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| Adultery Charges - William Staton / Martha McCoy |
Many of the feud promoters use the killing of Bill Staton on June 18, 1880 as an additional "proof" of enmity between the Hatfields and McCoys. Bill was a McCoy family member by birth, his mother was a McCoy, but he was married to a Hatfield. He was supposedly the key witness in the pig trial and testified against Randolph McCoy.
As we have seen, there is no evidence of a pig trial, Bill was a McCoy, and his killer was Sam McCoy, another family member. Feudists claim the killing was due to his pig trial testimony and subsequent ill feelings that he was a traitor to the McCoys.
Pictured above is evidence far more likely to have provoked his killing. Bill was accused of an adulterous relationship with Martha McCoy. He was a West Virginia resident, Martha lived on the Kentucky side of the river. Bench warrants were issued for both he and Martha, Bill refused to face the charges and Martha was left to face the music on her own. She was found guilty and fined twenty dollars.
Staton was later confronted by Sam and Paris McCoy, who killed him in June of 1880. There were no witnesses to the killing although Sam McCoy was unsuccessfully brought to trial. Isn't it far more likely that Bill Staton was killed for the mistreatment and dishonor of Martha McCoy, a cousin to Sam and Paris?