To gather evidence, Felts sent an undercover agent, C. E. Lively, to Matewan.

Lively opened a restaurant, rented out space to the union, and began spying on Sid. At night, he wrote secret reports to Felts under the code name Number Nine.

That spring, in a sensational trial, Lively testified against Sid. But Hatfield and 15 other defendants were found not guilty. One juror said he would sit until the dogwoods bloomed again before he'd convict a Matewan boy.