Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-09
HATFIELD
TIE TRUE INWARDNBSS OF TRE LONG AND
BLOODY FEUD.
Rev. A. n. Tolsr, Of Logan County, a SOn-in-
Law Of Ally Hatfield, Tells tho Story to a
Register" Reporter.

acter mas Deen the SUBJECT OF Such
gross exaggeration and lies. The
quarrel, and its accompanying san
culinary details, from its inception,
about twelve years ago, up to the pres
ent time, is bad enough, without being
colored by the imagination of cores
pondents, for sensational purposes.
Rev. A. M. Toler, accompanied by
his wife and son, are in the city under
medical treatment by DR.. G. Alderman.
Mrs. Toler is daughter of Ally Hat
field, and niece of Eph Hatfield, the
father of of the family who were en-
gagged in the bloody controversy
with the McCoy's. Rev. Toler
is typical backwoodsman,
over six feet in height, and
well built. Together with his brother
in-law, he owns six thousand acres of
land in Logan county, which he Guilt
Yates, in addition to attending to his
ministerial duties. He is pastor of four
churches, and his congregation is scat
square miles. Capt. Anse Hatfield is a
son of Eph Hatfield and cousin to Mrs.
Toler. Rev. Toler is genial gentle
man, and an entertaining talker. A
representative of the REGISTER met
him last night at the Hotel Behler, and
he told the story of the famous feud,
which was substantially as follows:
THE ORIGIN OF THE FEUD
dates back ten or twelve years ago. A
daughter Of Randolph Mccoy, of Pike
county, Kentucky, was girl Of rather
loose morals, with whom johnson Hat
field, a son of "old Anse," lived, there
by mourning the enmity of the
members of her family. 1t appears
that Johnson was under indictment in
Kentucky for carrying revolver, but
had never been unprecedented. The
brothers Of the Mccoy girl, seeing an
opportunity for revenge, secured the
warrant, and eight in number crossed
the line and captured Johnson
Hatfield. Two members of the
Hatfield family learning of the capture
OF Johnson, intercepted the Mccoy boys
on the road leading to the Pike Court
house.
Anse Hatfield secured the release OF
the prisoner, and with his two sons,
marched the McCoys back, keeping
them in confinement for few days,
and then releasing them. This was the
beginning of the bloody feud, which
was only terminated by the death of
nearly all the members OF the Mccoy
family.
Three months later an election oc-
cured in Kentucky, and Ellison Hat
field, another son OF Anse, went across
the line to eectioneer for friend. He
was good natured fellow and not quar-
relsome. The McCoys gathered about
the voting place, and as Ellison came up
to the crowd, one Of them said:
'Ths is a good day to knock chest
nuts
eyes, and l am good hand to pick
them up" Ellison replied.
A QUARREL ensued, but was settled
without coming to blows. Later in the
day the McCoys got into fight with
THE KENTUCKY HATFIELDs
who were related to them. Ellison in
terfered as peacemaker, and waving an
enormously large straw hat, which had
been presented to him during the day,
in spirit of fun, he cried,
"Stop your quarreling, and all that
have no food for their cattle, come up
and get it,"
"Hatfeld, l am hell on earth" re-
sponded one of the McCoys.
Angry words followed, and Ellison
knocked Mccoy down, and jumped on
him, when three of the McCoys rushed
forward and began striking Hatfield
with their heavy Barlow
knives cutting twenty-four holes
in his side. The garments
worn by Hatfield, showing the CHASTITY
rents, are still preserved by the family
A fourth member of the Mccoy family,
who was mounted, rode up, and shot
him with revolver. Elias Hatfield,
who was some distance away, followed
him, and succeeded in arresting him,
and also dispersed the crowd, with an
empty revolver. With the aid OF Ken
lucky officers, three other McCoys, who
were implicated in the fight, were ar
rested. The jail was located at some
distance, and on the road the officers
deserted the prisoners, leaving. them
with the Hatfelds, who marched them
over into West Virginia, where they
were guarded tor several days in a
school house.
In few davs Ellison died from his
injuries, and on the evening of that day,
the four prisoners were taken out, tied
to a pawpaw tree, and
RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
This created great excitement at the
time, but there were no hostile demon
STATIONS for about year, although
threats and counter threats were made
continually, and men on both sides OF
the line went to their work armed.
Some time after a member OF the Mccoy
faction whipped a woman who stayed at
Hatfield's house, and Cap, son OF
Anse. arrested him and turned him over
to Tom Wallace. Mccoy escaped.
swan the river, followed by Wallace,
and was shot and killed on the opposite
bank. This enraged the McCoy's, and
they applied to the Governor OF Ken
lucky for protection.
The Governor appointed Frank Phil
lips as a special officer to preserve order
on the border. But Phillips was an en-
envy of the Hatfelds, and he executed
his authority by organizing company
of about forty men and crossing into
West Virginia. The Hatfelds also
formed a company to defeat them
selves, and the two met. Capt. Jim
Vance. an ex-Confederate officer, led
the Hatflelds. A regular fight ensued,