Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-18
IN A KENTUCKY JAIL.
Old Nan Batf-ld's Story of the Tragedies
of the p .sS Eight Years.


of the Past Eight Years.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Feb. II Nine West
YIrginials known IS the "Hstfields" ar
we'd re lsst night in charge Of the
deputy United States marshal snd j4ilor
OF Pike county. They will appear before
Judge Barr Of the United States Distr CT
court Monday, when the habeas corpus
appilcstto OF the Governor Of West Viz
ginis will be further heard.
Valentine Hatfield, the "old mxn" Of
the gang, after stating that they had been
well trested while In the Pike county jail,
gave the following account of the ceIe-
DRAFTED feud:
1.-THE whole trouble, so far as know,
began about six or eight years SGD l
had five brothers. Ellison, Elias, Ander-
sop, Smith and Patterson. Ellison was
the first one killed. Three of the Mccoy
boys shot and cut him on Blackberry
creek on the Kentucky side, snd he died
the next day. The trouble, believe,
was started by one of the McCoy's at
tempting to arrest Anderson Halteid's
son Johnson, about eight years sgo.
There was a row, but l doH's know tx
sctly what it was. After Ellison Hat
field WAS killed, Tslbert Richards and
Farmer Mccoy, all young men, were
killed by crowd supposed to have come
from Wes5 Virginia. The killing was
done on bridge between Blackberry snd
Mates creeks. The next Pike county
grand jury indicted several people in
West Virginia No one was arrested,
however, sud after that JEFF Mccoy, who
Is Bill D:ncles' brother-in-law, heard
Dancles and Tom Wallace abusing
Hsthelds, and quarrel followed.
Mccoy attempted to arrest Wallace and
a fight took place. This resultt in Cap
tain Hatfield erresting Mccoy. and when
Mccoy tried to get away he was killed by
the men who were guarding him. It was
said thst Captain Hatfield and Tom Wal
lace killed him. Some lime before this
squad Of men went to Randolph McCoy's
house and killed one If his SONS and
daughter and beat up his old woman.
This was charged to the HatsHelds, but l
nsver knew anything about 1t until some
time after the murders were committed
A short time after this company OF Pike
county men was formed to follow the
HXtf1elds and hi them. They came into
West Virginia and found Jim Vance and
Captain Hatfield en- bridge near Thack-
and wounded Captain Hatfield. After
that he KentuCkians came on Gnd esp
tured US while we were at WORK on our
farms n 're of US resisted and no injury
was done US, but If there was any su-
thority n COL fning US in jail l never
heard If it."
County Attorney J, Lee Ferguson Of
Pike counLy, was questioned concerning
the claim of the prisoners that they we're
innocent BE laughed at the idea and said
that the worst Of Hafsld crowd had not
been captured. The men who are now in
the Louisville iAil are undoubtt dly part
Of the gang. lie declared that the prison
ers hsd not been unlsWfully imprisoned,
but after having crossed the border line
between West Vrginis and Kentucky
they mad been legally arrested ard taken
70 jail by proper officers. He did not
denY that the West Virgininns had been
forciblg tskea from their homes, hu. he d
that the Keutuckiens were justified by
the dangers threatened them in taking
the matter in their own hands when the
West VIrgini. authorities refused to as
sist in reseraiIing audSpunishng the out
laWs who had only to cross 8 narrow
stresm to commit most strocious crimes
aud then cross back again to safety from
law. Mr.. Ferguson asserted positively
thai he hSd creditsble Information th&t
state officer OF West Virginia had been re-
tanned with f,e Of $500 TO
prevent Governor Wilson from recovering
the requisitien issued by Governor Bnck
ner he cbsTgs also that the Hatfield
crew had brought other influences TO bsar
and that the worst Of the gang were low
in C m 0arative security. OF the prison
ers now in the Louisville isil, Mr.. Fergu-
son Gays that Valentine Hatfield recently
confessed to him that he had five living
wives and thirty three living children
Nipe OF his children have died. Mr. Fer
guson states that Hatfield has peculiar
ideas Of pOlygsmy and does not marry his
wives according TO law, but takes them
and apportions his time out between
them.