Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-27


men, fleeing with his 12-year son to the
mountains. He was soon captured. how
ever, and is now under arrest.
This is all recent history, but it revivcs
memories of the famous Hatfield Mccoy
feud, in which Cap Hatfield was con-
spicuous figure. This feud originated be-
fore the breaking out of the civil war Its
immediate cause was the ownership Of two
bony and bristly mountain hogs. Over
these hogs Anse Hatfield and Randolph
Mccoy had a disagreement. They went
to law, and Hatfield was beaten The dis
pute was not settled by any means. All
the relatives of the families took sides, and
the question was intensified.
Shortly after the trial Bill Stayton. a
nephew of Floyd Hatfield, son of a wit
ness in the case, was found dead with a
bullet in his person. Two of the numerous
Mccoy boys were tried for the murder and
acquitted.
Soon afterward Jonce Hatfield became
enamored of Rosanna Mccoy and kid
mapped her. Matters went along with an
occasional death on either side until 1882
when the hottest kind of hostiiities began.
Old cap" Hatfield became the leader of
the Hatfields.
Election day is always the favoritc time
for gun fight among the Virginia noun
taineers In 1889 there was an election in
Pike county. In the early afternoon the
inevitable fight cropped out. this time be-
tween Ellison Hatfield and Talbot Mccoy.
When the spectators came out from their
hiding places, they found Ellison Hatfield
lying on tho ground dead. Several Of the
McCoys including 13-year-old boy, Ran
dolph Mccoy, were arrested and confined
in the log schoolhouse over night.
Next day the sheriff started through the
lonely mountain woods with the prisoners
for the Pike County Jail. BY this time
the entire Hatfield clan had heard of the
death Of Ellison They rallied immedi-
ately around Anse, the patriarch. and
old Cap" his son. They ambushed the
sheriff, who had the Mccoy prisoners in
charge, and took matters into their own
hands. The sheriff was released but the
McCoys were taken over the border into
Kentucky and tied in a kneeling position
to some saplings near the margin of the
boundary streams There was no begging
for mercy on the part of the McCoys. They
knelt grimly and sneeringly awaited their
fate.
Wall Hatfield stood in plain sight on the
Virginia side of the river.
care you ready" he cried.
eyes," said old cap and Anse and
the other Hatfields.
"Take aim. Firev'
There was rattle Of rifles and two of
the McCoys fell limp on their ropes. They
were Talbot and Farmer Mccoy The
young boy, Randolph, had not been hurt
He was there simply as a witness to the
death of his brothers.
Tho boy was mounted in front of Wall
Hatfield and the party started back for
their mountain haunts. On the way old
cap suddenly called a halt THAT boy
must die" said he. Anse sat silent, there
by consenting Wall Hatfield raised his
voice in the boys behalf. Some of the
other Hatfields did likewise 1t was no
use. Anse, the patriarch, and old cap"
ruled things with an iron hand.
So the boy was killed ard left lying by
the side Of the road. OF course feeble at
tempts were made to capture the Hatfields,
but without avail. Two years later JEFF
Mccoy was captured by the Hatfields and
shot dead in the presence of his sister.
1t seemed to be evident that tie Hat
fields bad fully determined upon the exter-
| mination Of their enemies. No further
murders took place, however, until 1885,
On New Years night the Hatflelds shot
| and killed Calvin Mccoy and Allapbore
| cd Jonce Hatfield.
The feud with the McCoys was settled in
| 1928 by the marriage of Mccoy to "a Hat.
field. Since this time old Cap has lived a
| quiet and peaceful life. and his last exploit
has caused no end of surprise. The Ruthcr-
fords, who were killed by him on last cleo
| ton day, are said 60 have been cousins Of
the McCoys.