The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-08-03
HAklfLD'S CAREER
ENDED BY BULLET
Picturesque West Virginia Figure for
for Some Years
DETECTIVE BEING HELD
No One Would or Could Say Who Be-
gan Shooting-In Big Matewan
Battle.

Welch, w. Va, Aug. 1.--pid Hat
fields career in West Virginia ended
today on the court house steps of this
village. 1t remains for a coroner's
jury to pass judgment as to who shall
be held for trial on charge OF having
fired the shot that ended the life OF
a picturesque figure i'll the industrial
strife of Mingo County. G. E. Lively,
Il private detective, is being held pend
ing a verdict.
Hatfield, former chief of police at
Matewan, and central figure in the
trial early this year of more than a
score of men charged in connection
with the killing of a private detective
fourteen months ago, together with
his friend, Ed Chambers, also de-
fendant in that trial, fell as result
of pistol shot wounds suffered as the
two men were entering the little court
house, where Hatfield was to face trial
on another shooting charge.
According to persons nealaby, Hat
field, witt, a party Of friends, ap-
preached the entrance to the court
house just before noon, where they
met Lively and group of compan-
ions. Friendly greetings were said to
have been exchanged, but moment
later those on either side were no
ticed to assume a hostile attitude.
Loud talking. was indulged in, and this
was followed by the crack of pistol
shots. No one, however, could or
would say who commenced shooting.
Hatfield and Chambers were seen to
fall Examination revealed that Hat
field had been shot in the chest and
Chambers in the head and breast.
One of TIE guns carried by the Mag
nolia consta witnesses said he car
ried two-had been discharged, it was
said by tNose who rushed forward.
All shells in the pistol were empty,
it was said. 1t was further stated
that Chambers had but one gun. Some
of the shells in it also had been fired,
it is said.
The shooting, although creating
some excitement, did not cause more
than a furry, and The large crowd in
Wclch for the trial was dispersed
quickly by local authorities. The
charge on w..:ch Hatfield was to have
with the shooting up of Mohawk, w.
Va, about a year ago.
Mrs. Sid Hatfield, who formerly was
the wife of Mayor C. C. Testerman,
one of those slain in the Matewan
battle, which resulted in the deaths
of seven private detectives and three
citizens, was in Welch to attend court
at the time. Her marriage to Hatfield
was solemnizcd two weeks after the
death of Matewan's chief executive.
G. f. Lively was the surprise" wit
ness for the prosecution in the trial
conducted in connection with the death
of Albert G. Fclts, director OF the band
of private detectives who /had been
sent to Matcwan for the purpose of
cvicting miners families from the
houses of a coal company. This trial
was the elimination of street battle
in the West Virginia mining town one
year ago last May 10. When the bat
tie started that afternoon the detect
ives had completed their work. and
were on their way from the hotel at
which they had been stopping to the
railroad station near by. Immediately
after the acquittal by jury that had
listened for many weeks to testimony
IN the case, Hatcld and the CO.
defcndantes returned to MatcWan.
Shortly thereafter Hated was re-
moved from the &C of chief of DO
lice, and Immediately elected as con
stable of the Magnolia district, an Of
flee he retained to the time of his
death.
Although only twcnty-six years of
age, Hatfield's name was known to al
most every West Virginian and to
many persons outside the State, on ac-
count of frequent pistol episodes to
which he had been . party. He was
one of the witnesses recently called
by the Senate committee appointed to
investigate the industrial conditions
in the Mingo coal fields.
Five Men Held, Reported
Bluefcld, West Va, Aug. Ire
ports from Wclch tonight we're that
five men, including G. f. Lively, are
being held in connection with the
shooting of Sid Hatfield and I'D
Chambers. The others held are:
II. II. Lucas, deputy sheriff of Mer-
Ger county; Robert Day, William Sal
ter. and Rusier Ponce denntu ahariasc