The Cairo bulletin., 1914-06-09
NOTED FEUO|sT DEAD
Randall Mccoy, Afer Turbulent
Career, Dies in Bed.
Desperate Deeds Of the Hatfield Nc
Coy Factions Enacted in the State
OF Kentucky-Early incidents
Of the War.

Louisville. ny. - Randall Mccoy.
nonagenarian and one OF the leaders
OF the famous Hatfield Mccoy feud.
which for years terrorized the border
districts of the states OF Kentucky
and West Virginia, died at the home
of his grandson in this city recently.
Death was caused by burns which he
suffered last fall and from which he
never recovered.
The life history of Mccoy is the his
tory OF period when the reign OF
law was forgotten for many years. The
original trouble between the Mccoy
and Hatfield families began during the
Civil war. when Harmon Mccoy. broth
er of Randall Mccoy, was killed by
jim Vance, q relative Of Anderson
Hatfield. known far and wide as Bad
Anse." whose mother was member
of the Vance family.
Hatfield had several cons, the most
notorious being Cap" and Johnson
Hatfield. SO notorious was the repu-
tation OF this family that they we're
the practical rulers of Logan county,
Kentucky, respecting neither man nor
the law.
In 1881 Johnson Hatfield eloped with
Randall McCoy's daughter After the
girl had returned to her parents John
son Hatfield again induced her to go
with him They were surprised by
members Of the Mccoy family, who
took Hatfield prisoner. Bad "Anse'
Hatfield and other members Of his
family Immediately organized an expe-
dition and rescued Johnson Hatfield.
Things were fairly quiet then for
two years until on election day In
August. 1883. Ellison Hatfield at
tempted to murder three Of Randall
McCoy's ons--Floyd, Talbert and
Richard-the eldest being twenty-four
years old and the youngest nineteen,
In the fight, Ellison Hatfield was
MORALLY wounded and the Mccoy boys
escaped harm Floyd Mccoy escaped,
while the other two boys were arrest
ed by the authorities. A crowd Of
Bad Anse" Hatfield desperadoes cap
tured Talbert and Richard Mccoy
along with Randall Mccoy, Jr.. four
teen years old, and held them pending
the outcome Of the injuries to Ellison
hatfield Immediately after the death
of Hatfield me Hatfield clan tied the
three Mccoy boys to trees and shot
them 10 death
Following the inBistent demands Of
| law-abiding citizens, Governor Buck
ner Of Kentucky commissioned Frank
| Phillips to go TO West Virginia to take
| charge Of the Hatfield clan. who had
been accused of the Mccoy murders.
| Phillips took his work seriously, aud
to the surprise or the Hatfelds land
ed his prisoners in the jail at Pike
vile.
A few days later on the night Of
January !, 1887. others of the Hatfield
clan attacked the house Of Randall Nc.
Coy and killed a son and daughter
besides fatally wounding his wife Nc.
Coy made desperate fight, and killed
three of the attacking party before he
fed for his life. One of his daugh
tiers went mad as the result of the
sight Of her dead brother and sister
When Kentucky heard the story OF
this attack there was such an outcry
that the fearless Phillips again organ
tied a posse and invaded West Wiz
ginia, the stronghold of the Hatfield
clan. He captured the other mem
bers of the band and lodged then
in Pikeville Jail They were all in
,dicted for murder.