Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-08
Famous Leader
in Hatfeld-McCOy
Feud Dies in w. Va.


Huntington, w. Va, Jan. 7-"Devil
Anse" Hatfield, noted leader in the
Hatfield-McCoy feud of thirty years
ago, is dead. Word fhis death last
night in the Hatfield home at Island
Creek, Logan county, w. Va, reached
Huntington tonight. Pneumonia
caused death.
Anderson ("Devil Anse") Hatfield
was one of the leaders of the historic
feud between the Hatfield and Mccoy
families in the mountains of West
Virginia and Northern Kentucky.
Shot at from ambush and in hand-to
hand combat scores of times with the
McCoys, he had always predicted ne
would live to die natural death, as
he now has at the age of 80. without
bearing any marks of battle.
Devil Anse" had a reputation as a
crack shot, that was known through
out the mountainous region of the
two states, and at the age of 70 he
could shoot squirrel out of the tall
est timber. He often turned the trick
for admirers, with old rifle that he
carried ready for action at all hours,
and with which during the early
eighties, he would shoot on sight any
member of the Mccoy family.
The celebrated feud of the Hatfield
family with the McCoys was started
over some hogs, one Of the Hatfields
winning a lawsuit that. was brought
to determine their ownership. Soon
after that brother of Devil Anse"
was shct and wounded in more than Is
places by one of the McCoys. The
feud then started did not end until
the few remaining McCoys went over
into Kentucky. where they now reside.
Devil Anse" had none OF the at
tributes of the bad man" in his char
acter. He always was recognized as
he WIS acquainted. Numbered among
those who believed he had been right
by the position he took during the
feud DAYS, were the late Judge John
J, Jackson, known as the Iron
Judge" who was appointed to the
federal bench by President Lincoln,
and former Governor r. w. Wilson,
the former protecting Hatfield from
capture when he had been called into
court, ana the latter refusing to honor
a reqasition of the governor of Ken
lucky for the arrest Of Devil Anse"
on Charge of killing some particular
member Of the Mccoy family.
Detectives. real and alleged, had ar
ranged for the capture of Hatfield,
spurred by d reward, after they had
seen to it that he was indicted on a
charge of whisky selling. in 1883.
Judge Jackson was on the bench at
the time and was informed of the dan
ger that awaited the accused man.
Judge jackson sent word to Hatfield
that if hr would appear in court with
out IN officer being sent for him the
court wI,uld see that he had ample pro-
lection until he returned to his home
in Logan county.
Hatfield appeared and was acquit-
ted of the charge against him. Some
of the detectives pounced upon him
soon after he left the court room,
but Judge Jackson summoned all Of
them before him, and threatened to
send them all to Jail. directing special
officers to see that Hatfield was per-
mittcd TO reach his home After
Hatfield was we'll on his way, Judge
Jackson told the detectives that if
they wanted their man they would
have to get him, just like the Nc
Coys had been trying to do for a
number of years. They never went
"Anse" Hatfield spent the last Is
years of his life quietly and peace
ably on a small farm he owned in
Logan county. He raised good
many hogs and but seldom left his
community. Once he was prevailed
upon by some enterprising amuse-
ment manager, to go on the vaude-
vile stage. He made all preparations
to do 50 but abandoned the idea
when an old Indictment was pro-
duced. which had been quashed on
condition that the old mountaineer
agree to remain at home the rest of
his days.
Hatfield was born in Logan coun-
ty, West Virginia, but then in the
domain of the Old Dominion, in 1S41,
short distance from the old cabin
in which he died.