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HATFIELD MUST GO TO PRISON

MURDERER OF A WOMAN IN A FEUD TO SERVE LIFE SENTENCE

Frankfort, Kentucky March 11, 1900

After ten years Johnson Hatfield must go to prison for life for the murder 
of Alifar McCoy. This marks another step in the Hatfield-McCoy feud, which
created a reign of terror in Kentucky until ten years ago, and has broken
out at intervals since, but only in the way of individual killings.

Most of the leaders have either been convicted or have been shot to death.
The case of Johnson Hatfield was affirmed by the Court of Appeals yesterday.
His victim was a woman. He was convicted in Pike County, and given a life
sentence and has fought the case desperately to the end.

Hatfield was indicted in Pike County for the murder of Alifair McCoy in 
August, 1888, and also was indicted for having previously conspired with 
others to kill her. Hatfield had ten years of freedom before he was finally
apprehended. He was arraigned for trial the first time in September,1898, 
when he obtained a change of venue to Floyd County on the ground of prejudice.
Hatfield then appealed from the life sentence of the Floyd Circuit Court on
the ground of errors in instruction. The Court of Appeals in a decision by 
Judge Burnam sustains the verdict.

The case is notable as being one of the few successful convictions in the feud, 
yet of all the men accused of murder not one has been hanged.

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