor enters
the house and found the wife on
? bed unconscious. She was hurric
3 to a Blossburg hospital and at a la:
* hour to-night had not recovered co]
sciousness.
r No cause has been assigned f(
3 the husband's act, other than that. I
1 became suddenly insane.
I STOMACH TROUBLES
1
s Cured By Vinol?Here is Pro<
Qovmrvnn Tti/T "T ntnn 4-,. VI ^ J
UO.KJU.X , 1UU. JL wa? LI UUUltJU Wll
i a chronic stomach trouble, and fi^
- weeks ago it got so had I had to gh
up work. I had tried various mec
cines without relief, and was final
induced to try Yinol. After taking tl
first bottle I was greatly benefite
Am now on the third bottle and read
> to resume work. Am rapidly gainir
1 in weight and strength." Edw. Ni
) man.
t It is the. curative medicinal el
- ments of the cods' livers, combine
; with the strengthening properties c
. tonic iron contained in Vinol whic
. makes it so successful in restorin
perfect digestion and at the sam
time it builds up the tired, ove:
L worked and run-down system.
Try a bottle of Vinol with the ui
derstanding that your money will b
l returned if it does not help you.
Peoples I>rug Co., Bamberg, S. C.
FARMERS' UNION MEETINGS.
The local Bamberg Farmers' Unio
> meets at the court house in Bamber
r on the first and third Friday mori
ings in every month. Meeting i
11 o'clock. Applications for men
bership received at every meeting
Let all members be present.
J. W. STEWART.
J. P. O'QUINN, Presiden
1 Secretary.
:
Tlie Famous McKay Steel Rolle
Bearing Stalk Cutter, with a full suj
ply of repairs, for sale by
D. J. DELK
BAMBERG, S. C.
This cutter has won the highes
prize at every Fair above all othe
cutters. We invite a competitiv
field test, and will pay expenses if on
: cutter is decided against.
nn A 1T/1TC( "CT CI A T3D OT T
i? xiiin V/J.O j: . v/Aiixvv/jJxi
i
Attorney-at-Law
Office in Hoffman Building.
[ GENERAL PRACTICE.
! DR. J. G. BOOZEF
DENTIST,
DENMARK.
Graduate Baltimore College of Dei
tal Surgery, Class 1907.
Member South Carolina Dental Ass<
ciation.
! Ofiiee Rooms 1-2 Citizens Kxchanj
Bank Building.
1 Hours: 9-12 and 2-."> every da1
[
H. M. GRAHAM
Attorney-at-Law
, Will practice in the United States an
State Courts in any County
I in the State.
BAMBERG. S. C.
| i clusively. It has given satisfaction wherever usea ror
over 45 years, and is acknowledged by those who use
11 it to be the best all-round Cotton and Corn Fertilizer in ?
| the world. It gives you the Best Results for the Least
n J Money. It is Cheap in price, High Grade in Analysis,
y made of the Best Materials, and has a record of 45 years
;s which proves its Superior Value as a Crop Producer.
For Economy and Best Results this is The Fertilizer for
^ you to use. Ask your Merchant for it and insist on hav
r. i ing it. We sell all other grades of Fertilizers. If your
y i Merchant does not handle our goods, write us direct.
| The Macmurphy Company
Successors to The Wilcox Oc Lubbs uuano to.
rr 5 Charleston, S. C.
nromsro rthrd s
y- J/ "c^es^ fertilizer?is the base of
^ I/vIL ft S ^? **"8 we ^ave added high grade Ammo;i
|| J | n*ates anc* Potash to niake a more perfectly
to \ LJlli^Pf ~^y~^{w} Guano from far Peru ? Ammoniates from
'i /j^y/nC!I/?^ M ^"hed States?Potash from Germany's mines.
[1~ 1 j|J|\0_^^ That's the story of Peruvian Mixtures.
I We have several mixtures of different analy5r
\D^Ls*s?eack exactly suited to certain soils and crops
io J1)*^?Last year Peruvian Mixtures were tested out - >fl
p-j-jTjf""on cotton? corn> tobacco and other crops. The Jk
/I V %ft results were astounding.
/| | J They showed Peruvian Mixtures to be the
If | II / Weal fertilixer. They are proving a boon to the ^
fll 1' ryZi^M^Wm' J South?giving the utmost in plant foods, to meet
/II ' hv-^/T faml needs of growing plants at the right time. t
Df |i^ mW\ But the supply of Peruvian is limited. Those
th |l \ \ vtj/ ff if! J w^? "Put ?^" ordering are apt to be too late,
re Wfite n?W for ?Ur tandsome^ree ^ooklet' -4
h BANK STATEMENT. J ENDORSED AT HOME. J
g Statement of' the condition of the ! *
e Ehrhardt Banking Co., located at j Such Proofs as This Should Convince
p. Ehrhardt. S. 0., at the close of busi-j Any Bamberg Citizen,
ness February 20th, 1912. '
RESOURCES. | The public endorsement of a local
, Loans and discounts $49,438.69 , cItjzen ; th b f th t fce
Furniture and fixtures 1,1d1.<S; , , ? ,
Banking house 2.250.00 j Produced. None better, none strongDuo
from banks and \ er can be had. When a man comes
? bankers 45,049.39 j forward and testifies to his fellow- ^
_ Currency 2,8 <6.00, citizens, addresses his friends and
n Gold 222.oO i .
S Silver and other minor j neighbors, you may be sure he is
i- coin 346.36 | thoroughly convinced or he would
Lt Checks and cash items...... 5.50 not do so. Telling one's experience *
. ? ? when it is for the public good is an
'LIABILITIES ' I act kinc*ness snou^ be appre?.-j
' ooa aaa r...! eiated. The following statement
'^apiLUI SlU<Jiv pitlU ill ? v,\/ w. v > | ?
t- Surplus fund 6,000.00 given by a resident of Bamberg adds
_ Undivided profits, less cur- one more to the many cases of Home
r^u-i ex^enses and taxe& 0 I Endorsement which are being DubDue
to banks and bankers 454 ?7 "??? ?about Doan's Kidney PUls'
Individual deposits sub- * _ _
ject to check 43,615.78 J- J- Smoak, Bridge St., Bamberg, ,
Time certificates of de- I have used Doans
posit 27,682.11 ^clney piiis which I obtained at the,
Other liabilities, partial Peoples Drug Co., and can strongly
n?vn ,pnt<; 190 on recommend them. I took this reme^
tt- ^ ~ dv for backache and other symptoms
1 TOT\L $101 340 99 ; of complaint and found it to
State of South Carolina-County'^ J*Y?U may
PnmWi* publish my endorsement.
Before me came A F Henderson For saIe by a11 dealers- Price 50
Retore me came a. t. ti.natrson. cents; Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo,
Cashier of the abo-\e named bank. New york soje agents for the United J
who, being duly sworn, says that the gtates 1
r above and foregoing statement is a Remember the name?Doan's?
). true condition of said bank, as shown and take no other>
by the books of said bank. ?
A. F. HENDERSON, Cashier. 1
Sworn to and subscribed before me. ? ni/IlT
this2j6^ml~y'1912' AN IlliilNb dKIN
Notary Public, S. C.
t Correct-Attest: Is about the most troublesome
t t copvt ivn m n thing there is. You know it if
r JACOB EHRHARDT, you've ever had any kind of skin
e FRANK H. COPELAND, trouble. But they all give way,
r Directors. disappear, every last one?every
pimply, scaly, itching, eruptive ?
? kind of disease of the skin?when
f make the skin healthy and smooth
KVAlffDlDn^ and lree from stinS' or itch or
? i LUiiidAKIJ I pain. Price is 50 cents a box, and
' Improved Saw Mills. I one case or you GET YOUR I 4
{VARIABLE FRICTION FEED. Wfl Tn'rirn^ MEDICINE CO
Best material and workmanship, light | A* B' I^HARDS MEDICINE CO.
running, requires little power; simple, i Sherman, Texas.
i "i I j ,
easy to handle. Are maae in acvcia- ; ftola ov; ?
sizes and are good, substantial monevj ! I PEOPLES I)I5UG CO.,
making machines down to the smallest I Bamberg, S. C.
size. Write for catalog showing En-| I , , ,
0 gines, Boilers and all Saw Mill supplies
Lombard Iron Works & Supply Co.J S. G. MAYFTELD. W. E. FREE.
- AUCUSTA-CA- ^ MAYFIELD & FREE
CHICHESTER S PILLS A " ""
' THE l>IAMON*l> BRAND. A BA31 IsEItU, ?. I.
^ Practice in all the Courts, both
d I'H'ss:? Ooid ineuvAc\ff/ State and Federal. Corporation
^ boxes, sealed with Blue Ribbon. \ / ... j . m
fi Take no other. 3?y of your V practice and the winding up of esL
" J# 8ia^? bkand1 IMLLS,^ al tates a specialty. Business entrust\t!*
B yearskr.ownasJR-it,Safes:,Always Rcliabls trusted tO US Will be promptly atr
SOLD BV OSLGQiSTS EVESYlftHEEf tended to