Authentic History of the World Renowned Vendettas
of the Dark and Bloody Ground
BY
CHAS. G. MUTZENBERG
R. F. Fenno & Company
16 East 17th Street, New York
Copyright, 1917, by
R. F. Fenno & Company
KENTUCKY’S FAMOUS FEUDS AND TRAGEDIES
Origin of the feud.—Fight near the Hatfield Tunnel.—Killingof Bill Staton.—Killing of Ellison Hatfield.—Butcheryof the three McCoy brothers.—Murder of JeffMcCoy.—The tell-tale bloody lock of hair.—Quarrel ofthe Governors of Kentucky and West Virginia.—Officialcorrespondence between them.—Frank Phillips, the daringraider, appears upon the scene.—Capture of members ofthe Hatfield clan.—Night Attack upon the McCoy home.—Burningof the McCoy home.—Cowardly murder of hisdaughter Allifair.—Brave defense of old man McCoy andhis son Calvin.—Death of Calvin McCoy.—Wounding ofMrs. McCoy.—Heroism of little boy.—Escape of RandallMcCoy.—Retribution.—Frank Phillips gives battleto the outlaws.—Death of brutal Jim Vance.—Battle ofGrapevine Creek.—List of casualties.—Kentucky and WestVirginia on the verge of war.—Phillips, the raider, arrested.—Histrial in the United States Court.—His acquittal.—Phillips’pluck.—Triple tragedy at Thacker,W. Va.—Cap Hatfield and his “boy” in the toils.—Theirescape from jail.—Defying arrest.—Battle of “Devil’s BackBone.”—Destruction of the stronghold with dynamite.—Executionof Ellison Mount.—Conclusion.
Introduction.—The two chief causes of the feud.—Politicsand whiskey.—Judge Hargis the innocent cause of the[Pg 8]political strife.—First blood.—Pitched battle at Morehead.—Murderof Soloman Bradley and wounding of JohnMartin and Sizemore.—Martin arrested.—Mob violencethreatened.—His removal to Winchester jail.—Craig Tolliverand his clan lay plans for Martin’s assassination.—Forgedorder for delivery of prisoner presented to jailerat Winchester.—Martin turned over to his murderers.—Assassinationof Martin on the train.—Intense excitement atMorehead.—County Attorney Young shot from ambush.—Hisremoval from the county.—Assassination of StewartBaumgartner.—Judge Cole and others charged with conspiracy.—Investigationof the charges.—The Tolliver clancaptures the town.—Riots.—Cook Humphrey becomes theleader of the Martin faction.—Treaty of peace at Louisville.—Violationof treaty.—Confession of Ed. Pierce.—Humphreyand Raymond located at Martin residence.—Siegeof the Martin home.—Attack.—Craig Tolliverwounded.—Humphrey’s escape.—Raymond’s death.—Burningof the Martin home.—County Judge’s weakness.—Troopssent to Morehead.—Tollivers and others arrested.—Farcetrials and acquittals.—Jeff Bowling goes to Ohio.—Hisfinish there.—Humphrey resigns as sheriff.—Conditionsin Rowan County.—Humphrey and Sheriff Rameyfight.—Sheriff and son badly wounded.—W. O. Logankilled.—Soldiers at Morehead the second time.—Secondtreaty of peace.—Articles of agreement to cease hostilities.—Humphreydeparts from Rowan County.—Craig Tolliverviolates treaty.—Reign of terror at Morehead.—Wholesaleexodus of townspeople.—Murder of the Logan boys.—Burningof their home.—Mutilation of the corpses.—Theavengers.—Boone Logan to the front.—His interview withthe Governor.—Logan declares his intention to retake hisfireside or to