The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-26


come home with their fathers. They had
been left on Southern baltic fields OF
this the old men were proud. In fact they
boasted of the circumstance. But they
common died with the Southern Confed-
erscy. IL was not long until the boys be-
gan TO have trouble with each other.
When q Hatfield got on the Kentucky side
several of the McCoys. and the situation
was reversed when the McCoys were
caught on the other side of the river. In
this way number of spirited duels oc-
tentons were good. They had sworn never
to be friends, and they thought the basis OF
the trouble was sufficient TO require q
blood atonement.
BAD ANsE CUT TO PIECES.
Matters continued in this manner "a
1852. Bad Anse and Ole Randi were get
ting along in life. but had not forgotten the
affair of the hog. Their children had as
sisted in keeping their memories clear on
this subject. In the August election of this
year Bad Anse and his five big sons came
across the river 60 help carry the county
election for friend. 1t made no differ
ence If they did not live in Kentucky. Tai
bot Mccoy and his two brothers. Bud and
Randolph, jr.. the youngest ten and the
oldest not entitled TO vote. got into dis.
pute with Anss and his boys. Anse ale
lowed that he would carry the election.
ole Rand'ps boys said that he had better 60
before de war" This was too much for
Bad Anse. and be slapped the boy
nearest him. The young McCoys
were game, and at once drew their
knives and began to use them vigorously
on Anse. There were u dozen of the Hat
fields and their friends present. but they
thought it a good joke to stand back and
see the old man whip three of the McCoys.
n nj a
situation until Bad Anse reeled from the
center of the ring that had been formed un-
der the big oak tree, where the votes were be.
ing polled. with blood gushing from dozen
wounds. He drew his revolver then and
the young McCoys turned 20 run. But the
crowd closed in and. the three boys were
being bound. Bad ADse, the terror of the
mountains and the. political boss of the
neighborhood, expired. ThirtJ-one cuts
were found on the body. each one sufficient
TO cause death. The first victim OF the
feud had been literally cut to pieces.
When the Hathelds realized that Anse
was dead. they at once prepared TO avenge
him. There vas no question OF the penalty
the Mccoy Boys bad TO die. The youth of
the proposed victims did not appear TO be
considered, although Jonce Hatfield men,
toned regretfully that the sheriff ought
not to have allowed both apple and corn
moonshine to be sold near the poll for the
mixture always did have q bad effect on
Bad Anse. Some one suggested that Ole
at any moment and interfere with their
plan OF vengeance, and Immediately the
Hatields started for West Virginia with
their prisoners. The Mccoy boys knew
they were going to die. but they did not
beg for mercy. Perhaps they knew 10
would be useless.
When Tug river was safely crossed, and
sentries posted to give warning of the APP
proach OF the enemy, arrangements were
deliberately made for executing the prison.
ers. Little Bud is said 10 have asked his
Older brother If he did not think the boys
would come over and ;i help them get away
the little fellow saw Jonce Hatfield putting
double charges in n number of shotguns
the men carried. Talbot said, mo. Bud,
We won't see the folks any more. for they
are going to kill us, L guess. now" Though
Buds varied experience had been crowded
into the short space of ten years. he knew
when his brother spoke that way he
was not joking. HIS lips trembled.
but not another word escaped him.
The prisoners were tied TO trees and their
heads blown off with shotguns. The bodies
were left hanging by the ropes with which
they were tied. The next day Ole Randi
came over with his sons ana o few neigh
bors and removed the remains his muir
dered boys. They were buried close to the
Mccoy homestead. This was TO please the
heart-broken mother for, ss she said, she
wanted TO be close enough TO the graves TO
keep the snow Oft the sod in the winter
time and keep the weeds out OF the wild
flowers in the little family burylng place in
the spring No immediate preparation was
made for revenge by the McCoys. They
knew that 1t would be useless as the Hat
fields would be on the alert But they
then knew that the feud was to begin In
earnest.
A WOMAN VICTIM.
The next victim, Indirectly, of the feud
was the young wife of Talbot. the Oldest of
the three victims. She died of q broken
heart. at least that's what the neighbors
say. She was only eighteen. For several
months after the triple murder in which her
| young husband lost his life she complained
| that she could hear the roar of the guns
that had blown the boys heads of. One
night she was found dead lying across her
| husbands grave. But it was no surprise,
| for the neighbors declare that they had ex-
pected it. Grandma Mccoy then had one
more grave TO watch.
| About this time an effort was made to
| secure acquisitions for the Hatields en-
| gagged in the murder OF the boys The Gov
ernor of Kentucky made the demand. The
Hattields anticipated the move. They knew
what the result would be If taken into
| Kentucky on any pretense. So they pre-
| pared a number of petitions to West VIZ
ginia's Governor, explaining the situation
The petitions were distributed among
the gang. They took their rifles,
and. in small squads. hunted
through Logan COUNTY lOE blkutIb. Al
| a citizen had any doubts about the subject
| O sight of O cooked Winchester easily over
came them. In this manner the entire
| county petitioned the Governor TO deny
| the acquisitions. The Governor, not ap-
preciating the force that secured the nu-
| merous signatures. supposed the Hatfelds
to be much-abused people, and wrote Ken
| tucky's Governor accordingly.
The fall following the killing of the
| three boys, John Logan and Sam Bird
| were found on the banks of Tug river shot
through the heart. The dav before the
| bodies were found numerous shots had
| been heard In that direction. The rifles Of
] the two victims showed that each had
4 fired nine times. To the natives this indl-
Gated that a duel had taken place between
| the victims and some of the McCoys. but
| the facts were never public property.
| But the Hatfelds returned the compli-
| ment few months later aud gave Grand
| ma Mccoy another grave 20 tend by shoot.
/, ing farmer Mccoy as he was walking too
! close to Tug river. This was the dividing
line. and 10 approach it without great csu-
| tion gave rise to unpleasant consequences.
JEFF Mccoy was the next victim. He was
| Ole Rand'Ps nephew. He was on the
| West Virginia side OF the river and became
separated from his companions. The Hat
fields say he was sneaking around trying
| to get q shot at some of them. The McCoys
say he was hunting stock He had his rifle
with him. This was nothing unusual, as all
| members of the two families carried their
arms constantly. jeff missed the ford on
| the river and was in the act of swimmin Y
| across when Can Hatfield. ,Jonce and