The Washington herald., 1921-01-31
HATFIELD CLAN
HAS GAY TINE
AT PRISON LIFE
2I Charged With FeLts'
Murder Dance to Jazz
Music in Jail

WILLIAMSON w Va, Jan. go
The gayest place in this town today
was the county Jail. Twenty-one
men, jointly charged with murder,
were making merry there. Many of
them had their wives or swecthearts
with them. They danced to Nyhistlcd
jazz tunes. played cards. checkers
and dominoSS smoked and ate
candy. \ big Sunday chicken din
ner also was enjoyed by all.
Across the way from the jail, on
the top floor of the court house,
eighteen tentative jurymen were
ing the time as best they could.
Many of them gazed wistfully over
10 the iron barred window whenCd&
fioated song and laughter. The pros
pective taIesmen. held incommuni-
Ado. were plainly envious OF the
men whose lives will be placed in
the hands Of twelve jurors when
the Matewan trigger trial" reaches
it's final stage.
Enjoying Plenty.
Out in front of the Jail windows,
undaunted by drizzling rain, stood
a small crowd of friends of the
accused chatting with them. All
offers of smokes, eats" and such
like were thankfully declined.
The cheerful defendants had plen-
ty OF everything. The women were
allowed to stay till evening. Mrs.
Sid Hatfield, wife of Matewan's
chief of police, was specially ac-
commodated in a large front room
of the jailer's little home, which
is part of the Jail building. She
will be allowed to stay there a
week.
This ain> Jail. this is the Mate
wan Hot" said Hatfield, pressing
his smiling face against the iron
bars. All good men are from there
and all the incest women, too"
Were having a wonderful time"
chimed in the pretty young wife of
the chief defendant.
Want some candy" asked the
sweetheart of another of the ac-
Cused. holding a large box of sweets
through the bars.
Have a smoke. buddy" volun-
teered Charlie Kisser, who is the
most related man" in MinEO County,
having more relatives than even his
co-prisoners Hatfield and J. c. Nc
Coy.
Meanwhile fifteen deputy sheriffs
were spending the Sabbath trying
to locate $50 additional veniremen.
Most of these live in the remote sec
tions of the country, some in the
mountains. Automobiles, horses
and bicycles were used by the sher-
IFS to get to the summoned men.
Trial by Wednesday.
Judge Robert Bailey, who is try
ing the case against the twenty
one Matewaneans charged with the
murder of Detective Albert Felts,
said today he believed full jury
will be in by Tuesday and the ac-
tual trial can then begin. After
two more talesmen have been ten
tatively chosen, the reduction to a
dozen will be made.
Newspapermen in want of copy"
spent the afternoon grouped around
o. II. BOoton, local editor. who Is
recognized as the chief authority
on Mingo County history. They lis
tened to his tales of the olden
feuds; of the strange customs of
the mountaineers; of the clay-eat-
ers; the primitive Baptists; and of
the ducking of bridegrooms in the
murky Tug River on the wedding
day; also of the custom of preach
ing funeral sermon not on the
day Of the burial, but on its ami
versary.
A furry of excitement was caused
at the Jail when Deputy Sheriff E.
w. Walker, who had been out serv-
ing summons on veniremen, return
ed with two prisoners. He had run
into them in the striking miners
tent colony at Lick Creek, while
they were firing at each other.
Walker fired eight shots in a run
ming battle With one of them. Harry
Ontan, a foreigners, whom the 9TH
er prisoner, Roy Chapman, a resi-
dent of the tents colony, accused Of
having fired at one of the tents
No one was wounded.