Sid Hatfield, the hero of The Matewan Massacre
Dr. Fred Barkey is one of my biggest WV heroes, and one of two historical consultants for a “lost” WV documentary called “In the Company’s Hands.” The 1987 film, produced by WSWP-TV in Beckley, WV, was directed by Jack Kelly. It was shown on WVPBS on November 27, 1987, just about a month after “Matewan” premiered in WV at the WVIFF, Capitol Plaza Theater, downtown Charleston. Talk about showing the influence of Sayles’ landmark film on WV culture!
I watched the film for the first time since it originally aired in November 1987 on Election Day 2008, November 4th. I always chose some WV film to watch on Election Day since I get the day off from work, and I want to think about my adopted state. One year I watched “Teenage Strangler” again, WV’s first independent feature film, made in 1964 but not shown in the state until I screened it on Halloween 1990 at the St. Albans Public Library. Even though it was made in Huntington, the people of that town didn’t want to show it because as it turns out in the film, the real local serial killer was NOT a teenager but a frustrated teacher turned school janitor.
“In the Company’s Hands” is truly one of the finest films I have EVER seen about WV coal history. I really enjoyed the interviews with the children of both the mine operators who ruled so ruthlessly during the early days of the southern coal fields, and the children of the miners. Some of the interviewees actually met Mother Jones, witnessed the uncontrolled anger of the Baldwin-Felts agents, and had to endure living in sub-standard housing under the complete control of the mine owners.
The film gives a very concise and well-illustrated of the southern coal fields going back to the beginnings in 1873, the year the first coal mine was started on the New River. Using vintage photographs, historical film footage, and historic music, the tale is told from the first days when miners from Wales and other places traveled to the coal fields to find employment.
Of course, the war between the operators and the UMWA is central to the story after the national coal strike of 1902 when President Roosevelt came in to the strike on the side of the union, the first president to do so. Events now made famous by “Matewan,” “Hillbilly - the Real Story” and other films about coal mining are also presented, but with commentary by people who were either actually there, or had parents who were.
Sug Hawkins, a black coal miner, talks all through the film about his own life and his parents’ lives in company towns. William Becker, the grandson of Welch coal miners, also tells several interesting stories. A nephew of Tom Felts talks about his famous uncle including the murder of Sid Hatfield on the steps of the McDowell County courthouse, not mentioning that no one was ever charged with that crime. ( Several miners were charged with the murders at The Matewan Massacre, but were all found innocent.)
Dr. Barkey provided much of the historical information used in the film including the story of the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek Mine Wars that he has studied extensively. On the other side, Dr. C. Stuart McGhee, the historian for the WV Coal Association, gives their side, but neither are interviewed.
I called Barkey after watching the film, and briefly discussed the link between Senator McCain’s claims that Barak Obama is a socialist and wants to “spread the wealth.” This film shows how the “Red Scare” was used against all of the unions immediately after the end of WWI, blasting anyone who questioned the mine owners as “Commies.” The film mentions the Palmer Raids, still probably the greatest violation of civil rights in this country by a national police force against innocent civilians. All through the film, there is an honest discussion about the philosophy of coal owners regarding the complete ownership not only of their mines, but also the miners, their wives and children, and anyone who dared visit their company towns.
Many people now believe, as I do, that ever since Reagan, the Republican Party has tried to return America to that time when company owners had absolute control over OUR country. Hopefully, within a few hours, President Obama will restart the revolution that FDR brought to this country in the 1930s when finally coal miners were given personal freedom from the industrial slavery that existed most despicably in WV’s company towns.
One interesting note – the film also points out that things like common ownership of automobiles were influential in the collapse of company towns. Also interesting was the discussion of the coal field baseball teams. I am sure that Dr. McGehee is responsible for that one tibit that showed life in WV’s company towns was not total hell.
This film was directed by a young fellow, Jack Kelly, who appeared to Barkey to be “an honest man.” I know that his boss, Donn Rogosin, was such a man. He opened up his studio to the local people who were in “Matewan” at a party held for them immediately after the preview showing of their film in Beckley.
The VHS copy I watched it available through any WV public library from WVLC.
I searched the web for info on where Jack Kelly is….this is what I found…looks like he is another productive filmmaker who got his start in WV.
Jack Kelly, Executive ProducerIn April 2006, Jack joined the staff of WPBT- Miami as Vice President of Production, where he is responsible for the development of all local programming content for the station. A 30-year veteran of broadcasting, Kelly started his career in
San Francisco, where he worked as a producer for Bridge Productions and as a freelance producer/writer for KRON-TV. He began his public broadcasting career in
Beckley, West Virginia, in 1983 at WSWP as Senior Producer/Anchor for public affairs programming. He anchored a weekly public affairs magazine series and numerous town hall meetings. He produced Going Down the Tubes, a documentary about water issues and In the Company’s Hands, a documentary about the coal wars in southern
West Virginia. In 1987, Kelly joined WXXI in
Rochester, NY as Executive Producer. He produced Intolerance, a special series on race relations and Drug Wars, a documentary exploring the war on drugs across
New York state. Kelly hosted the highly successful New York Lawn & Garden series, which was distributed to PBS stations across the state, and also created the award-winning Homework Hotline series.
In 1991, Kelly joined WILL in
Urbana, IL as Executive Producer for P7roduction. During his eight year tenure there, he launched a variety of award-winning programs. In addition to his role as host of the popular Illinois Gardener series, Kelly produced a number of nationally distributed documentaries, including Vanished Rome, The Tarahumara: Pillars of the World and The Holocaust: A View from the Heartland. Around 1993, Kelly was tinkering with developing content for the internet around local productions such as Against the Wind. In 1998, he developed his first PBS hosted website for a documentary on architect Walter Burley Griffin.
Kelly was recruited by KNPB in
Reno, Nevada, in 1999 to become the Vice President of Production. His production staff provided public affairs, arts, and historical content. He created the nationally distributed series, Wild Nevada and House with a History. In 2001, with a grant from the Ford Foundation, Kelly helped to establish FocusWest, a western public affairs initiative created by three inter-mountain PBS stations. Kelly also led the station’s efforts to develop enhanced new media opportunities based on local content. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from
Niagara
University in New York and a Masters in Art in Theatre (Directing) from the
University of
Washington in
Seattle. His professional work has been recognized by numerous awards including Emmy Awards, Telly Awards, Gabriel Awards and Worldfest Awards.
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