The Washington herald., 1908-03-01
Hatfield Conflict 48
Years Old.
BEGAN WHEN PIG SWAN RIVER
Tom Hatfield Died RecentIy-FOund
Tied 90 Tree-GovernOrs OF West
Virginia and Kentucky Have Been
Involved in Mountain War-Mea
md Women Killed in Troubles.

Tazor-back pigs swimming Tug River from
the Mccoy place on the Kentucky side to
the ancestral home Of the Hatfelds in
West Virginia
Tom Hatfield, a descendant OF the ter
ribIe Devil Anse" Hatfield was the one
member OF that murderous family who
life. He always escaped without
scratch In the scores of.murderous battles
between the Hatfield and Mccoy clans.
says the New York Times.
AS they tell Il on the Tug River. the
war between the Hatfield and McCOys
began just before the outbreak Of the civil
war. and II all started over the owner
ship Of a Kentucky razor-back hog.
The McCoys at the time were loading
boat with razor-backs that were consign-
ed TO a Cincinnati pork packer. when one
Of the pigs jumped over the boat railing
into Tug River. and swan straight for
Hatfield territory. The Mccoy negroes
were sent over to capture the pig
They soon returned and told old Ran
dolph Mccoy, the head of the Mccoy
clan. that the Hatfield negroes had chased
the animal into a ravine and held it. Old
Rand" sent word 10 'Anse" Hatfield
that he wanted his hog back
If you think YOU have boys enough" 3"
old 'Anse sent word back. why don't
you come and get the old pig?"
Civil War Delays Feud.
IT is said that the McCoys were laying
out a plan OF battle for the recapture of
the pig when the news Of the civil war
was on reached the West Virginia Ken
tucky mountains. AL the McCoys shoul-
dered their guns and enlisted for the
South. as did most Of the Hatfelds Some
of the Hatfelds. however, it is said
fought for the Union
When the war ended the Hatfelds that
had not been killed in battle and the sur
viving McCoys came back to their homes,
the Hathelds 10 tho West Virginia side
and the McCoys 70 the Kentucky side of
the Tug River. and the incident OF the
pig. as was rapidly proved, had not been
forgotten
Soon after the warning families re-
turned there was an election in West
Virginia. and the McCOys went across the
river to help one OF the candidates In
the course OF the day three Of the Mccoy
boys. the youngest only ten and the
eldest about twenty years, met some Of
the Hatdelds, one OF whom was bad
Anse."
There was fight and when it was
over Anse was dead from thirty-one stab
wounds Later the Hathelds captured
the three McCoys. took them 20 a secluded
spot, tied them 20 trees. and shot them
dead.
Petition signed at Gun MuzzIe.
The McCoys, being Kentuckians. the
governor Of that State demanded that
their murderers be returned 10 Kentucky
for trial Thereupon the Hatfields got up
a petition and made all the neighbors
sign it. When some refusedNto DO so. the
Hatfelds made them do so at the muzzle
Of Winchester rifles.
The governor of West Virginia read
this petition and decided that the McCoys
had treated the Hatfelds very shabbily,
and they stayed IN West Virginia.
A few weeks later John Logan and Sam
Bird, followers OF the feudists. were
found dead on the banks of the Tug
River, each with a bullet hole in his
head.
SO the war went on. and every now and
tnen news that a Hatfield or Mccoy
had been killed reached the outside world.
In 1881 came the bloodiest battles in the
history of the feud. In that year the Nc
Coys, led by Frank Phillips. raided the
Hatfield stronghOids. The fighting lasted
a week and when il was over there were
several dead on both sides.
A few weeks later the Hatfelds return
ed the compliment. and raided the Mccoy
territory I'm Kentucky.
HatieIds Burn Mccoy Home.
They went to old Randolph McCoy's
home at night and set the house on fire.
The smoke drove the McCoys out of the
house, and when old Randolph opened the
door he met a shower Of bullets
With his son Calvin the old man re-
treated into the garnet, where they opened
a window and began firing through the
smoke. In the meantime Miss Alophane
Mccoy, young woman. ran out Of the
house with a churn full Of milk to try
10 put out the fire She was shot dead.
Later old Mrs. Mccoy. the girls grand
mother. was shot. as was also Calvin Nc
Coy. "Old Rand" escaped French Hat
field also met his fate here, while others
of his clan were desperately wounded.
A week later thirteen McCoys met thir-
teen Hathelds, and this time the aim of
the McCoys was so good that they Sc
cured temporary victory. Among the
Hatfield victims was the notorious Jim
Vance. In 1880 the law got Ellison Hat
field. and he paid the penalty Of his mis-
deeds on the gallows, the McCoys Witness
ing the execution. In February. 1870.
Uncle Joe" Johnson, a member OF one
OF the gangs. was killed while out bn
bail for killing Phil Tumbler
In the fall Of 1890 there was a story
printed TO the effect that the Hatfelds
had hung Green Mccoy and Mflt Haley.
Later the McCoys retaliated and killed
two Of the enemy. Then Mrs. James
Brown, before marriage a Hatfield. was
killed. Next John Hatfield killed Ruther-
erford Mccoy John was sent to prison
for life. but was later pardoned.
The next most famous battle resulted
in the death Of Deputy Sheriff Doc"
Ellis. Ellis was trying TO make an arrest.
when Ellis Hatfield killed him. For this
Elias Hatfield got twelve years. but was
soon pardoned, the doctors saying ne had
consumption. He got well and married q
coal operators daughter, and q few
months later he was run over ana killed
by a train
Now comes the death OF Tom Hatfield,
who was found tied TO a tree by the
McCoys and left TO die. His friends
rescued him, but exposure necessitated
the amputatiOn of both legs. lie then
lived bur short time
II is said that one Of the Hatfield girls
wrote on one Of the white pillars in front
Of the Hatfield home this line:
There IS no place like home"
Underneath stranger afterward wrote:
"At least this side Of hell