Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20

had heard her kinsmen threaten to kill .Jonce
before reaching the jail
Devil Anse'' turned out the Hatfield crowd.
Three of the Hatfield party headed OF the band
escorting the prisoner and released him. Devil
Anse" gave his enemies tongue lashing when
they were covered with guns and threatened to
kill all of them. but finally needed the admoni-
ton Elias Hatfield to desist
Ellison Hatfield, whose death brought about
the killing Of three Mccoy prisoners. was known
as brave man who preferred to live in peace.
The day he was MORALLY wounded he had
crossed Tug River to mingle with the Kentucky
crowd on election day in Pike County.
The McCoys renewed the old quarrel about
the. hogs and guns were drawn. Four McCoys
closed in on Hatfield and stabbed him more
than twenty times, most Of the wounds being
inflicted by a 16-year-old youth. Elias Hatfield
and another brother arrived too late TO aid their
kinsman The enraged Hatfelds seized three Of
the McCoys held them prisoner until Ellison
died. whereupon the Kentucky clansrnen were
shot to DEATH
Numerous murders In Logan and Pike Coun-
ties followed and then came the killing OF Jeff
Mccoy, who had slain . man named Woodford
In Kentucky and crossed into West Virginia
There Mccoy got into q quarrel with one wal
. lace, employed by Capt. Hatfield. and was
wounded wallace and Hatfield. after an all
night deliberation rs to whether to keep Mccoy
in Logan County for trial or take him back TO
Kentucky for the killing Of woodford. decided
to escort him to the Logan County jail. On the
way Mccoy managed to cut the rope that bound
him and swan river. After many shots, Hat
field and Wallace killed Mccoy IS he was climb
ing the opposite bank Of the stream
After several raids back and forth in Ken
lucky and West Virginia. Curt Mccoy and Moses
Christian, Mccoy adhefent, were captured by
their foes This incident Immediately was fol-
lowed by q notable crime. One night the house
Of Randolph Mccoy. chief Of his clan, was sur
rounded by the Hatfield crowd, set ON IRE and
the family driven out Mrs. Mccoy was beaten
savagely with gun and son and daughter,
10 years old, were shot TO death. Randolph
Mccoy escaped
It was about this time that the Governor Of
Kentucky directed deputy sheriffs, one Of them
named Phillips. TO- receive certain prisoners
among the Hatf1elds, for whom requfsition
ginia. Phillips, at the head Of 20 men, invaded
West Virginia and captured Tom Chambers
whom they took to the Pike County jail on the
charge Of being an accessory in the execution
Of the three Mccoy brothers
In another raid by Phillips, James Vance, said
to have been the leader I'm the house burning
was captured and killed. When the possemen
came up to the PROSTATE Vance they found him
with his right foreanger clasped around the
trigger Of his gun. trying with his last dying
strength to fire one more shot. ~
THE feud, aside from an occasional casualty
was dormant for q time and then along
came character known rs Kentucky Bin," &c
act as q detective for the West Virginia faction.
Bill had sworn to capture Phillips. On one oc-
casion about $50 shots were fired at Kentucky
Bill" without any taking effect. It is one Of
the remarkable things In connection with the
history Of these mountain folk who shoot 50
much and so accurately at marks In ordinary
practice that when they come to IRE at human
targets they often shoot so wide Of the mark.
Once when Kentucky Bill" was closely pur-
sued by the Mccoy feudists he was forced TO
employ strategy to escape. Seeing . hollow log
in his path he cast on his hat -And running
some distance further, doned his coat. returned