In the spring of 1912, the town of Hillsville, Virginia, became the setting for a tragic event that would claim the life of Augustus Cezar Fowler. A 54-year-old male juror, Fowler was present in the Carroll County Courthouse on March 14th when a violent shootout erupted. The chaos began after a man named Floyd Allen was convicted of a felony. Unwilling to accept the verdict, the Allen clan, a prominent and armed family, opened fire within the courtroom.
Amid the fusillade of bullets from
pistols and shotguns, multiple people were struck. Fowler, serving his civic duty, was among those who sustained fatal wounds. He died from the injuries he received during the crossfire. The shootout resulted in a scene of carnage, leaving the judge, the sheriff, the commonwealth's attorney, and a witness dead, in addition to Fowler. Several others were wounded in the violent outburst.
In the aftermath of the courthouse massacre, a massive manhunt ensued for the members of the Allen family involved. The governor was telegraphed to send troops to restore order in the lawless county. Within a month, most of the suspected shooters were apprehended. Floyd Allen, the patriarch who allegedly instigated the shooting, was tried, convicted of murder, and ultimately executed by electrocution in 1913. His brother Claude also received a death sentence. Other family members, including Sidna Allen, Wesley Edwards, Sidna Edwards, and Friel Allen, were tried and received lengthy prison sentences for their roles in the deadly assault. The event left a lasting scar on the community and a debated legacy within Carroll County.
