The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-10
HATFIELD TRIAL.
Great Interest Taken in Case OF
the Famous OUTLAW,
STORY OF TIE LATEST MURDER
~ HIm Recalled No sympathyFrom II''
Rslatlvss-I1Misd Three Me" q" E'ee-
tlon Dsy-AnOthsr Act m the l'OSA"
County Drama-JoO Glen Ala IrT''pOn'IS
BILE BOY.



Special Correspondence.
WILLIAMSON. w. Va. April IA
special term OF tho circuit court OF MIN
90 county began ten days ago aud thus
far three murder cases have been dis
posed of by the various Juries, although
Judge DooiIttlc has not passed his SEN
tence In all the cases. which range from
involuntary granddaughter 10 murder IN
the second degree. Ky far The most im-
portant case 10 be tried At this term IS
that OF Anderson Hatfield, jr' allas
"cnp" Hatfield. Important because OF
the hoInOus crime with which the de-
PENDANT is indicted, and OF the prolnl-
nent part which the defendant mas iAhti
In all the trouble between the liAuiyiu
and Mccoy families. The people OF , S!''3
state have been frequently ehteltalhsI
with stories OF murders ana uSpreG,4,
tons committed by both sides IN thls
border warfare, and these II y ho' W.
cessary TO reheRrse.
cap" Hatfield and his YOUNG STEP,
son. Toe Glenn, shot and killed three
men at Matewnn. a small town on the
line OF the Norfolk * Western rallrSau'
ON the third day OF November, 1880
namely John Rutherford, Elliott RUM
erford and Henderson Chambers sew,
eral other people were woundeu' Sap
used double barreled shot gun anu p,S-
tol, The boy used Il Winchester Ihe
Inurderers escaped 20 the mountains
and were Notly pursued by large posse
az men. The figlIivcS went about elEht
miles through the forest TO Dan CHRIST
1nn'S ON Grapevine creek, aud then sur
rendered 10 officers. They were taken to
HuntinEtcn jail for safe keeping, nut
were brought back TO MingO JAIL the
same week.
The prosecuting attorney John l..
Stafford, has worked for several months
collecting evidence against the accused
and the case was called for trial to-uay'
Most OF the morning hours were taken
up in trying TO secure competent jury
which was a very difficult matter. Pub
lie opinion has been so decidedly against
the perpetrators OF this crime that an
impartial fury was not within reach.
However before the noon recess Il jury
was inpannelled, and the state began
examining Its witnesses promptly NJ ~
O'Clock. The county attorney is being
assisted by Hon. John AIarcuu1, OF Hun
tlnEton, probably the best criminal law
yer south OF the Kanawha. Hatfield
has employed 10 defend himself ana
tom. AOu. ElANlls VI
I'd, williams, prosecuting attorney OF
Cabell county and John b. Wilkinson
and c. II. Turley, OF Logan Court House.
About twenty witnesses were eXamin-
cd at the AFTERNOON session OF court, ana
the testimony shows rather conclustNeiy
that the murder was premeditAted and
malicious. Hon II. X. Shumltc was an
important witness, and furnished the
court witk q plat OF the town and es'
pecialIy the location Of the parties who
were engaged in the shooting. Mr.. G.
". Hatfield, deputy marshal Tor TINS
region, and a cousin Of the defendant,
testified that Gap" had threatened 10
EN- Rutherford, or to have the crime
committed, long before he actually did
kin him. r. 81. Wright stated that
about one hour before the shooting oc-
CURED. in his presence Cap" forced the
step SON to take four drinks OF whisky
and handed the boy some cartridges
and told him TO "bCace up and not for
get what he told him. The other testt-
nony corroborated these facts.
The prosecution will scarcely finish
their examination tomorrow and the
case will probably be on for several
days. -,
and all OF his sons are in attendance
unop court and are experiencing what
they never anticipated. Five years ago
FOUND this family intrenched behind and
within a block house, fifteen miles back
from the river, and one hundred miles
from a railroad, armed to the teeth with
wlnchesters and revolvers, defying the
law and In fact obcying only such laws
as did not limit their sphere of action,
At that time they swore they never
would be arrested. To-day We see the
chief of the gang before Coart Of JUS
tice, pleading for his life. almost every
one of his relatives, save his Immediate
family. giving testimony which il pos
son to his hopes, and few showing any
degree of sympathy with his mlsfor-
tunes. To those who lived in this coun-
~ when II was under the dominion Of
the Hatflelds, the change in visible gov
eminent Is agreeable Much sympathy
Is manifested for Devil Ause." who i3
living a quiet life. but has beer led into
more trouble by his criminally disposed
son.
There is no doubt bu. that the boy
shot two OF the men, but he Is hardly
morally responsible. He IS the soT OF
a noted outlaw who was shot and killed
4 few miles from here twelve years ago,
and II Is said that Cap" hired him
murdered as the assassin left the county
and shortly after Gap" married the
widow. who mhe now lives with. 1t Is
not to be wondered that the boy, grow
ing up In such an atmosphere. and being
trained from the cradle for such work,
should make use OF the only knowledge
he possessed, being so well tutored.