Leaders of a Notorious Family Fend
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MCOYS-RANDOU'H M COY, LEADER. ON TIIK
"DEVIL, A NSE" HATFIELD NEAR HIS CASTLE.
SOME OK
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THE IIATFIELDS I'll K Al'l I El! HATFIELD IN CEN
Copyright, 1902, by Clifford Smythe.)
IKEVILLE, Ky., April 4. (Special
Correspondence of Tho Bee.)
When civllizatlcu took up us a primitive
westward march a century ago, it of tho creek.
It was uii iiidkatiuu tnui
L.Hnn.l a ctrin if -nillltrV (111 the Inland Cattle, the home of 'Devil Ause,
border lino between Wist Virginia anu was nut far oil. Tho mill is not much to
Kentucky. The hardy mountaineirs then liv- boast of, certainly. Every timber in it
ing there were descendants of some of the bears tho rude mark of the mountaineer's
best Virginia families, who forgot in the axe, i In- only implcim in, apparently, thai
transplanting to establish with their homes was used in throwing together this little
the schools and churches their torelatuers jumuie oi logs auu piuima mm men .umr
had considered all Important. That is why contempt for the retiuemeuis
and the pine timber that covers the sides phernalia. It is a desolate structure, little up and
and tops of the hills. merit ing its titlo of "ensile," except for without
At tho cud of fourteen miles 1 reached the fact that it in the home ami hiding neither."
urist mill turned by the waters place of the most notorious man in West
w lien
HUIIl'd
the natural
help to s
tunc comes
lid me olT,
we have today a feudal America in the heart
of an educated and progressive country a
region which has not changed materially
kuvh for tin) gradual defeneration of its
inhabitants since Its first settlement of the answered to the noisy lumbering
..in., wheel plunging about in the icy
One day now twenty years past two
neighbors quarrelled over Borne pigs; three
members of the family shot one of the
other, und that day began a feud which
has not yt ended. Dozens of detectives
and total strangers who have attempted to
stop the warfare have lost their lives here,
and when the writer proposed taking a
trip to see "Devil Anse," the head of the
llat'teldfl, In his Island castle, all his
friends united iu protest against such a
venture.
As for penetrating on foot and alone
the wilderness of Island Creek where this
redoutable family has Its stronghold, such
a trip, I was warned repeatedly, could end
in nothing but disaster and I was urged
not to attempt it. Being a stranger, tbo
Hatflelds would take me for a detective
and, like Bonie other who had similarly
ventured, I would mysteriously disappear,
other considerations, however, rendered
the undertaking Imperative and so I set
out, accompanied by my dog, a large blood
hound, to explore the notorious little stream
to Its source, eighteen miles back in the
mountains.
of lalhe and
plane.
Through the open spaces between the
boards a boy could be seen hovering about
the hopper, where a thin stream of meal
of the
waters
below. It was a pleasing idyl to stumble
upon after a day of hard travel, and 1
stood In the water looking at it with uu
loncealed satisfaction. I'resently, from
right over my head it seemed, came the
challenge of a rough, hearty voice:
"I want that dawg!"
1 look jd up and (shall never forget the
figure standing on the el i 11 above me. U
was a man of middle age, dressed iu an
old hunter's coat, wiib a seaman's oilskin
cap on his head, a double-headed axe on
his shoulder, and a guu slung under his
arm. But the large, piercing eyes, even at
that distance, and tbo tangle of brown
black beard and hair were what riveted
my attention and proclaimed the identity
of the man. There could be no mistake, it
was "Devil Anse" Hatfield, the man of
many murders and a lifelong feud. His
sudden greeting left no opportunity to in
troduce myself. So 1 met his demand for
my dog in kind.
lllll.. ( "Met II Anxe'i." HlulT.
"You can't have him, Mr. Hatlield, but
I want you. I have corns all the way from
Logan to see you."
Tbo silence that followed this was far
from comfortable. The old man never
moved a muscle, while those terrible, fas
cinating eyes of his seemed to be ' eating
out the very heart of my mystery." "Devil
Ause" Is, of course, perpetually on the
watch for detectives, and m reply startled
him. It took some little time to gain his
confidence after thus. However, I had let
ters from two of his personal friends, each
an ex-governor of West Virginia, and a
chow of these finally prevailed on him to
come down and meet me. After I had read
him the letters, his keen, hawk-like eyes
never leaving mine during the operation,
he expressed great satisfaction, greeted me
most cordially, and, shouldering a bag of
meal that his remarkable mill had Just
ground, led the way to Island Castle.
The latter is a large plain structure,
scantily furnished and filled with a huddle
of fierce dogs and children besides an
arsenal of guns, knivts and bunting para-
Trutelinii Hel of SI ream.
Traveling afoot In a creek might seem
unnatural in any section outside of West
Virginia. Hut in the southern part of this
state, all roads are creeks, the road-builder
having found it simpler to utilize the water
ways provided by nature rather than cut
roads through the mountains.
Island Creek muy bear some semblance
to a roadway in summer, but I ascended
it shortly after a flood in early spring
and for three-fourths of tbo distance I
was compelled to wade up stream, the water
at times reaching the tops of my waist
high rubber boots. Here and there are a
pfew scattered log houses, and a picturesque
mountaineer, with a muttered "howdy,"
occasionally slouches along through the
water on some long suffering horse. No
signs of civilization or wealth are seen
except as they are suggested in the rich
seams of coal that cop out here and there
Virginia, whom Kentucky ha been seeking
vainly for the past twenty years. I spent
two days in this strange "caslle," listening
to tho old man's yarns and marveling at the
frankness with which lie talked of the
bloody feud he had inaugural! d and that
had come near plunging two stales into
war with each oilier. No one could be
more courteous and affable, In his rud.
mountain fashion, than "Devil Anse," und.
despite the dark cloud of crime that over
hangs his horizon, it would be dilliciilt to
avoid liking him.
i : oi ..i ui Hit I'ciui.
Before the feud started "Devil Anse"
was a well-to-do resident of southern West
Virginia. Ilo was a prosperous tr.idir on
the Kentucky border and the ouuer of
some r,nuO acres of land. Today he is
forced to hide in the woods, supporting
himself and hi large family by bear hunt
ing and bee raising, logitlier with a little
farming iu summer. The best part of hii
laud bati long ago disappeared and he esti
mates that $."(i, imo would hardly cover what
he has 1(M in lawsuits and sacrifice of
property since the feud stai'lvd.
It must always be dilliciilt for an outsider
to get a rational idea of the story of the
feud except ill the vugiin-t way. First,
there were a couple of hogs, then a woman,
then an election, n quurrel and a murder.
By this time the feud, with i:s growing list
of bloodthirsty killings and implacable re
venge, was fairly launched.
After tho first murder, that of Ellison
Hatfield, by three McCoys twenty yiais
ago, the two families organized themselves
into armed bands that were under oatb to
exterminate each othir, the 1 lut Ileitis mak
ing raids for this purpose into Kentucky,
the McCoys into West Virginia. From the
beginning the two states have taken sides
in the trouble, each succissive governor of
West Virginia refusing to hand over the
Hatficlds to the Kentucky authorities whll
the McCoys have found like protection at
the bands of the Ktutucky governors.
Thus, whin any number of either of the
waning factions is brought to Justice it
must be through the efforts of some pri
vate detective, working for u reward and
kidnaping his victim and bringing him into
the state where the Indictment against him
is drawn. There has b-eii uo dearth of de
tectives etifMcd iu this occupation, mid
de-spite their efforts fresh murders are
every now ami then committed. But the
original feutl is slowly dying out.
"I've been in many a tight corner uinl
just skinned through, I don't know how,"
old Anse said to me. "I've lit a good many
people ami would do the same tomorrow If
need be. I've ,been abrulsin' around a
mighty spell, and all I want now is lo curl
"lletll i " 'I tra il ul I'einl.
As 1 waa leaving island Caslle the next
day the old biar hunter took me into his
room, auyl, at the bedside of his wife, who
was "jcttt a bit datiucey" (ill) he informed
me, made a solemn request.
"ft ranger," he said, "there's no telling
when you'll see this ugly face again, but 1
wai. I you lo do iilil Anse a favor before
you clean foigit 'iiu, Jest for the wake of
the bar meal anil honey we've et together,
ami for the old 'omau lying here.
' 1 want you to go to ole Itau'lile Mc
Coy over iu Kaiutuck and tell him that 1
say I his lu re feud is no use to neither of us
no more.
"We've fit a powerful spell Ulid lost a
High) of kill and money and none of us is
the belter for it. Tell linn 1 say lets
quit !
"Until of us kaiul ilt. idler uli.ug here much
longer and while we air here we miiul as
well have peace between us."
.Mrs. Haiti! Id, the mullier of thirteen ll.it
ficlds, most of whom fought Iu the leud,
efci.udcd the oltl man's request, and as 1
was on my way lo l'ikeville, Ky., where
Randolph .McCoy lives, 1 readily as
sumed tin' responsibility of the strange
message. It would be a benefit to both
states if these Iwo families could become
reconciled and the bloody feud forgotten,
lis continuance has been a great detriment
lo the counties involved, delaying their de
velopment and deterring strangers, often
times, from eer truveling through them.
But I found a very different sentiment
prevailing with Hie McCjys In Kentucky.
Trouble has undermined the mentality of
old Randolph. Mention of the feud ex
cites him und bis pathetic and Impotent
unger at any d.scusBion Involving the name
i f his ancient enemies compels one speed-
.ly to drop the subject.
It was, therefore, to his sou, Jim McCoy,
that I delivered Anse Hullleld's message.
Iu all matters of bus.uess or family Jim
McCoy stands iu his father's place. He Is an
excellent specimen of the strong, hardy
mountaineer, a limit univi rsully liked in
I'ike county, Kentucky, wh re for years h .
has been deputy sheriff. 11 has teu children
of his own and his genial, hearty manner
seemed a favorable augury for the peaceful
settlement of this ancient ft u I. But as
soon as be heard Alls Hal field's message
every token of cordiality vanished. His
expression hardened, the lines on bs face
grew tense, bis words were slowly and
quietly uttered, but theie was uo gainsaying
their decisiveness.
"You cuu tell Mr. Hatfield," he sail,
"that so long as I live there w II be no
compromise between us. He and h s have
isbol down my kin, and I have mude it my
duty never to forgive them. There is no
more lo say. 1 have my duly to the dead.
Let the law do Us part. 1 have made
myself a poor man in order U bring these
murderers to justice. Not until every Hal
lit hi who has injured a McCoy has been
That is my
say mat Jim
purpose, and
at least will
punished will 1 be satisfied,
message to Devil Ause."
Those who know the mall
McCoy will never alur Ills
that not iu thUi gtlieraltou
the final chapter be writ leu to the llatlleld
McCoy feud. It is u strange ciiiiiuienlarj
on our boust of progress in these United
Slutes that this border land must continue
to bear so unsavory a reputation that lew
strangers dale to vulture into it.
l'ointcd lMrauraplis
.Many a man frames bis
tir.-l when a womuii
Chi. ago .Nt ws:
t Xl usi s ill guilt.
The lat shall be
p.cks up u novel.
(JelitUS is the lib. Illy lo get oth.T peopl
lo carry out your Idcus.
It Is sad that liquor Improves with age,
but some men dou't care 10 wait.
Allhuugh times ure supposed lo bo good,
geolog.bls If purl collections huid.
l'ovcrty bus killed Us th.ius.iuds and
wealth has felain lis tens of thousands.
It costs the average young man a lot of
money lo trot on the course of true love.
Many a man's bucctss is due to his p.uck.
He plucks nearly everything Ibcr.; is iu
sight.
We often hear of tho sweet simplicity of
childhood, yet every mother cons. dors bor
baby cuuii lig.
Anything thut is mighty enough tu pre
vail is mighly enough to set itself up ai
the truth anyway.
Many a man can truce bis luiu to bis ene
mies and many another mau could doubt
less trace the orig u of bis downfall to
his pretended friends.
It is said that the women of Egypt
stained their cheeks with ulcohol l.UUU
years ago. It is now us.d us a nosu liut.
by some men lu this country.
The Road to Fortune
Washington Star; "There's a in ml of
money in it!" exclaimed Hie man with
tousled hair and restless ees, "a mint of
money ! "
(lot another idea?" nuked the investor.
"Yes, sir; und it can t lo.-e! It's a gam 1"
"How is it played?"
"Oh, I haven't got down lo details yet.
Any kind of u .simple pastime will do. All
that's necessary is to fix up some sort of
a game with a simple outfit und call it
'rootllt dytloo' or 'bill l edum' or some oth r
fool name, ami then bit down und wail fur
society lo go crazy over it!"
Getting Ready for April Showers at the Farnam School
I ( J - ': pWX.. -: -t I
' ' . .' ' f ... .-- $ - -'.
AN INDIVIDl'AI, IlfSTI.KK i'.ioto
GROl l' OK WILLJNU WORKERS i'boto by a Staff Artist. by a Staff Artist. I REI'ARINO AND SEEDINO THE BEDS I'hoto by a SiatT Arttsl.
