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Patreon.com slash Southern Mysteries. The Hillsville Massacre has been described as one of the most bizarre incidents in Virginia

criminal and legal history.

The 1912 courthouse shooting left a judge, prosecutor, sheriff, juror, and witness dead.

Seven others were injured.

Floyd Allen, the patriarch of the Allen Clan, known for feuding, moonshining, and violence was executed after

he stood trial for triggering the shooting.

But the question remains, who fired the first shot?

Welcome to Southern Mysteries, exploring the history and mysteries of the American South.

I'm your host Shannon Ballard. This is the

story of the Hillsville Massacre. The Floyd Allen Aff, or Hillsville Massacre, is a strange chapter in American history.

The incident was the first of its kind in which a criminal defendant tried to avoid justice by

assassinating the trial judge in the courtroom. Hillsville in the Blue Ridge

Mountains is the largest town in rural Carroll County, Virginia and serves as the

county seat. Floyd Allen was the patriarch of the Allen family who were known for all the land they owned, their

prosperous general store, along with their moonshine business and active participation in politics.

...