Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1891 — WEST VIRGINIA FEUD. [ARTICLE]

WEST VIRGINIA FEUD.

EXIT HATFIELD-M’COY, ENTER HALL-STEELE. Thre- Men Killed. One Mortally Woun ied —The Trouble Likely to Involve Hundreds of IVople One F»«t on Takes Reruge in the Mountains. 1 here is again bloodshed and a prospect for more in Southern West Virginia, as a resuit of oue of tho-e feuds which appear to be indigenous to that section. The presont outbreak is in McDowell County, one of the most remote and wild portions of the Slate, and occurred at a small cross-road called Geiger, the participants being membersof the Hail and Stosle families, the mostinfluential ones in that vicinity. The trouble orlgiuated some time ago in aland trade aud differences growing out of timber transactions. The Halis are the most numberous and desperate, but tbe Steeles are not lacking in courage. Recently a lawsuit was in progress before ’Squire Alurphy, at Geigop. Four Halls,- all brothers, and two of the Stee'es were iu court, a small room in a log dwelling of the ’Squire. One of the Halls was on the staud testifying when a statement of his was denied by one of the Steeles. The lie passed, and the Halls and Stee'es, all of whom were armed, began iiriug.

The Steeles had the better position, and the Halls, to gain advantage, backed out and ran for protection to some nearby trees, pursued by the Steeles. The dozen or more spectators and witnesses who had been in the room disappeared in all directions, and the belligerents had the field to themselves. Tho Steeles being in the minority were at a disadvantage, but fought manfully. Two of the Halls worked up behind the Steeles and opened in v ou them, while the two in front did the same. Placed thus between two batteries the Stoelos fought furiously, and succeeded in killing L. W. Hall and wounding his brother, Levis, fatally before they were themselves shot down, Tho surviving Halls, carrying their woundod brother between them, hastened to their home, where they secured ammunition and food and fled into hiding in tho mountains. Tho Steel’s lay on the ground for several hours, the neighbors soaring to Incur the animosity of the Halls. Late in the day the father and other relatives of tho dead men arrived on the scene heavily armed'and took away their dead. One of the murdered Steeles had been married only a few weeks. The Steele following announced that after the funeral they would go on the warpath and exterminate the Halls Both sides have so marriod and intermarried with other iamiltos in the county that several hundred persons arc directly or indirectly interested In tho fond, and the chauces for a regular war are good. The civil authorities have made no attempt to arrost tho Hall boys, as they know It would be almost impossible at this time and could bo accomplished only after bloodshed. Tho Halls are supposed to bo in some one of tho several lumber camps In tho county, where they are almost us inaccessible as-if they were in tho wilds of A aska. The woodsmen are a rough lot, and would as soon light as no-t, and If opportunity ottered would become allies to tne Halls.