Interesting but unsatisfying story. The part about the mob getting Haley to play some fiddle tunes for them before they killed him reminded me of a scene in "Cold Mountain", so I wondered if it could have been an inspiration for the book. Apparently not, I found this explanation from Charles Frazier of the historical roots of his novel: http://www.salon.com/july97/colddiary970709.html

I think it's safe to say that a characteristic of the culture that both stories describe is a fierce and frequently violent competition for access to the resources that provide mountaineers with a precarious livelihood.

W-O