The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
THE HATFIELDS At HOME
A Land Where Human Life Is Cheap and
tho Mnrksmnnship Is Poor.

the Workmanship Is Poor.
when I went with q surveying party into tho
Tug River country, In West Virginia. several
years ago. there were doubts as to whether the
natives would let us stay said &C. Albright, a
civil engineer. I'm general it was taken for
granted by the mountaineers that any stranger
who crossed the dead line. where the mountain
district begins, was an enemy, a revenue off,
GER or Sheriff. whom it was their duty to pot for
the public safety. But shortly before our coming
the United States Marshals had made some i'm
preston on the district and inspired a respect
for government. The mountaineers regarded
our surveys and railroad building as part of the
Government. and accordingly did notmolcst us.
All are hospitable. and. like the Arab. the
mountaineer regards the stranger who has
eaten his salt as being under his protection.
This brings mo to a story OF Devil Anse Hat
field and two OF our railroad detectives. Devil
Anse, as you probably have heard. is the patri-
arch and leader OF the Hatfield clan. He lives
in his fortified house on Island Creek with six
or seven armed men always there as a guard.
Somehow the two detectives had got the i'll
will Of the Hatlelds. and an ambush was laid for
them. The detectives got wind Of it. They knew
the country and the people, and decided on the
only thing that they could do. Leaving the
road. they made a detour behind the men in
ambush, and rode straight to the house OF
Devil Anse Hatfield. AS luck would have 1t
the old man was away. perhaps experimenting
the I'll ambush tbU dod and dit they got Oft to the the, house and
set their rifles in a corner. hung their belts and
pistols against the wall. sat down and asked for
the women had fed the detectives. and as they
had eaten bread beneath his, roof there was
with the best grace he could show. He made
supper and breakfast that the house Afforded,
sent them with a guide by an out-of-the-way
path out of the country.
He'll see you safe said Devil Anse at part
ing. If you took the main trail you'd likely
meet some of my folks and / reckon they'd turn
their guns loose without stopping to ask where
with ali their readiness to shoot 1 found
that in this country. where every man is sup
rife, the men are not good marksmen with
either Of these weapons; With the old fash
the mountaineer can draw a fine bead and bark
Of certainty; But using a Winchester in a
hostile factions come together on court days,
he pumps away a great deal of ammunition Tor
erately out to kill a mar he always plans to
shoot him from an ambuscade. This he calls
in one Of the border feuds- Il are eaf half a
and bloody than the HHiattaeldd- Mccoy vendetta@
worst. One of these is apt to think that he is Of
| III aCCpullI ulllll Ic HAS xvi HIS utn Ut MIR
somebody of another clan to establish his repu-
tation. and so keeps alive the teud.
Few men that take part in the feuds have
any idea how the quarrel started and what
were the rights and wrongs in the matter.
That a man is named Mccoy or Hatfield Is rea-
son enough In the minds of any partisan oppo-
nent for killing him il a good chance offers. 1t
Is probable that some of the feuds date back TO
the end of the last century when the whites
first settled In the mountains. They were p-
rates and outlaws generally. the tradition runs,
who. after the Revolutionary war. found the
settled part OF Virginia too warm for them
and were forced westward until, enter
Ing the mountains by way Of Cumberland
Gap. they found a region where they could re-
main. They are not n religious people. In
summer or autumn an open-air meeting is
is well attended-too well. indeed. for almos.
invariably it ends in a fight. with shooting and
somebody hurt. Mormons are active in this
region and have made many proselytes. Thay
do not preach nor do the converts adopt the
| polygamous features OF the faith.
THE primitiveness OF some of the people In
the Tug River region is almost beyond belief
ern Railroad the engineer OF a passing con.
struction train was hailed by a native. who
asked him to stop and take him aboard. AS
the train continued to roll on. the fellow looked
surprised and then indignant.
'll teach you manners, he said. and opened
fire on the engineer with his Winchester. TIL
engineer threw open the throttle. and he and
and tender. where they stayed until the train
got out OF range. Such happenings. repeated
In one or another form. lent variety and ex,
element to railroad construction in this coun,
try. where the missionary had not arrived ant
the schoolmaster was not abroad"