New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SOUTHERN vENDETTAs.


AN AMERICAN VENDETTA. A ssoy OF ssep1 smo
In Che Unityd States. BY To 1Sfa"a'fu-
pp is5. Bedford, Clarke q co.
Unfoatuhateiy this Is not work OF ncpon' p"s
olsin. unvasnished recital ct deeds which nave 90
CURED within tho last few years In one OF me o.e
OF the Union. 1t Is in fact nsfrsaso VI u'e Pr 80
war that for seven pears or moro hss Oeon "s9 ,.C
tween the Hatfeld and MCCOY clans 10 "os' ',s'ni~
and Kentucky. and watch has RESUMED " suu
Of atrocities such as would DO declared WIG anu I'M
,o.s,h,, ,rtrayasance 10 worked into romance OF
srs,. or frontier life and dated back hundred years
AR Crawford went down TO the scene OF ths Vehaea'
nd >. suoh pains and personal risk obtained the story
Aere told II certainly shows that west virginia anu
,.,t AZ Keusucky are missionary ground; and 1t as
sr~,s,v suggests the inconsistency OF taking trouble
a., tha oiyiization and evangelization OF distant
RA.Aaan while at door aro to be found white
savases calling themselves American citizens. who
reyaI tn murder and haOtually defy all law and who
arc supported and approved by the community IN
xhach they i've
Tho Hatfeld-M Mccoy feud like most of the quarrels
which have grown into vendettas in the REGION
sppears to have originated in frivolous dispute 1t
rapidly assumed serious proportions aud became
contest Of assaSsinations IN which even women and
children were not spared. The forocity and utter
pitiisssness displayed both Sides the devish cool
pess with which the wounded and helpless were dis
Matched the burning of houses aad shooting down OF
tie escaping inmates the murder of old and young
apparently 10 crafty the nero lust Of slaughter the
entire absence anything like manlness in the whoie
wrotchsd warfare laying Of anbuscadeS the hhng
Of prisoners in fact every incident of the vendeta
eaualiy reyoting shameful and disgusting Wdat
eublie opinion is In the vendetta region may De
rsthercd from the fact that the authorities have re-
peatedly refused TO take cogniZance Of murder ana
murterous assaults and that the bold asssssinS Walk
che streets Of the mountain towns armed TO tho teeth
and IN open defiance Of tho Law, while apparently al
their neghbors In league 70 shelter and hold oAe
A,rmess and above all, to give them prompt warning
of the approach Of officers.
plaaiy there is no civilization whsrs those feuds
occur The people worse than osroaaans
They appear to have no idea oven Of honor in their
Agkttng, IL being considered as legitimate 70 shoot
an enemy trora behind hedge as to meet him and
ehallangs him face to face The ignorance OF these
West virginia modntaineers is appalling. They
have no religion scarce any moral principles, and
as Mr.. Crawford asserts, their only amusements are
getting drunk and fighting. 1t may perhaps be
said that since they emily kill another no great
harm results from their vendettas; but that is an
equally shallow and inhumans argument The TO
sponsIbnlty for the horrible state Of things they
represent rests upon the whole country. They arc
regarded abroad, probably, typfying American
civilization. They are unquestionably rearing up
new generation equally lawlesS, debauched and de-
PRAYED with themselves. What the State Gov
ernmsnts doing that they permit atrocous a con.
dition of affairs TO persist 1t may we'll be asked:
Ne community that stands idly by and watches the
growth Of such anarchy and awleSsness can escape
accountability and eventual punishment. Mr.. Craw
ford's dreadful narrative ought TO DO widely read,
TO the end that the people may realize what manner
of deeds are being done In the dark places of the
hand. ~. ..