New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22
WEST VIRGINIA.
THE HATFIELD Mccoy FEUD.
FAMILY QUARREL IN WHICH SOME THIRTY
PERSONS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE
LAST THIRTY YEARS

FROM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF The ThlRCSE
huntington W. Va. Feb 7-Dime novests
and sensational reporters have done much mis-
chief by magnlfying the bloody exploits on these
borders of a few fighting families. In adjusting
their little domestic difficulties, the IIatfeds and
McCOys have killed about thirty people and manned
and wounded many more. The Adamses and
Bromfelds and the Blaisders and Brewers have
tried to initiate them, though on an unpretentous
scale But their crimes have been made
proach to the whole population. Between the
Guyandotte and the Big Sandy lie some of the
finest hardwood lands on the continent Walnut
grows nearly six feet thick. and there are
noble poplars as tall and straight as church spires
The soil is spread great sheets of coal. and
the rivers afford good highways for commerce.
Yet progress has been retarded and strangers
frightened away by false charges Of border ruff
ianism against worthy and peaceable commune
ties
The Hatfield and Mccoy feuI dates from the
Civil War. The hatfelds, VINO live in West
Virginia, were in the Confederate Army. The
McCoys in Kentucky. organized home guards
for the protection of Northern sympathzers. In
the hostlics the lIatlelds and their friends killed
some Of the McCoys, and there has been bad blood
between them since. The first notable out
break however, was only about ten years ago,
when Ellison Hatfield was murdered in an election
brawl on the Kentucky si,lc Of the Tug Fork of
the Big Sandy River His assollants three Ne.
Coy boys. were seized by the iatlelds. tied to
poplar bushes AMI riddled with bullets. The
McCoys then began series of raids into West
Nirgiri1 and ceded in landing several OF the
flnticlds In kcntrcky jals. In retaliation jim
Vaucc and gang OF IIa'hcli sympathizers crossed
into Kentucky one Nry-lears night, burned
H.. A. l.
fed Among the inmates were several women
and children, who were driven out in their night
dresses Alafray Ne 10Y. the eldest daughter was
slain on the spot by a halfwitted fellow named
Mountz, who aftcrward hanged in Kentucky.
Meantime, the Governors of the two States issued
reuuistions and offered rewards. and a swarm OF
detectives helped to make mischief. Vance who
was with the IIaticldS in the Confederate service
was finally killed one afternoon ny the NcCovs
who aye said to have shaken hands over his dead
body Since then the lIathcldS have moved back
into the country from Tug River. the McCoys have
done the same on the Kentucky side. and a truce
has been called
This lcud has never included more than the
IIatiicis and their immediate relatives. 4 few des-
peraGoeS in hiding Ia the mountains ard some
almost equally lawlcSs detectives The fighting
has not spread beyond the banks of The Big Sandy
where tine Ilatticlds have been hunting and raising
corn since their ancestors cane from the VALLEY
II Virginia 100 years ago. Their ncighhors ar"
rude and sturdy hac,wo0dSmcn narrawed by
continual intcruarraee and the lack of railroads
but without any passion for blColsned. Wien the
IolliverS were dlsportlns themselves in Kentucky
a few years ago "A band Of Regulators restored
order by removing their chief, and if this affair
had been confined 10 one State, The leaders would
have suffered long ago. but the situation is pc
culial. Tie iIaiields at home Quie' and well
behaved Their excuses have all been committed
on the Kentucky side while in West virginia the
McCoSs are the aggrcssors. Consequently the
acquisitions for arrest have always come nom
another State, and many innocent people nave
been indicted Now, nobody 10 give up his
friends to outsiders with the chance of seeing
them unjustly condemned and this reluctance has
shielded the true culprts. 1t is strenuouNy denied
that tile IIatiics terrorizc their neiahhors. Yet,
instead of Their meeting with open condemnation,
the Governor has been asked to protect them They
are condoled with over the kidnapping Of their
allies: men slap them the back and exchange
Jokes with them rs though murder were humane
and polite diversion and they ride into town with
their rifles slung their shoulders and bargain
in the stores and buy and sell Dank stock ike 50
many thrifty deacons. The disposition 10 regard
them as a sort of cross between John Howard and
Michael the Archanee and the McCoys a de-
PRAYED combination of JLdps IscarIot and Billy !
the Aid. is. however, dying out. 1t is seen that
both sides are to blame, and some people are not
afraid TO say
The administration of the local courts in the |
past has not been what it should be. single |
fearless editor or preacher could probably have |
stopped the trouble long ago. But the local (
sheets are tmid, and AT church the belligerentS !
stack their arms and pray with one eye on the !
pastor and another on the door. Some Of the |
magistrates To save expenses have actually htsl- |
tatcd TO mprlson criminals. The present Circuit |
Judge however, will not be trlled with. vt |
every term there IS q string of convictions Tor /
carrying concealed weapons, and he int cts in all /
cases the full penalty of fine and imprisonment |
without regard anyb0dy's bTag or threats. |
errors OF the two States seems 10 have worked /
well. Nobody has fallen in the feut for nearly |
two years, and the survivors are trying TO live |
decently. Cap" Hatfield. the SON of Bad .
Anse," is heartily sick Of the vendetta. and .
realizes that under other circumstances he might .
taught himself to read and write, and for man
brought up in the mountains. is credited with a
right smart Of business sense lie has read
much history and got la some pretty good
snatches on medicine and Just now is wrestling
with borrowed law-book. He married the
fcud and has n pretty daughter IL is due to his
adroit management that the liatlelds have not
heen surrendered. His father. Bad Anse," or
" Devil Anse.7 as he is alfectionately nicnamed.
is the present Hatfield patriarch. He. too. is |
tired of sleeping on a Winchester, is declared to |
be inofiensve when no McCoys are about, and |
says he is willing to let the whole thing drop II