Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
Mountain FcuL.
Continued from Fourteenth Page

shoot down through the shingles an enemy
would have to be considerable above the house
and then the bullets would simply glance into
the loose poles. The sole article Of furniture
was feather mattress. An open fireplace fur
nished heat and cooking facilities.
The road was SO wild and -ough-going from
the Logan County courthouse to Devil Ansess
fort that it would have been impossible to march
any body of men through It, At nearly every
town the correspondent encountered noun
taineer. Whenever stranger appeared signals
passed up the road. Whistling would be heard
warning passed from spot to spot. In emer-
gencies mountaineer always could make short
cuts through the forest and anticipate the CONS
ing of strangers by any of the regular roads.
Devil Anse" Hatfield was an energetic man,
OF sOldierly bearing, who served with the Con-
federacy throughout the Civil War;
"Uncle Jimmy" Mccoy, the last of the noted
feudists to die peaceful death, was the eldest
son of Capt. Randall Mccoy. Even at 80
height of the bitterness between the McCoys
and Hatfields Jim Mccoy counseled peace and
ever was anxious to avoid bloodshed True he
was forced by family ties to engage IN the fight
ing now and then, but his neighbcrs said that
he was anything but killer by nature
A commercial traveller whose territory I'M
cluded Logan County told story about a Hat
field that showed the undying hatred. some
years ago, among the older members of the clan
and at the same time illustrated their sense OF
fairness in business dealings. Gen. Steinmetz
OF the Austrian army was military observer on
the stan OF Gen. Grant during the Civil War.
Shortly after the war he passed through Logan
County with Gen. Sheridan. He noted the coal
mining possibilities Of the region and bought
5000 acres for q small sum.
Years later when Gen Steinmetz died, his
daughter, Mrs Won Bergen. found that the
deeds had been lost, but she came to America
with copy of her fathers win and proof of her
identity as heir to his estate On reaching New
York. she learned that railroad was about TO
be built to the section Of West Virginia in
which her land was situated. That project. OF
course, greatly enhanced the value Of her coal
land. Going to Logan County. she found that
In the intervening years the Hatnelds had
squattet on her property An adviser at the
Logan County seat said to her:
These feudists win shoot to kill but they
won't steal or lie. squatting on unused land
they regard as their natural right but ne&e@
knew one of these feudists to break his word.
II you can convince them that the land right.
fully belongs to you, believe you win Get &c
back"
within few days the forecast was borne out,
tragically and dramatically. Sam HATFIELD was
taken to . doctors Office mortany wounded.
Told that he had about an hour to live and
asked II he had any dying request, Hatfield said:
Yes. IL Was Jen MCCOY who led the attack
on Us. Pass the word around and see that he
is wiped out In the next "a hours. Give me
drop Of ticker TO ease the pain bit"
Then the doctor, who had become acquainted
with Mrs. Won Bergen summoned her from the
courthouse nearby and said to HATFIELD:
Nov. Sam, want to ask . favor OF you.
This land you have been living on belongs to
this little woman here. want you to pass the
word to the Hatfields to keep OF it In the fa-
ture"
The dying man slipped spoonful of white
mountain dew. paused moment, and said to
the taller Of the two bare-headed momtaineers
who had brought him to the doctor:
TELL an Of the Hatfeids to do as the doctor
wants"
Within an hour the Hatfelds came 10 bury
the dead and swear vengeance against the
living.