Extracted from The New York Times

It Started 48 Years Ago Over a Pig That Swam the Tug River

Tom Hatfield Died Lately

Found Tied to a Tree – Governors of Kentucky and West Virginia Have Been Involved in Mountain War

                  The death of Tom Hatfield, the famous mountain feudist, at Louisa , Ky. , makes about the sixtieth victim of the Hatfield-McCoy feud that began forty-eight years ago as a result of one of the McCoy razor-back pigs swimming the Tug River from the McCoy place on the Kentucky side to the ancestral home of the Hatfields in West Virginia.  Tom Hatfield, a descendant of the terrible “Devil Anse” Hatfield, was the one member of that murderous family who had been supposed to have a charmed life.  He always escaped without a scratch in the scores of murderous battles between the Hatfield and McCoy clans.

                  As they tell it on the Tug River, the war between the Hatfields and McCoys began just before the outbreak of the civil war, and it all started over the ownership of a Kentucky razor-back pig.

                  The McCoys at the time were loading a boat with razor-backs that were consigned to a Cincinnati pork packer, when one of the pigs jumped over the side railing into Tug River and swam straight for Hatfield territory.  The McCoy negroes were sent over to capture the pig, but they soon returned and told old Randolph McCoy, the head of the McCoy clan, that the Hatfield negroes had chased the animal into a ravine and held it.  Old “ Rand ” sent word to “Anse” Hatfield that he wanted his hog back.

                  “If you think you have boys enough, why don’t you come and git the old pig?”

Civil War Delays the Feud

                  It is said that the McCoys were laying out a plan of battle for the recapture of the pig when the news that the civil war reached the West Virginia-Kentucky mountains.  All the McCoys shouldered their guns and enlisted for the South, as did most of the Hatfields.    Some of the Hatfields, however, it is said, fought for the Union .

                  When the war ended, the Hatfields who had not been killed in battle and the surviving MCoys, came back to their homes and the Hatfields to the West Virginia side, the McCoys to the Kentucky side of Tug River , and the incident of the pig, as was rapidly proved, had not been forgotten.

                  Soon after the warring families returned there was an election in West Virginia and the McCoys went across the river to help one of the candidates.    In the course of the day, three of the McCoy boys,  the youngest only ten and the eldest about twenty years, met some of the Hatfields, one of them “Bad Anse”.  There was a fight, and when it was over Anse was dead from thirty-one stab wounds.  Later the Hatfields captured the three McCoys, took them to a secluded spot, tied them to trees, and shot them dead.

                  The McCoys being Kentuckians, the Governor of that state demanded that the murderers be returned to Kentucky for trial.  Thereupon the Hatfields got up a petition and made all the neighbors sign it.    When some refused to do so, the Hatfields made them do so at the muzzle of Winchester rifles.  The Governor of West Virginia read this petition and decided that the McCoys had treated the Hatfields very shabbily, and they stayed in West Virginia .  A few weeks later, John Logan and Sam Bird, followers of the feudists, were found dead on the banks of the Tug River , each with a bullet hole in his head.

                  So the war went on, and every now and then the news that a Hatfield or a McCoy had been killed reached the outside world.    In 1887 came the bloodiest battles in the history of the feud.  In that year the McCoys, led by Frank Phillips, raided the Hatfield strongholds.  The fighting lasted a week and when it was over several were dead on both sides.  A few weeks later the Hatfields returned the compliment, and raided the McCoy territory in Kentucky .

Hatfields Burn McCoy Home

                  They went to old Randolph McCoys home at night, and set the house on fire.  The smoke drove the McCoys out of the house, and when old Randolph opened the door he met a shower of bullets.    With his son Calvin, the old man retreated into the garret, where they opened a window and began firing through the smoke.    In the meantime, Miss Alophane McCoy, a young woman, ran out of the house with a churn full of milk to try and put out the fire.  She was shot dead.  Later old Mrs. McCoy, the girl’s grandmother, was shot as was also Calvin McCoy.  “Old Rand ” escaped.  French Hatfield also met his fate here, while others of his clan were desperately wounded.

                  A week later thirteen McCoys met thirteen Hatfields, and this time the aim of the McCoys was so good  that they secured a temporary victory.  Among the Hatfield victims was the notorious Jim Vance.  In 1890 the law got Ellison Hatfield and he paid the penalty of his misdeeds on the gallows, the McCoys witnessing the execution.  In February, 1890, “Uncle Joe” Johnson, a member of one of the gangs, was killed while out on bail for killing Phil Tumbler.

                        In the Fall of 1890 there was a story printed to the effect that the Hatfields had hung Green McCoy and Milt Haley.  Later the McCoys retaliated and killed two of the enemy.  Then Mrs. James Brown, before marriage a Hatfield, was killed.  Next John Hatfield killed Rutherford McCoy.  John was sent to prison for life, but was later pardoned.

                  The next most famous battle resulted in the death of Deputy Sheriff “Doc” Ellis.  Ellis was trying to make an arrest, when Elias Hatfield killed him.  For this Elias Hatfield got twelve years, but was soon pardoned, the doctors saying he had consumption.  He got well and married a coal operator’s daughter, and a few months later he was run over and killed by a train.

                  Now comes the death of Tom Hatfield, who was found tied to a tree by the McCoys and left to die.  His friends rescued him, but exposure necessitated the amputation of both legs.  He then lived but a short time.

It is said that one of the Hatfield girls wrote on one of the white pillars in front of the Hatfield home this line: 

“There is no place like home.” 

Underneath a stranger afterward wrote:

“At least this side of hell.”

Slayer of Cossack At Louisa Guilty

Louisa, Ky. Jan. 15  Nathan G. Day was this morning sentenced to serve twenty-one years in the penitentiary for killing a Cossack connected with a circus that exhibited here last summer.  Day came to Louisa from Morgan County three years ago and has been conducting a hotel here.  Day was charged with killing a man in Morgan County a few years ago, but was acquitted.

1921-03-04 Transcribed from the Graham Guardian (Safford, Ariz.)

            Nianza (or Niaza) Skaggs died at his home in Thatcher, Sunday, February 27^th, of pneumonia.

            Mr. Skaggs was 33 years old.  He came to the Gila valley in 1905, from Lawrence County, Kentucky.  He leaves a wife, three children, three brothers and three sisters, also a mother.

            Funeral services were held in the church of Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ, at Thatcher, Monday, February 28^th.  Bishop Shumway presided and the speakers were A. C. Peterson, W. W. Pace, Bishop Mickelsan and President Nash.  Benediction was offered by Oscar Layton.  Burial was made in Thatcher Cemetery.

1920-07-31  Extracted from: Lexington Herald, published as: The Lexington Herald

Fall Asleep on Railroad Track  Near Louisa

                Louisa , Ky. , July 30 – A freight train killed two boys, 11 and 14 years old, three miles south of Louisa last night.  They were the only sons of Mrs. Arnetta Sexton, a widow whose husband was killed by a train a few years ago.

                The mother had sent the boys out about 7:30 to graze a horse on the railroad right of way near the home.  The boys had worked hard during the day and it is supposed they sat down on the track and fell asleep.

                At 9 o’clock Mrs. Sexton sent a daughter after the boys.  She called to them several times but received no answer.  She called to them several times but received no answer.  She went a short distance along the track and found the bodies cut into several pieces.

1921-06-14; Extracted from: Lexington Herald, published as: The Lexington Herald

ONE KILLED IN REVOLVER DUEL

Two Others Believed to Be Dying as Result of Gun Battle Under Circus Tent at Louisa

TWO BYSTANDERS WOUNDED

                Louisa , Ky. , June 13 – In a pistol battle this afternoon under a circus tent at Whitehouse, a few miles from here, one man was killed, two others are said to have received wounds that will cause their death and three others were wounded less seriously.

                The casualty list follows:

                Millard Meeks, 47, merchant, dead.

                Garfield Meeks, 42, farmer, brother of the dead man, said to be dying.

                Deputy Sheriff Tom Cheek, 40, reported to be dying.

                Ed Trice, special deputy sheriff, seriously wounded.

                Ed Ward and West Skaggs , miners, minor wounds.

                The tragedy followed the attempt of Deputies Cheek, Trice, and Ed Cantrell to arrest the Meeks brothers, who are said to have been intoxicated and creating a disturbance.  Of the five men engaged in the battle Cantrell was the only one who escaped unhurt.

                Ward and Skaggs were bystanders and were struck by stray bullets.

1921-07-26; Extracted from: Lexington Herald, published as: The Lexington Herald

WHOA, MAUD!

Louisa , Ky. , July 25 – Jimmerson Hardwick today suffered serious injuries when he was thrown from his mule and stepped upon.  The mule bolted into a wire fence.

                “Maud” had never seen an automobile.

1922-06-13; Extracted from: Lexington Herald, published as: The Lexington Herald

SAILS TO GET FAMILY

Former Resident of Kentucky Leaves for Russia

                Louisa, Ky. , June 12 – David Brown, until recently a merchant of Louisa, sailed from New York today for Constantinople, from which he will proceed to Odessa , Russia .  His mission is to save from starvation and bring to American shores those members of his father’s family who are yet living.  A few months ago there were 30.

                Famine set in and five had died when he heard from the survivors in March.  The news of eight more deaths reached him in New York this week.  He tried for months to get money through to them but it was intercepted.  Then he decided to go to Russia and bring the survivors to this country.

                On account of the restricted immigration laws he may not get them into the United States , in which event he will buy land in Mexico and establish them on it.  He now lives at Williamson, W. Va.

1922-11-12; Extracted from: Lexington Herald, published as: The Lexington Herald

County Attorney of Lawrence Killed by Train Near Louisa

                Louisa, Ky. , Nov. 11 – George W. Castle, 71, county attorney of Lawrence county, was killed by a coal train at Chapman this morning.

                He was standing by the track as the train was passing and suddenly pitched forward, his head striking a car.  He died a few minutes later.

Transcribed from Lima News, December 7, 1924

Transcribed from: Dallas Morning News April 27, 1932

Arrests Brother; Both Are Slain in Pistol Duel Later

Younger Member of Family Also Is Present at Battle .

  LOUISA, Ky. April 26 (AP).-Two brothers were shot and killed Wednesday In a pistol battle at Keaton Johnson County, twenty-five miles from here across the Lawrence County line.

The dead are Alma Fyffe, 34 Noah Fyffe, 38, and Johnson County Deputy Sheriff. A younger brother, John Fyffe, was present at the shooting there were conflicting reports as to whether he participated.

  Deputy Noah Fyffe arrested his brother Alma, a farmer, on a liquor charge Sunday, but Alma escaped while Noah was taking him to Paintsville.  Wednesday met in a blacksmith shop at Keaton and this shooting followed.

  John Fyffe passed through Louisa after the shooting and said he had not participated but that Noah and Alma killed each other.

Hamilton Daily News Journal  January 23, 1934

Louisa - The examining trial of A. J. Austin, postmaster of Ulysses, Kentucky , and his two sons, charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Homer Fitch, and his brother, Reck Fitch, began today.

Charleston Gazette 3/26/1935

 A 12-hour general rain had swollen eastern Kentucky rivers past flood stage, causing untold property damage and inundating a part of Blaine town, 18 miles west of here.  Postmaster W. D. Burton, 52, of Ellen, was seriously injured this afternoon when the brakes of an automobile he had helped a neighbor haul from the rising waters of Rich Creek failed to hold.  Burton was brought to a hospital here, and attendants said he probably would recover.  His chest was crushed.  Blaine creek and the Big Sandy River here were reported still rising tonight at the rate of one foot an hour.  The Big Sandy was expected to reach a stage of 40 feet by tomorrow noon.  A rain of cloudburst proportions was reported on the Tug Fork, where considerable property damage occurred.  The Levisa was up to a stage of 23 feet at Paintsville, and rising 9 inches an hour.  At Ashland the Ohio River had passed a stage of 35 feet and was still rising.

Newark Advocate (Newark, Ohio) 10-12-1935

Elijah B. Hammond, 19, said to be wanted in Lawrence Co., Ky., was arrested on the G. L. Davis farm near Berkshire.  He was brought to Delaware by Sheriff Chet E. McKinney.  He is charged with killing Robert Arrington of near Louisa, Ky., which is also Hammond’s home.        

Portsmouth Times 10/21/1938

 Vinson D. Van Horn, 21, was killed under a slate fall in a “family” coal mine on the farm of his father, Rev. Fred Van Horn, Methodist minister.  The farm is near Cadnius(?), 12 miles west of Louisa.  Roland Cooksey, an uncle of the victim, told Lawrence County authorities that he and his nephew were working in a passage 400 feet from the mouth of the mine, digging coal for domestic use.  Mr. Cooksey said Van Horn reported he had heard the roof above them cracking.  The uncle added he suggested leaving the passage.  The slate fell as they were on the way out.  The fall caught Van Horn, crushing his chest.  The body was dug from the debris by Mr. Cooksey and the father, who had been working at the entrance to the mine.

Transcribed from:  Times (San Mateo, Cal.) April 14, 1941

Kentuckian Admits Killing 6 Years Ago