The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-18
THE WEST VIRGINIA MURDERERS.
Arrival Of the Hatfield Outlaws at Louisville
-"Old Man" Haifields Narrative.

LOUISVILLE, KY, Feb 1.-THE nine West
vireinians known as the "Hatfelds' arrived
here last night in charge of deputy United
States marshal and the jailer of Pike county.
The will appear before Judge Barr, OF the United
States District Court on Monday, when the
hsbeas corpus application of the Governor of
West Virginia will be further heard Valentine
Hatfield, the 'old man" OF the gang. after stat
Ing that they had been well treated while in the
Pike county Jail, gave the following account Of
the celebrated feud:
''Ths whole trouble so far as know, began
about SIX or eight years ago. had Ave brothers
--Allison. Elias. Anderson, Smith and Patter-
son. Allison was the first one killed. Three Of
the Mccoy boys cut him on Blackberry creek,
on the Kentucky side, and he died the next day.
The trouble, believe, was started by one of the
McCoys sttem ptne to arrest Anderson Hat
fields son Johnson. about eight years ago There
was a row then. bnt I do not remember exactly
what it was. After Allison Hatfield
killed, Tabert. Richard and Farmer Mccoy. all
young men. were killed by crowd supposed to
have come from West Virginia. The killing Was
done on the bridge between Blackberry and
Mates creek. The next Pike county grand jury
indicted q lot of people in West Virginia. No
one was arrested. however. and after that JEFF
Mccoy. who Is Bill Daniels brother-in law,
heard Daniel and Tom Wallace abusing the
Hat6ei6s. and a quarrel followed. Mccoy at
tempted to arrest Wallace, and o fight took
place. This resulted In Captain Hatfield. ar
resting Mccoy. and when Mccoy tried TO get
away he was killed BY the men who we're guard
ing him. IL said that Captain Hatfield and
q squad of men went to Randolph McCoys
house and killed one OF his sons and a daughter.
and beat up his old woman. This was charged
to the Hat6elds, but l never knew any
thing about it until some time after
the murders were committed. short
time after this, company OF Pike county
men was for med TO follow the Hattie Ids and kill
them. They came into West Virginia and
found Jim Vance and Captain Hatfield on
bridge near Hackers creek. They shot Vance
TO death and wounded Captain Hatfield. After
while We were at work on our farms None of
rs resisted. and injury was done US, but il
there was any authority for confning us in jail,
never heard of it.p
County Attorney j. L. Ferguson, OF Pike, was
questioned concerning the claim of the pris-
oners that they were innocent He laughed at
the idea and said that while the worst of the
Hatfield crowd had not been captured. the men
who are now in the Louisville Jail are undoubt-
edly part of the gang. He declared that the
prisoners had not bean unlawfully imprisoned,
but, alter having crossed the border line be-
tween West Virginia and Kentucky, had been
legally arrested and taken to Jail by the proper
officers he did NOS deny that the West Vir-
ginians had been forcibly taken from their
homes. but held that the Kentuckians were
justified by the dangers threatening them
in taking the matter into their own
hands when the West Virginia authorities re-
fused to assist in restraining aud furnishing the
outlaws, who had only To cross a narrow stream
10 commit the most aSrocious crimes, and then
cross back again to securs safety from the law.
Mr.. Ferguson asserted positively that he had
credible information that State official of West
Virginia had been retained with fee of $500 to
prevent Governor Wilson from recognizing the
rsQuislfion issued by Governor Buckner. He
also. that the Hatfield crowd had
brought other influences to bear. and that the
worst Of the gang were now IN comparative Sc
curity. OF the prisoners now in the Louisville
Jail, Mr.. Ferguson says that Valentine Hatfield
recently confessed to him that he had FIVE
living wives and thirty three living children.
Nine Of his children have died. Mr. Ferguson
states that Hatfield has peculiar ideas of
poiygamy, and does not marry his wives accord
ing 10 law. but takes them and apportions his
time out between them