The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-19
A MISSOURI FEUD
Petty Incidents That Led to the Let.
ting of Blood.

Taitsville, Mo-, June 19-Sleepy Hpl-
low, in Ray county, near Taitsville,
Is going to have peace If they have
to fight for 1t. The law-:bidine in
habitants, who are in the majority,
have given notice that the neighbor-
hood shall not be terrorized any
longer by masked men on horseback
and dressed as women, who dash
madly about the roads at night and
shoot from ambush The notice
means a vigilance committee and
more bloodshed.
That the present feud in Sleepy
Hollow will become more notorious
before the end of the chapter than
any that has been created in Ken
tucky. the home of bloody feuds, is
the opinion freely advanced by these
who live safe enough distance from
the spot to express their thoughts
without danger.
Recause He Knew Too Much.
The last outrage perpetrated by
the night riders was the shooting
from ambush last Sunday of Clyde
Hatfield, a farmer. The theory ad.
vanced for the murder Is that Hat
field knew too much concerning the
secrets of the night riders and the
band feared that he intended to tell
all he had learned. After the coron-
er's inquest, last Monday. when no
one was cited for the murder, Ernest
Saunders, the sheriff, and the other
county officials returned to Richmond,
eighteen miles from Taitsville. The
testimony at the inquest was such
that Saunders would not take the risk
of arresting on warrant man sus-
pected of knowing something con-
cerning the crime Official inquiry
probably will cease now.
But the feud will continue with
more hatred than ever injected into
it. New recruits have been drawn in
to the affair by the last outbreak of
the night riders. They are cool,
long-headed men. They will fight to
restore the former good name to their
community and use firearms, if nec-
essary. to do so.
Thomas Benton Hatfield and James
Hatfield. uncles of the slain man, are
two of this band. Uncle Thomas"
Benton has lived the sixty-eight years
of his life in and near Taitsville and
has not quarreled with single man
in that time. He leaned on his Win
chester in his field of corn yesterday
and talked.
Shy From the Hedges.
Nobody is safe now," he said with
a furtive glance toward a thick bunch
of shrubs fifty yards distant. II
drew away from that hedge a little
while ago because I felt nervous
No one knows at what time shot
is to come from hidden place. They
shoot here for what they suspect,
not for what they know. 1t will stop.
That is all will say"
And Uncle Thomas Hatfield strobe
away across the field behind the fur
row with his Winchester thrown
across his shoulders.
The only man in the Taitsville COM
munity who will say exactly what he
thinks and all of it. on any and all
occasions. is little fellow 5 feet 4
inches tall and weighing $50 pounds.
This mans nerve can be rated cor
rectly only when one realizes that
persons in Cowgirl. fifteen miles away,
fear to say anything concerning the
night riders and will refuse absolute
ly to drive through Taitsville, even
in the day time.
The little mans name is Henry
Berry, ard he is the bright, particular
mark of the night riders. He has
fought them single handed up to this