The Hog Trial
In the fall of 1878, Randolph McCoy brought charges against Floyd Hatfield for stealing one of his hogs. The resulting trial occurred here and was presided over by the local justice of the peace, "Preacher" Anderson Hatfield.
Preacher Anderson was "Devil Anse" Hatfield's cousin and did not want to appear biased so he gathered a jury of six Hatfields and six McCoys to hear the case.
When the jury reached its verdict, Selkirk McCoy, nephew of Sarah McCoy and a veteran of the Virginia Confederacy, sided with the six Hatfields in favor of Floyd. The McCoys felt betrayed and open hostilities soon erupted between the Haftield and McCoy families.
Later Bill Staton, who testified in favor of his brother-in-law Floyd Hatfield was killed by two of Randolph McCoy's nephews while he was hunting. They were tried and acquitted in a trial presided over by Valentine Hatfield, uncle of Devil Anse.
Election Day Fight
Devil Anse’s brother Ellison Hatfield got into a fight with three of Randle McCoy’s sons here at an election day celebration. One of the McCoys pulled a knife and Ellison was stabbed 27 times and then shot in the back. Anse and a posse intercepted the McCoy brothers as they were being taken to a Kentucky jail and escorted them back to West Virginia.
Ellison was still alive and, according to Anse, the three McCoys would live only if Ellison survived. The following day Ellison died. Anse and his followers then transported the McCoy brothers across the river to Kentucky, tied them to several pawpaw trees and shot them.
Indictments were issued for Anse and several of his supporters, but for five years no action was taken to extradite them.
Previous caches at this location - GC2JE3H "Hatfields are sneaky..." which was generously archived by whbaisden for inclusion of the cabin in the Hatfield McCoy geotrail.
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