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Al Brumfield, Brandon Kirk, Cecil L. Hudgins, George Fry, Green McCoy, Harts Creek, Henderson Dingess, John W Runyon, Logan County Banner, Milt Haley, V R Moss, William C. Fry, writing
Toward the end of June 1995 Brandon made a trip to the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia, where he spent several hours researching the story of Milt Haley’s murder using old microfilmed copies of the Logan County Banner. By examining the articles chronologically, a new perspective on the 1889 trouble emerged: the “official news accounts of the day” vs. oral tradition.
On page three of a Thursday, September 26, 1889, edition of the Banner was an article titled “Serious Shooting on Hart’s Creek, In Lincoln County” which detailed the ambush at Thompson Branch:
On last Sunday, while Mr. Allen Brumfield and his wife, who live near the mouth of Hart’s creek, in Lincoln county, were returning home from a visit to Mr. Henderson Dingess, father-in-law of Mr. Brumfield, and when about a mile and a half below Mr. Dingess, they were fired upon by some parties in ambush. Mrs. Brumfield was serious if not fatally wounded, the ball entering her right jaw near the ear and coming out near the nose, carrying away the greatest portion of the right jaw. Mr. Brumfield was shot through the right arm and another ball passed through his vest, grazing his breast. A son of Mr. Dingess, who was with them, was shot through the leg. Dr. C.L. Hudgins of this place, and Dr. V.R. Moss, of Barboursville, were sent for and Dr. Hudgins dressed the wound on Monday. We have not learned the names of the parties who were suspected of the shooting, but learn that they are being hunted for, and if found will be properly punished.
The Banner mentioned on its Thursday, October 10, 1889, society page: “John W. Runyon, of Harts Creek, and W.C. Fry, of Guyandotte, were in town Tuesday on business.” W.C. Fry was William Christian Fry, a brother to George Fry, at whose home the Haley-McCoy murders took place a few weeks later. We wondered, were he and Runyon in town together on business? And did their simultaneous trip to Logan have anything to do with George Fry’s home later being selected as the “murder house?”
The Banner first reported Milt Haley’s death in an article dated Thursday, October 31, 1889, and titled “MORE MURDERING/Two Prisoners Taken from their Guards and Shot to Pieces:”
On Thursday of last week, Green McCoy and Milton Haley, the parties charged with the shooting of Allen Brumfield and his wife, on Harts creek in Lincoln county a short time ago were [held by a group of] citizens under charge of Al Brumfield. They were brought to Chapmanville in this county and wished to remain there over night, but fearing that an effort would be made to [kill] the prisoners, citizens there would not take them in. The guards, with the prisoners under their charge, then started down the river, a portion of the guard crossing to the opposite, leaving but the officer and three guards in charge of the prisoners. About six miles below Chapmanville, the guards and prisoners stopped at George Fry’s, at Mouth of Green Shoals in Lincoln county to stay all night. About 8 o’clock a number of persons supposed to be about twenty, came to Fry’s house, and demanded the prisoners. Mr. Fry and family were told to go into the kitchen and the guard to leave the house. The mob then entered the house and began shooting. The prisoners were dragged out of the house and shot down in the yard in front of the door. Not being satisfied with putting several balls through each of the men the mob took rocks and mashed their heads all to pieces. After finishing their murderous work the crowd dispersed, leaving the neighbors to look after the dead bodies.
No effort has been made to arrest any who were engaged in the outrage, yet it is pretty generally understood who were the leaders of the gang.
More than likely, the portion of the guard “which crossed the river and left the main group,” if true, went to alert Brumfield’s friends as to where the prisoners would be held that night.
Brandon Ray Kirk 