ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 16, 1997 TAG: 9703170069
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HILLSVILLE
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON THE ROANOKE TIMES
No one seems much interested in playing the blame game anymore, chalking up the tragedy of 85 years ago to flaring tempers over local politics.
Bluegrass tunes met visitors at the door of the Carroll County Courthouse Friday night.
Then folk singer Tom Harvey, dressed all in black, stepped in front of the crowd and strummed a few songs of his own.
"I can still remember the times we had," he sang, "Lookin' back upon them, things don't seem so bad."
Hundreds came from all over the countryside Friday to remember the gunbattle that's known as the Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy.
So many people came that small rooms in the courthouse were opened and equipped with closed-circuit television so no one would miss the memorial service sponsored by the Carroll County Historical Society.
Asked if there's been as within recent memory, Sheriff's Deputy Glenn Nester said, "Not lately."
On the 85th anniversary of the legendary incident, people packed the same courthouse in Hillsville where the shoot-out took place. Five people shot in the courtroom that day died: the judge, the county sheriff, the commonwealth's attorney, a juror and a teen-age girl who was just there to watch the proceedings.
The memorial service was also held to remember Floyd Allen and his son Claude. Floyd Allen was on trial that day for interfering in the earlier arrest of two of his nephews.
When Floyd Allen was found guilty and ordered into custody, it has been reported that he said: "Gentlemen, I ain't a-goin''' just before all hell broke loose.
Floyd and Claude Allen did draw their pistols. But public officials in the courtroom, including court clerk Dexter Goad, were packing heat, too.
Questions about unfairness and political hostility between the Allens and county officials remain today.
Floyd and Claude Allen were convicted of murder and executed.
But over the years, as the legend grew, more people have sympathized with them, said John Roper, chairman of the history department at Emory & Henry College, who was the guest speaker Friday night.
The Allens symbolized the hard struggles of people who felt they were being taken advantage of by the system, he said.
But, Roper said, "I don't believe we'll ever know what really happened in this courtroom 85 years ago."
Roper's speech was titled: "Every Witness Was at a Different Event."
Some say Dexter Goad fired first that day.
Some say Floyd Allen was the first to reach for his gun.
"It's a mystery," said Ann Hawks, the great-granddaughter of one of Floyd Allen's brothers, Jack. "No one seems to have the same opinion about what happened."
Hawks was one of several people who lit candles at the end of the service to remember those who died.
Hawks' mother, Savada Bedsaul, also attended Friday's service. Bedsaul's mother was pregnant with her in 1912 when the shoot-out occurred.
Growing up, Bedsaul said, the tragedy wasn't discussed around the dinner table.
"Back then," she said, "women didn't sit in the jury box. Men were the ones who talked about things. That's just the way it was."
Bedsaul does plenty of talking about it now.
She's been interviewed by reporters and authors who have written books on the incident.
What's her opinion about what happened that cold and muddy day in 1912?
"It all started long before that," she said.
Prohibition was the new law of the land ???, she said.
Carroll County was a Republican county, and the Democrats were gaining a foothold.
"It was about politics," Bedsaul said.
The Rev. Gary Marshall, a member of the Carroll County Historical Society and chairman of Friday's observance, said "politics can generate heat."
Marshall said he was a little worried initially about taking some heat of his own about the memorial service. He said there's still plenty of emotion in Carroll County about the incident.
The society wanted to remember those who died in a respectful way, he told a descendant of one of the families. "I hope we accomplished that."
No one argued.
Ann Hawks and her aunt, Glenda Dalton, talked about the strength of the Appalachian family in their remarks during the candle-lighting ceremony.
Family "is more important than government," Dalton said.
Said Hawks: "I light this candle for all the old families of these mountains."
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/THE ROANOKE TIMES. 1. A painting at Fridayby CNBnight's memorial service depicts the three court officials killed
during the Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy. A total of five people
died in the gunbattle, which immediately followed the conviction of
Floyd Allen 85 years ago. color. 2. Singer Tom Harvey talks to the
crowd Friday night. TV monitors were set up so spectators could see
the event throughout the courthouse. Graphic: Map by staff.