The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-19
THE HATFIELDS AT HOME.
4 Land Where Human Life is Chep
and the Workmanship is Poor.

when | went with q surveying party
into tine Tug river country. in West
Virginia, several years ago, there was
doubts as TO whether the natives Wouid
let us stay said IT,. G.. Albright, civil
engineer. In general IL was taken for
granted by the mountaiuceis tnat any
stranger who crossed the dead line,
where the mountain district begins. was
an enemy. "a revenue officer or sheriff
whom IL was their duty 10 pot for the
public safety but shortly before our
coming the United States marsnais had
made some impression ON the district
and inspired "a respect for government.
The mountainceIs regarded our surveys
and railroad building as part OF me
Government, and accordingly dld hot
modest us
"An are hosDltable. and. like the Arab.
tire mouutainccr regards the stranger
who has eaten his salt as being under
his protection This brings me TO story
of Devil Anse Hatfield and TWO OF our
railroad detectives. Devil Anse, as you
probably have heard. is the patriarch
and leader OF the Hatfield clan. lie hNe5
I'm his fortified house ON Island creek
with six or seven armed men always
there as guard. Somehow The TWO dttec-
tives had got the III VIII or the Hat
fields. and AN ambush was lana Tor theHi.
The detectives got wind oil IL. Iney
knew the country and the people ana
decided on the only thing that they
could do. Leaving the road. they made
a detour behind the men I'm ambush ana
rode straight TO the house Of DeFu Anse
Hatfield. As luck would have 81 the
old man was away. perhaps supeIlh-eiH-
ing the ambush. and they got 70 me
house and within the door without ne4i5
fired at They set their rifles in coz
ner. hung their belts and pistols against
the wall. sat down and asked Tor some
tIi,~ ~ cat When Devil Anse came
hack the woman had fed the detectives
and as they had eaten bread beneath MS
roof there was nothing for the ola man
To do but TO + ay host with tne Ne-'
grace ne could show. lie made the nrsl
of the matter and gave the men t"e
best supper and breakfast that tne mousse
afforded and fed their horses. me heNl
morning he sent them with guide by
an out-of-the-way part OF the country.
Hell see you safe said Detil Anse
at parting II you took the main uall
YOU d likely meet some Of my folks ana
| reckon they'd turn their guns loose
without stopping TO ask where you We
been
with all their readiness 20 shoot /
found that In this country. where every
man is supposed 10 carry revolver anu
a winchester rife the men are not sooo
msrksmen with either OF these weapons
With the old-fashiCr cd. lons-oafreled
squirrel rife using "a rest. the mprn-
taineer can draw fine bead ana DARK
q squirrel On a high limb with e great
deal of certainty. But using a Nhches-
ter I'm a miX-up. such as is apt 10 occur
when hostile factions come together on
court DAYS he pumps away great uS"'
of ammunition for every man thal iails.
When he sets deliberately out 10 Mi
n man he always plans 10 shoot MIN
from an ambuscade. This ne cans lah-
ing a bush 10 man. Not 10 De Il pdIu-
san I'm one of the border Ieuus-l"e'e are
hair n dozen along the line. some more
invo,erate and bloody than the Hatfield
Mccoy vendetta-is TO be a man OF small
consideration I'm the community. The
very Young men are the worst. one or
,hese il ant TO think that he is OF no ac-
count until he has got his man. lie Kills
eo,nehodv of another elan 20 esiaDli IN
his reputation, and so keeps alive the
fcud.
fe,,ds have any idea how the quarrel
started and what were the rights and
,,rongs I'm the matter. That a man Is
,'an,ad Mccoy or Hatfield IS reason
ano,,gb I'm the minds OF any partisan
onnonent for killing him IL a good chance
os,ers II is probable that some OF the
fcrds date hact 20 the crd or the iHs 50
century when the whites first settled IN
,ha mountains. They were pirates and
outlaws generally. the tradition runs.
rho after the Revolutionary war. found
the settled part Of Virginia too warn;
To- them and were forced westward
until. entering the mountains by way Of
| Cumberland Gap. they found a region