Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-26
KENTUCKY EEUD.
The Terrible Vengeance Visited by the
Chatfields Upon the McLoys.
From the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
On Monday, August Z, the day Of the election,
an old feud, originating from childish quarrels.
broke out In East Kentucky, and the result
was the killing of one man in self-defense and
the cold-blOoded murder of three others. The
scene was at the polls at the mouth Of Black
berry and Pike county. about twenty-five miles
from Plkeville. In that section are two fam
ilies the Chatfields and the McLoys. with nu-
mer0us relations. The Chatfelds are the most
numerous, and physically are the larger, the
McLoys being small in stature. On the day
OF election one OF the Chatheld clan APP
preached a young man of the McLOy family,
and, staggering up to him, said: Jim McLoy,
you don't vote here to-day unless you vote as |
do" The young man answered that he did
not want any trouble. and would not vote at all.
Yes, you will, responded the bully. "Weve
made YOU grind apples for us on your knees
before this. and if you don't vote as l do to-day
II! make YOU"
With this warning the bully staggered Off
Young McLoy went away and took drink or
so to arouse his courage. After while Chat
field returned, looking for McLoy. and found
the young man in a place where escape
was net easy. McIoy," he said, ''have you
voted YETI"
No." answered McLoy.
You'd better go and vote quick, then. and
vote as L tell you"
Young &cLoy Strengthened himself up, and
in voice trembling with rage, probably min
ged with fear. said: "Chatield you've made
me gro down on my knees and grind apples for
you. as you said, and hoe corn for you. but you
can't make me vote but just as please to-day"
Chattield responded to this with fierce oath,
and motion as though to draw pistol.
If I've got to die I'm going to die like a
man" With these words McLoy drew clasp
knife. with 4 five-inch blade. and opened it. His
adversary fred. the ball grazing McLoy's head.
The latter sprang at his tormentOr with q Cry of
rage nd made a slash. which denuded the bone
OF one arm of its flesh from the shoulder to the
elbow. Then with powerful blows he siased
Chatfieid across the breast from shoulder to
waist, and again in the other direction. He must
have driven the keen. long blade. hilt deep.
through clothing and flesh. at least twenty times
before Catlieid fell.
McLoy fled a short distance fusillade of bull
lets following him. but he escaped unhlIrt.
Turning and facing the Chatfelds. who had
emptied their pistols. he said: "Gentlemen.
believe was in the right. l defended myself.
give myself up"
1t was a terrible crowd to surrender himself
to. Nearly all around him were of the Chatfcld
cian-hardiy friend within sight. younger
brother was present, but was poWerless except
to lay down his own life to satisfy the savage
thrst for blood No representative of law was
there. and if he had been his Office would have
been mGckery. The man to whom he sur
rendered himself was an uncle of the slain man.
and when McLoy gave up his knife this man
TOOK 1t and said, 1--WE a great mind to chug it
into YOU"
In an instant five men jumped at the disarmed
prisoner, and grabbed him by Tie throat or
shoulder. or wherever thevcoulti lay their hands
ard five pistol balls wI.izzed Passed his head
THESE men We're crowded tOgethc? too closely.
or were unsteady from liquor. iUr none OF the
balls struck McLoy. Others took him from his
lnfuriated assaapts. but with no intention OF
preserving his life not even for the farce of q
trial. as the sequel showed.
McLoys eaptOrS took him across Tug river
into Wet Virginia. Afraid that the authorities
OF that state would be better erforcers of the
law Than those OF their own, they returned with
him on that or the next day. They had appa-
reHtiy made up their minds to policy Of eXter-
minatOn. They sent out parties and brought in
McLovs two brothers. aged respectively 30 and
Is years. The second brother had been guilty Of
no ether Offense than being present when the
killing occurred, while tile boy Of Is was not
only not present, but had never taken any part
IN the leud between the tive sets CT I:en, either
by word or deed.
Having captured the three boys. the party
struck for the woods. Nothing more was seen
OF them. and after allowing sufficient time for
vengeance to be wreaked the citizens sent out
party to investigate. After some search the
bodieS We're found in q thickct. The boys
mad been made to stand in row
Their arms tied. each ones right arm to
his neighbor's left 10y green withes and
the free arms OF the two on the outside tied in
..
this fantastic manner, they could not have re-
sisted woman. Their captOrs were determined
TO make themselves safe from the desperation
OF unarmed men. As they stood there looking
down steep hillside, they were shot dead by
one shot each in the back of the head the bullets
Coming ont ar the forehead or near it, A shall
low trench was dug, the three bodies laid in
1t. feet to head. and q mound heapcd over
them sufficiently to give them four inches OF
earth.
Or tha do }ba f,fh
came into town. He inquired of the successful
candidate what he should do the tears stream
ing down his checks as he spoke He received
no sympathy. Then he went about and sold his
team, and with the proceeds bought d Spencer
rifle and ammunition. To some one he said, his
voice chOked with emotion:
I've bid gO0d-by to the old woman and the
babies. I've robbed them to buy this. ard this
is my sole dependence now" He afterward
disappeared in the brush and it is fair to be sup
posed that no relative OF the Chatields will pass
him ana live.
The feud of these families arose from chill
dren's quarrels. Raised on nelghboring farms.
they had fought when gathering nuts, apashed
and ducked each other while bathing and car
red on their animOsity until as they grew to
manhood. the Chatfelds, being larger and
stronger men. had conquered the McLocs They
made them slaves. 1t is said to be literally true
that they made the McLoy whose defense of
himself brought on the murders grind apples for
them. Catching him one day while they were
grinding for cider in an od-fashioned mill with
long sweep. they took the horse ont and made
him get on his knees and push the sweep around
until they grew tired of the brutulfan. whipping
him with rods to make him go faster They had
compelled the McLoys to go into their fields and
hoe their corn without pay. The McLOys were
towards. of course, or they would never have
submitted to this, but one Chattield learned that
it will not do to corner even coward
The RazOr-EBack sEHOs.
To the traveller through Texas one of the
strangest and most peculiar features of landscape
is the razor-back hog. He is of Swiss cottage
style of architecture. His physical structure is
angular to- degree unknown outside of text
book on the science of geometry. The country
raz hack in fbo do, 4 I;.-o..