Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-31

Hatdelds q Kentucky at Bay Ex-
change Lives With Pursuers.
TWO ON EACH. SIDE DEAD
Feudists Took Refuse In . House,
but Detective Rutherford ana Z
Harry Watts Broke In Door.
Old Troubles Recalled.

Williamson, w. va, NdIcu oA'-No-
ports have been received about another
fight with the Hatfields, In which four
were killed, among them being Harry
Watts. proprietor Of the Palace hotel
here. John Rutherford, detective.
had a warrant for the arrest Of
Ephraim Hatfield, who Is wanted In
South Carolina. He finally located
Hatfield in Pike county KY. Watts
went with Rutherford. and they found
Ephralm at the home Of his father.
Thompson Hatfield. on Blackberry
creek.
Rutherford and Watts broke in the
door and had secured Ephrain when
the father opened fire on them. Shoot
ing at once became general and Watts
and Rutherford and both Hatields
were killed. Ephraim Hatheld's wife
and little children witnessed the trag-
edy.
The Rutherfords were relatives of
Gap" Hatfield Of feud fame. Ruther-
ford was a brother of the two Ruther.
fords killed at the election in 1896 by
Gap" Hatfield. Watts was we'll known
throughout the southern part of the
state. He was wealthy and popular.
1t is said he could have saved himself
had he not stopped firing for moment
when one of the Hatfield children was
within his range.
Where the Tragedy Occurred.
The house in which the tragedy took
place is about five miles from here, on
the Kentucky side of the river. The
only witnesses were the wife Of
Thompson and the latter's small chill
dren, one of whom, girl Of thirteen.
picked up shotgun when the fusillade
was at Its height and shot Rutherford
and Watts.
The killing has stirred up great ex-
element among the feudists. Not since
the burning Of the McCOys at the stake
by the Hatfelds years ago have the
people been so wrought up, and more
trouble is expected.
The feud between the Hatfield and
Mccoy families was declared of in
April, 1897, and to seal the compact the
! family of old Randolph Mccoy and the
descendants of old Deacon Ellison Hat
field led by the notorious "Devil Anse,"
gathered on the banks Of the Big SAN
! dy river to sanction the wedding of
Mary Mccoy and young Aaron Hat
field. This was the fourth peace gath
ering. 1t was not long, however, be.
fore there began to be. talk of fresh
outbreak. In nearly all the cases Of
ruptured compact moonshine whisky
has been responsible. 81 l.
First Blood I'm Feud.
The first blood. of the feud was shed
years ago, when Parish and Sam Nc
! Coy shot and killed young Bill Stayton
from ambush. The trouble began over
two razorbacked hogs. Old Randolph
Mccoy lived on Pond creek. in Pike
county, KY. and Deacon Ellison (''Devil
Anse') lived in Kentucky near Ran
doph Mccoy. The McCoys accused the
Hatfields of stealing the two hogs, and
the case came up for trial before Mat
thew Hatfield, who was justice of the
peace Floyd Hatfield won the case and
the hogs because he had the best wit
neSSeS.
Shortly after the trial BIZ Stayton,
brother in-aw of Floyd and his chief
! witness. was fishing with his son in
Tug river. Randolph Mccoy and two
of his sons came along. A quarrel en-
sued, in the course of which Randolph
! called old man Stayton a perjurer.
Young Bill struck Randolph on the
head with stone. A few months later
Parish and Sam murdered young Bill
from ambush, but were acquitted in a
| Kentucky court.