The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-09-10
Declares She Is Afraid To
Go On Witness
Stand
Lively DIDN'T DO IT.
More Than 25 Bullets in
Body Of the Dead
Man
By NORRIS QUINN.

MATEWAN, w. Vap Sept. 10
Twice a widow within IA months!
Wife of two men. both shot to
death in West Virginia's bloody
mine feudl
That's the tragic history of the
proprietress Of the little ice cream
parior across, from the MateWan
railway station.
This woman of "a was the wife
of Sid. Hatfield, police chief OF
Matewan. Earlier she was the wife
Of C. c. Testerman, mayor OF
Matewan. -.
Her deep black eyes sparkle With
life. Her dark brown hair is care
fully arranged in a modish couture.
She wears plain black silk gown,
"No," she said today, I'm not
going to testify when they try the
men that killed Sid!
"That is, unless Sheriff Bill Hat
field and Governor Morgn promise
me safe conduct to and from the
courthouse at Welch-
"Or unless Uncle Sans troops
come into Mcdowell county before
the trial starts.
"Why, otherwise, Pm afraid
they'd kill me just like they killed
Story of Shooting.
Then she told for the first time
her story of the Welch courthouse
shooting, which resulted in the
death Of Sid Hatfield and his friend,
Ed Chambers.
"You see, Sid went, to Welch to
answer a charge of being involved
in the Mohawk Valley shooting"
she said. "He was innocent, but he
went to stand trial as any law
abiding citizen should =. --..yr
81 went with him and so did Ed
Chambers and Mrs. Chambers. Ed
went as a witness for Sid, 3.
"Sid wasn't looking for any
trouble. He didn't carry any guns,
though he had a state permit 10,
carry weapons. He put one gun in
our suitcase and gave the other e
the deputy who took Us to Welch.
eve were walking up the court,
house steps when the shooting
started. People say Sid saw G. p.
Lively, a, Baldwin-Felts detective
on the steps; that Sid pulled his
gun to shoot Lively and that Live
" shot in self defense.
Clears Lively.
"Well, know that Lively didn't
"Thirteen men on the courthouse
steps shot at Sid and there were
more than % bullet holes in Sid's
body when he fell. Sid never knew
what had happened"
That's an entirely new story,
In every mountaineer's cabin in
West Virginia; at every, crossroads
store, you'll hear people say that
the Welch shooting grew out of q
feud between Hatfield and Lively
Lively was arrested in connection
with the shooting. He is now out
under bond. He was never indicted
The grand jury has not met since
the killing.
"I'll never marry again." Mrs.
| Hatfield said. ''You see, l married
Mr.. Tester1nan when l was IS. he
was 10 years older.
"He was killed with 10 others in
the shooting at Matewan May 49,,
! 1920, after discharged miners were
evicted from their homes by Bald
win-Felts detectives.
"AlI Loved Sid"
"Then / married Sid. l really
/ loved Sid and can never love an.,i
other man. OF course, loved Mr..
Testerman, too, but he was more
Of father to me than husband.
Everyone loved Sid. He was
noble and kind-hearted. He gave
half he made to the sick and poor.
He loaned to everyone who needed
money He gave regularly to
churches.
"That's why the mine workers
are going to put up a big monu-
ment to Sid in Charleston, the stats
capital, where everyone can see it.
i'm not afraid Of Sid,s enemies
.-so'lonR as / stay here. Be-
cause-R'
And Mrs. Hatfield glanced at Q.
revolver on the counter behind the
soda fountain.