Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-30

and Derlaps three OF lOuI Otneis oboi w
With the prisonersin their midst. Carpen
ter was the captain. They crossed Tul
river and reached the Kentucky shore. l
has been told how here, Carpenter begal
10 urge their immediate slaughter; how
in the absence of the older Hatfields tn
/ voupg and hot bloOded followers consent
+ ed. how the men were lead TO a paWpaV
busb. and in few minutes their crimes wer
exnisted in death. The self appointed ex
ecutioners fled and as they climbed the banl
ON the West Virginia side, they coulC
plainly see three CHASTITY bodies shining il
the moonlight. In the morning Randall
Mccoy gathered the remains of his children
and gave them christian burial.
BLAcKMAILING THE HATFIELDs.
The Justice of the execution seems tC
have been generally recognized and nc
effort was made to avenge it. In the
meanwhile, two of Randall McCOy's
nepbews each killed a man, but they were
not appreciated or punished. Two years
after the three Mccoy boys were killed, 9
number of parties in Pike county deter
mined to use the crime as a means OF ex-
torting money from the older Haltelds.
Anderson, Elias and Wall Hatfield were
all men of wealth. Their farms were the
finest in the valley and they we're tempting
objects to the Wouldbe blackmailers. AT
any rate, after slumberiag over twenty
montLs the memory of the crime was stir
red up. and indictments for it were returned
indiscriminately. Men who were known
to be many miles away when the McOoys
were killed were branded with the same
charge as their slsyers. Carpenter, the
leader in the slaughter, was not indicted at
all. Application was made to Governor
Buckner, and acquisitions on the Governor
of West Virginia were granted. Then
Cline. Phillips and the rest of the Ken
lucky conspirators were ready for
omen action. Offers were made that if
the Hstfeldg would pay them certain sums
of money the regulations would be with
drawn. The offer was accepted and the
money paid, but the e1tortiOnists came
back for more money, and again and again
they unloOsened The purse strings Of their
victims. Finally the West Virginians
could endure 30 more, and word was sent
10 Pike7ille that the authorities could do
their wors'; no more money would be
forthcoming.
In the meanwhile some Of the most inhu
entail citizens of Logan county made rep
RESERVATIONS to Governor Wilson that the
persons indicted in Pike county were en-
tire innocent, and he refused 20 issue ex-
tradition papers. The Pike county author
tiles then determined to arrest the men by
invasion of West Virginia and deal with
them in Kentucky rs they saw fit.
FRANK PHILLIPS CAREER.
They found a willing and acceptable tool
! for their work in Frank Phillips, an ex
Deputy Sheriff, and one of the most
desperate men in the county. Phil
Inns hated the Hatfield family with
all the intensity Of fierce and bloody ma
ture and there WAS reason for his hate
He had lived among the McCOys, and had
coursed and won the love of young Alvira
MCCov, a niece of Randall Mccoy, and the
belle of the country side. Two hearts beat
happily, two pledges we're trOthed and faith
fully kept until young Johns Hatfield, the
Oldest son of Anderson Hatfield, appeared
on the scene. 1t was the old story Of wo-
mans fckleness. Alvira McCOy's love be-
gan to grow cold, and she looked with in
creasing favor on the handsome stranger
Again and again Hatfield was drawn to
the Mccoy house, and finally there was an
ooen rupture. After a stormy interview
! Phillips renowned all claim 10 the girls
hand. and few weeks after wards che was
married to Johns Hatfield.
! The old love had never died IL Phillips
heart. It had burned into the marrow of
his life, and from the ashes of mis- past hap
piness had sprung up hatred of the Hat
/ fields, which only one who had suffered
such wrongs could feel.
When the Pike county conspirators,
| therefore, determined to invade West Vir-
GINA, and capture the men, who we're I'M
der indictment, Frank Phillips gladly en-
listed in the posse, and by his bravery and
ferocity soon put himself at the head. A
series of incursions across Tug river were
begun, and a number of inofensive citizens
we're kidnapped and hurried off to Pike
vile Jail. They were simple and law
abiding farmers and made no resist
ance when Phillips presented his
forged authority, and ordered them
20 come with him. On one of these raids
Frank Phillips left his party and proceeded
in the night to the house Of Johns Hat
field. Hatfield was away from home, and
there the Kentucky leader met his old
love. Again Alvira Mccoy proved false.
| The fire of the old love was rekindled, and
she assured Phillips that she was prepared
to fly with him.
ALvIRA HATFIELD's FLIGHT.
Phillips returned to his men and lead
them across into Kentucky. While they
rested on Blackberry creek their leader
again stole away, this time accompanied
by a friend. All preparations had been
carefully made and they quietly took up
| their march to Johns Hatfeld's house,
ten miles away. At Tug river horses
we're secured, and these they rode to with
in few yards of Hatfeld's door and left
them standing in the brush. The boot
ing of the owl was the Gig
nal agreed on, and late in the evening the
familiar sounds split the night air. Johns
Hatfield noticed it, and remarked to his
wife that he would take his gun and shoot
the bird. Much to his surprise she OBJ
iected strenously and he put mp the weap-
on. A few minutes later the faithless wife
made an excuse, clipped out bareheaded, and
threw herself into her lovers arms. All
knew the dangerous character of the man
they had to deal with, and the fight to
Kentucky was begun Immediately. Johns
Hatfield waited for his wife. She did not
return, and when at last be became alarmed
aud started in search of her, it was too late
to overtake the fugitives.
Phillips raids had resulted in the cap
ture of many prominent West Yirginians,
and although done under a pretense of au-
thority, it was plain that the purpose was
to blackmail the inhabitants AS man
after man was removed, the alarm among
The quiet farmers of Mate, Beech and Pig
con creeks became intense, and at last they
determined to protect themselves.
jim YANCE's RAID.
Randall McCoy's house had been made
the headquarters for the raiders, and on
the night of December 10, it was deter