The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-11-07
THE BLOODY FEUD.
THE HATFIELD-M'coY VENDETTA
VIE a'cors FOUR voLLKY INTO HATFIELD
CROWD.

Another bloody chapter was added TO the
story of the Hatfield Mccoy vendetta, by a
skirmish in which Mrs. James Brown was
killed and John Brumfeld wounded by o
detachment of the Mccoy party in ambush.
The fued has now assumed the aspect Of q
war of determination. and the battle which
has been delayed may begin at any minute.
The only thing which has kept the Hat
fields from attacking the McCoys was the
| strong force and intrenched position Of the
latter, and the situation is now entirely
changed.
The Biumfeld family stung TO frenzy by
the shooting Of Al Brumtield and his wifa,
have decided to join the Hatlieds in an at
tempt to exterminate the McCoys. This will
give the Hatfield leaders at least $50 armed
men. John Brumfield, Chas Brumfeld and
Geo. Hatfield. all of them cousins of Al. and
his wife. went to Huntington and recruited
about a dozen of their relatives who work
there in the Cincinnati q Ohio Railroad
shops. They purchased all the rifles and re-
volvers they could find in the place, secur-
ing in all about 100 repeaters of recent
bought several thousand cartridges. This
supply of war material was loaded upon lG
wagons and they were driven south toward
the scene of the Lincoln County feud, sur
rounded by guard of 10 desperate men
armed to the teeth. No attempt was made
to stop them, as the county authorities are
powerless.
Ita "a k,saa ~ no tI.
Creek, near the Guyandotte river, by party
Of McCoys in ambush near the farmhouse
Of Mrs. James Brown, who was Hatfield
before she was married. The Hathelds had
stopped for supper and were eating when II
volley was poured through the windows.
The Hatields were taken by surprise, but
seized their rifles and returned the fire. 1t
was pitch dark, aud it is not known il any of
the McCoys were hurt, rs the Hatiields were
afraid to search in the underbrush. When
Brumfeld's men returned to the house Mrs.
Brown lay dead upon the floor with bullet
through her neck, and John Brumfeld, the
leader Of the party, was found to be wound
,d, but it is impossible to learn how seri-
Ously.
highest pitch aud it has been determined to
.all on the Governor for troops. Every one
recognizes, however, that regular militia can
10 little, for they will be ignorant of the
country and its thousands of hiding places,
md would be shot down from ambush.
There is some talk of organizing n company
,f State rangers modelled on the Texas plan,
Ant ,n ha 20, ba Lon a.,
srship
The latest information concerning the
double lynching which led to the present
outbreak confirms the first reports, and adds
20 the enormity of the crime. Green Nc
Coy and Milt Haley, the victims, before they
were murdered confessed that in attempting
to kill the Brumfelds they were carrying
out written contract made between them
and certain parties whose names were not
given, the consideration for which was $500.
A band of regulators, it is claimed, exists in
that neighborhood, who engage persons o
commit murder. Mccoy and Haley were
selected to kill the Brumfelds, who were re-
garded rs very obnoxious.
The alleged lyncners were part of the posse
Jail. After the Brumfields had been attack
party was formed to revenge themselves
upon the Brumticld assaiants. A dozen Of
this party went to the Sheriff and rendered
their assistance to escort Mccoy and Haley
to Jail. They were accepted, and the party
startel with the prisoners for the county
seat. They were compelled to remain over
night at the house Of man named George
Fry. During the night, when the Sheriff
was asleep, the rest of the party took the
prisoners to the woods. Then they demand
ed that they confess to the Brum6ed mur-
der, and when the prisoners told the story
the ~ men clubbed them until they were
insensibe Then they beat their heads to q
jelly and strung them to a tree. While
hanging, their bodies were rddled with bull
lets. The report that the lynchers went to
the Jail is untrue, as the best accounts say
there were no lynchers except the posse wht
were supposed to be protecting the prison