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| Anderson Hatfield and Family |
It is important to note that the Hatfields lived on the West Virginia side of the Tug River, in Logan County. Randolph McCoy and his son's resided in Kentucky near Pikeville. There is substantial supposition that Anderson didn't believe his brother's killers would be brought to justice in Kentucky, and decided to take matters in his own hand.
A posse led by Anderson Hatfield took the men across the river into West Virginia territory, tied them to paw-paw bushes and shot and killed all three. The state of Kentucky issued indictments for “Devil Anse” and twenty of his supporters, yet no action was taken to extradite the Hatfields for five years.
The bloodiest day of the supposed feud occurred with a clear act of lawlessness, yet no other hostilities between Hatfields and McCoys broke out for over five years. If, as the folklore insists, this was a feud, why was there no violence for such a length of time? Dozens of McCoys lived near the spot where the McCoys were killed, yet none of them were bothered by the Hatfield gang. Isn't it safe to presume that Anderson Hatfield was only concerned with the McCoys who killed his brother?
Dozens of Hatfields lived on the Kentucky side of the river alongside family members of Randolph McCoy, yet none of them were harmed. Why such peace, for such an extended period of time if this was an all-out clan feud?