The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-08-11
(THE END.)
SID HATFIELD KILLED.
West Virginia Gunman Falls to
Assassin.

Sid Hatfield's career in West Vir-
ginia ended yesterday on the court
house steps of Welch, West Virginia.
1t remains for coroner's jury to pass
judgment as to who shall be held for
trial on a charge of having fired the
shot that ended the life of pictur-
esque figure IN the industrial strife of
Mingo county. C. E.. Lively, private
detective, is being held pending ver-
dict.
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
II months ago, together with his
friend, Ed Chambers, also a defend
ant in that trial, fell as a result of
pistol and 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 near by Hat
field, with a party of friends, ap-
preached the entrance to the court
house Just before noon where they
met Lively and a group of compan-
ions. Friendly greetings were said
to have been exchanged, but a mo-
ment later those on either side were
noticed to assume hostile attitude.
Loud talking was INDUCED in and
this was followed by the crack of
pistol fire.. No one, however, could
or would say who commenced shoot
ing. Hatfield and Chambers were
seen to fall. Examination revealed
that Hatfield had been shot in the
chest and Chambers in the head and
breast. One of the guns carried by
the Magnolia constable witnesses
said he carried two-had been dis
charged, it was said, by those who
rushed forward All shells in the
pistol were empty, it was said. It was
stated further that Chambers had but
one gun. Some of the shells in it also
had been fired, it was declared.
The shooting, although creating
some excitement, did not cause more
than a furry and the large crowd in
Welch for the trial was dispersed
quickly by local authorities. The
charge of which Hatfield was to have
been tried today was in connection
with the shooting up of Mohawk, W.
Va, about a year ago.
Mrs. Sid Hatfield, who was formerly
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 solemnized two weeks after the
death of Matewan's S chief executive.
C. E. Lively was the surprise
witness for the prosecution in the
trial conducted in connection with
the death of'Albert G. Felts, director
of the band of private detectives
which had been sent to Matewan for
the purpose of evicting miners fami-
lies from the houses Of a coal COM
pany. This trial was the elimination
of a street battle in the West Vir-
ginia mining town one year ago last
May 19, When the battle started
that afternoon the detectives had
completed their work and we're on
their way from the hotel at which
they had been stopping to the rail
road station nearby. Immediately
after the acquittal by jury that had
listened to many weeks to testimony
in the case, Hatfield and the code
PENDANTS returned to Matewan.
Shortly thereafter Hatfield was re-
moved from the Office of chief of po-
lice and Immediately elected as con-
stable of the Magnolia district. an
office he retained to the time of his
death.
Although only 26 years of age,
Hatfields name was known to almost
every West Virginian and to many
persons outside of the state. on &C
count of frequent pistol episodes to
which he had been a party. He was
one of the witnesses recently called
by the senate committee Investigate
ing industrial conditions in the Mlngo
coal fields.