The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-08
Confession.
ELLISON HATPIELD'S STORY
OF the Part lie Took in the Fa'
nous HatlIOld.MCCOy Feud,
The Murders and 0atrages in
which He Participated.
HIS ISYOLUNTARY STATEMENTS
To the States Attorney in Pike
County, Kentucky, Jail.
TheIutelllgencer Correspondent Secures
aCopy Of tho DOcument-Thc Priu'
clpal Feature Of It-IIOw Gov
ernor Wilson was Deceived.
....l.l n.,...nnn.I.nc1 Of u, Lnlellllcllcer.

plggylLLE, PIKE COUNTY, KY, April
6.-The great IIatIleld.AGcCoy feud on
tbe Kentucky border Of this State, about
which so much has been published in
the newspapers during the past year, and
tbe history Of which Is familiar to all
newspaper readers, has been almostsup.
messed, and for several months there has
been no NOrdotany outrages beingperpe.
tatedby the outlawson either side ofthe
line. Ii will be remembered that a
number Of the Iattields were arrested
by the Kentucky authorities and placed
IN the Pike County Jail, where they still
lanvuish awaiting trial for u long list oil
tbe most heinOus murders and outrages
rbronicIed in the criminal annals Of this
country. An Intellectual effort to gain
possession Of the prisoners was made by
Governor Wilson, oi West Virginia, the
matter being finally decided In favor OF
the Kentucky authorities by the U. s.
Supreme Court.
Since then the States Attorney Of
Pike county has been unceasing In his
efforts to obtain sufficient evidence
apaipstthe West Virginia gang To convict
t6em. He found 1t u difficult matter on
account Of the uRwilllngness OF those In
possession Oiany knowledge to give testi-
mOny,
Recently, however, Ellison Hatfield
iGlias MOunts) consented TO make con-
leslOn, which le did in the presence Of
County Attorney j. Lee Ferguson, the
JailOr. aud five Others, one OF whom was
JIM. York, a lawyer, Hatfield volun-
lary told his story after being told that
acOnieSsion would not In any manner
tighten his sentence. His relation OF the
horrible acts, in which he was princi-
pIl actor, is OF athrilling character. The
correspondent Of the INTELLIGRNCRR has
succeeded in obtaining copy OF 1t from
the County Attorney. Following are
themain features Of
HArFIELD's CONFESSION:
Ellison Hatfield in the presence OF the
above witnesses said, in substance:
Twas present and participated In the
murder of the three Mccoy brothers,
namely, Tolbert Mccoy, Farmer Mccoy,
and Randolph Mccoy, 1t was on the
night Of the 9th OF August, 1882, at the
mouth Blackberry creek, Pike county,
Ey, The three brothers were taken
from alOg school house in Logan county,
W. Va, where they had been guarded
fora day and a night, and brought over
the Tug river, which separates West
Virginia from Kentucky. They were
tedrm in arm with aplow line and led
by one Charles Carpenter to the river
andplaCed in small boat, accompanied
by Ans. Hatfield, Bill Hatfield, Tom
Mitchell, Alex NIusser, Dan White,
Nose Christian, Sam Mahorn, Joe Muir.
ply, jeff Whit and myself. We
brought them to the Kentucky side and
led them by ther rope up the bank about
6ity feet from the river. Carpenter tied
them 10 paw.paw bush and hung o
lantern over their heads. Ans Hatfield
then said to them: "Boys. II you have
any ypeace to make with your Maker, you
had better make It,"
Tolbet aud Randolph began praying
utFarmer I'VE called him Dick did not.
However, before the boys had time 10
anish their prayers, John Hatfield shot
Farmer dead, Ans. then gave the order
70 fire, and shot Us lie gave the word,
killing Tolbert and then emptying the
contents Of the revolver into the dead
boly Alex Musser then fred and
killed Randolph Mccoy. As soon as
The 6rst shots were fired tho others fol.
loved suit, aud all the bodies were rid.
died with bullets.
A rRRRIDLR OATH.
The parties who were engaged in the
nooting Of the boys were Ans Hatfield,
JJohn Hatfield, Cap Hatfield, Bill Tom
Hatfield. Alex Mnsser, Charlie Carpen.
Rtlnd Thomas Mitchell.
Alter the boys were killed We crossed
Iee river back into Logan county, West
Virginia, where we found Wall Hatfield
1dSome Others waiting for US. Wall
Mea ordered us into line and adminis-
IeIed an oath to all OF us binding us To
AXE the life Of the first 10 dlvulge the
name names Of any who were along,
sndso solemn secrecy, aud wound up
Me oath by asking us II our feelings were
aGTatltled. Ans, Cap and Johns Hat.
aeld and Tom Mitchell said "yes," We
Men .eIt, went TO Pat Hatfeld's and
aIId all night, and all the rest went
y Ehas llatheld's aud | went there mex!
l The corpse Of Ellison Hatfield was
t4e house OF Elias. Prior 10 our 20.
sihtO Kentucky with the Mccoy boyl
eOCund ourselves 10 hCve revenge fol
Wy death Of Ellison Hatfield [tht
n'Sners father who had been shot by
@syMcVoySl aud 10 kill oil tho murdererS
lMul Hatfield, who administered the
sVoTe oath, was at that tIme a Justice o.
@epCacc,
HEATING ltELPLEss WOMEN,
V'p' Hatfield told me that Tom Wal
a@ aud himself had gone 10 Pike Coun
i'Gm Vest Virginia to the house o
pul Daniels, mud found Daniels and bill
aally ~ bed that Tom presented bill
unN Nj. Daniels and told him that |
1s moved hO would kill him; that h
M wrapped the hairy part Of q cow
Y about his hand aud beat Daniels
wy almost TO death With the stub par
YIN Tho presence Of her husband
Nheihsn took the gun and held II u
,SIelS S1IelS head while Tom committed
s.'I'9r assault on the old mans daugh
~ ~ They then went back 10 West'Vii
MURDER or JKFr M'coY.
Np; Hatfield told tho doponVnt thS
lad Tom Wallace captured jelr Nc
Nued him with a halter 10 their Bat
WWnahd drove him down the road I
"Wnsn FettClps house, In Logan Cour
SM Va. Cap went Into the yard, an
nlle no ,wnS there JEFF freed himse
TOa We halter and ran across a field
i tlyCh Ills late Captots pursue
IL iu lllhg several shots. He BuCCcgdG
sMSllnIaing across tho river wiLhot
Ig MI, hut "a hO was running UP III
NV, S on tue Kentucky aide, 4 Bht
TN WV " Tom Wallace struck Him, On
MURDER oF EiiPiRi M'CON
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