Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-05
SHOT DOWN
IN COLD BLOOD
James B. MarCum Of JaCl son,
n.y., Assassinated,
ASSASSIN IN COURT HOUSE.
Victim Was Counsel for the Fusion
lists Who Are CoBtesting once OF
sheriff aud other Places.

Lexington, Ky. May Dust after he
had finished filing briefs opening the
contested election case OF Breathitt
county, James b, Marcum was shot
and killed by an unknown assassin
lie fell in his tracks at the front en-
trance at t. courthouse at jackson,
Ky, and neyet spoke, death being al
most instantaneous He fell within a
few yards Of where Town Marshal
James Cockrell was shot down In July,
the assassin being stationed in the
courthouse IN each instance.
Marcum was counsel for the Fusion
lists who are contesting for the offices
of sheriff and other places now held by
Democrats. As result OF his efforts
and his sympathy with the Cockrell
faction IN the Hargis- feud
he had FOR a year been generally re-
garded as marked man."
Various plots TO assassinate him have
been reported and sworn to In am
dayits. For y days last year he was
a prisoner In his own home daring not
even to so out on his porch The bit
terness Of the feud abated somewhat,
however, and the election cases were al.
lowed TO sleep until Monday. Despite
warnings Marcum felt safe In resum-
ing his Interrupted practice some time
ago, and felt secure IN filing motion
to reopen the cases which had imper-
illed his life months before. At 5
o'clock this morning he went to the
courthouse at Jackson, and the papers
were filed He walked from the clerks
office to the front door OF the court
house, and facing the street, engaged
in conversation with Benjamin Ewing
a friend The corridor at his back was
fun Of men. Ewing was half leaning
on Marcum's shoulder, The men had
been talking about three minutes, and
II was $3.50 o'clock when a shot rang
out In the rear OF the corridor Marcum
staggered and as he sank TO the floor
another shot was fred, The first bull
let entered the back to the right OF the
spinal column. and after passing
through the breast and body, struck
the door facing him The next shot
passed trough the top Of mis- head
and was aimed as he reeled, The shots
appeared to come from a doorway or
possibly from behind a door in the
corridor, but as the passage was cleared
amid great confusion, no one seemed
able to state accurately where the as
sassin was located. telegram from
County Judge Harris, received at $50
o'clock tonight stated that the assas-
sin is still unknown, after q diligent
search, and no arrests have yet been
made, even on suspicion.
Marcum's body lay for ten minutes
untouched Even his friends feared
TO approach the place or 10 touch the
body. II was finally picked up by
friends, who took Il TO a drug store
opposite, and from there IL was taken
home. Some say they saw the assas-
sin run out Of the rear door, and IL
seems certain that he made his escape
that way during the confusion. IL Is
generally believed that the assassin was
recognized by several persons, but no
one has thus far had the courage 20
name him.
Marcum was trustee Of tho Ken
lucky state college and represented
the Lexington q Eastern railroad and
other large corporations, and also was
United States commissioner fr"~' his
district. He had practised law In
Breathitt county for II years. He had
avoided fo,''~ and. until he took charge
OF the election cases which involved
the Hargis faction. had been q friend
OF members Of both factions. For
three months. beginning last July, he
did not leave his home, aud after that
for months was always accompanied
by his wife and women friends or
carried one Of his children with him
for protcntiOn