The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-28
ANCIENT ENEMIES
NOW FAST FRIENDS
Hatfield and Mccoy Sleep Side
by Side Under Old Glory.
ABOARD THE SAME VESSEL
Sparks of the Old Hatred for Time
Snouldcnng, but as One of Them
Said, |, is in the Blood and May
Blaze Forth al Any Time,

TWO boye. who at birth became pr,n-
cipals in ono Of the bi,terest feuds the
lawless mountaineers of the South have
ever knowa-two boys whose families FOR
decade have been involved in a 1ner-
CHESS war-haye buried their hereditary
hatred TO become comrades in Uncle
Sans navy.
These lads, Perry Mccoy and .Anse'.
Notwithstanding to the code their
families chefish-should be seeking each
other with guns or knives in the noun
tain Businesses around the West v:r-
gina and Kentucky bound2ry-but in
GSsad they have hammocks slung side
by side on the training ship Minneapolis
ct League leland
II they were faithful to the precepts
they have heard since babyheod. Mccoy
and Hatfield would utilize Uncle Sam s
weapons Of war to exteru2inate each
other, but instead. they are learning to-
Eether how to fight for the Stars and
Stripes
They are the first Of their clans thus
to admit the supremacy of the Govern
ment. For twenty years, at least, the Nc
Coys and the Hatfelds have ignored all
law in order that they might wipe each
otfer from the earth.
Were League Island Navy Yard under
the Jurisdiction of either the Governor
of West Virginia or the Chief Executive
OF Kentucky the militia would be called
out IL a Mccoy and a Hatfield approach
ed as closely as do Perry and 'Anse"
One Of the hard and fast rules of
comfy between the two States is that
the McCoys shall remain within the Ken
ftrryv i-Nn ~ -. ~
Virginia When 1t IS violated down
there. death ensues
knowing all these things, however,
Perry Mccoy and "Anse'' Hatfield have
developed a strong friendship-they are
brothers. though they hate bitterly each
others stock
HOW TEE TWO MET.
They became friends. too. as the re-
suit of circumstances which each fam
lily would have prevented had they been
foreseen.
Each young man was trained for n
career as civil engineer. as best thew
could DE In the standardization OF their
mountain homes,
Than they went TO work for a coal
ana coke company engaged in opening
region.
AS fellow workmen they were forced to
meet with frfeadliness. This feeling b.-
came sincere instead OF artificial
They soon found that they had NV
fual love for adventure and thus they
came to enlist together IN the navy.
ABOUT week ago they signed for four
Years Service az sailors at Huntingdon
KY. on Sunday they became protaeas
pfs Gunner Morgan aboard the Mtnnean-
pAs, at the League Island Navy Yard.
And In the few days they have bean
there the boys have made remarkable
progress.
They are insepa-able companion. vhsn
they are not learning some trick - 49,
tatlor trade. a person unfamiliar win
their antecedents would hardly believe
mat they were trained IN Childhood m
be enemies as men.
Each however, feels that the rra+er-
pal feeling between them NAV some oav
be broken by the discordant notes echo
ing from the past
Therefore they say nothing OF the FOLKS
back IN the West Virginia and Kentucky
mountain country.
NOW FAST FRIENDS.
Anse and I are fast friends now
laid Mccoy yesterday. I'D do anything
for him and 1 know I could depend upon
him were / in trouble.
Once in u wlile-a very great while
these friendships have existed between
the families. 'Anse's mother for IN
stance. was my fathers sister But at
The same time that was not thought or
when 'Anse's' uncle wished TO XIII my
father.
. 'Anse's' uncle known a s Captain Hat
field, ambushed my father and put him
put Of the road.
But 'Anse' and are trying to be Just
Rs dear to each other as We can, and
| shouldn't mention these old troubles.
We never do among ourselves.
We refrain from any mention of the
past, because we know that although we
tpark TO set US at each others throat
ield, and I'm q Mccoy.
II we got started once the fact that
re were sailors for Uncle Sam would
mako no difference. It would be light
% the daath-its in the blood.
However, just as long as we are sail
ors together we are going TO try hard
30 be friends AS for the future, that
n another thing. A man can never tell
what Will happen.
When he goes back to his home in
knngo county. w. Va. and 7 rejoin my
family In Pike county, Ky, events may
change our feelings-for he's a Hatfield,
rou know. and Tn Mccoy
There was a strange light in his eye
rs he spoke the last words. They were
spoken with strong mountain accent
heretofore not so distinct.
Mccoy took a short walk across the