The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-10-02
EHE u ON q FELJDSs
@! Brest init County Kentuck ky, and
a DARK SSARD BLOODY STORY
Tho Hargis, Cockrell, Bonnetts, ant
Other Blood Thirsty Families K:
Numbee Their Dead by
the SCORES.

Numbee Theirs Dead BY
sthe Ts sooses.
Breathitt county, Kentucky, is in
the eastern end OF the State, about
midway between the. Ohio river and
the southern boundary and to the
southwestward Of spur OF the Cum
berland mountains that reaches up
from the southeast and, having per-
formed the useful purpose: OF. dividing
Breathitt county from Wolfe and
Mago goiiin counties on the north, con
tiDues through Lee and Estill coun-
ties on the west.
| 1t Is the real thing In mountain
country, and Its population, some
where about $4,000, Is we'll sea altered.
jackson, its capital or court. house
town, was, until the railroad pierced
the country, as isolated as any Of the
remote hill towns, like Manchester,
Clay county, not far away.
The people are very like all the hill
people Of Kentucky, hospitable to the
stranger, ii lie is not revenue officer;
contented to live without schools, II
they must be depended upon to pro-
vide them; not worried because the
women wear one. piece frocks and sun
bonnets and rub snuff into their gums,
like their mothers before them; will
Ing to be interested In the outside
world, but not anxious to get into it;
with a native standard Of morality
that Is not just that of the blue grass
lands below the foothills, and SO strong
In their likes and dislikes that the
men will fight to the death for a
friend or pursue foe with relcnt-
lessness that will not wear out.
The casual visitor who should drop
into jackson or any Of the other small
er settlements Of the county would
live there for months before he would
lose the impression that it was
only a peaceful village, with a railway
connection direct to Frankfort or
Louisville bringing the two places
within a days ride OF the mountain
town.
II the visitor wants to know about
Jackson's reputation ar tue capital OF
the Hargis-Sewall Cockrell feud, he
will be surprised to find that the peo
pie are not only not, averse to discuss
ing it,, but actually willing, If not
anxious, to 20 into all details Of the
contention that is described as having
begun when William Sewall of Jack
son married Virginia Britton OF
Virginia in 1852.
or this marriage, there were two
sons, Thomas ]. and William, and
two daughters, one OF whom was
married to Hiram Jett. Curtis Jett
was child Of this marriage. When
William Sewall died, his widow was
welded to John 81 Hargis. There
was big family Of HarEises: Henry
A., James, John G!!,,5 Benjamin and
Ebert; and IL theretWere any; daugh-
tiers they are not talked tabout. The
mother of these sons THE grand
mother of the Curtis who is now
in State prison
The interests Of tissi ssss IS all brothers
and the HargIs brothers, sons OF the
same mother, beca amr,identical for the
bitter purposes that pr ~tly arrayed
the family against O. ler family.
According to the local counts, the
troubles between the Fl .gis and Cock
rell families between boys, Thomas j
Sewall and Buck Coombs played to.
gether. They quarreled. Sewall shot
Combs. He was not killed, but his
shooting di1 the business.
A latent spirit Of dislike, possibly
tinged with Jealousy and rivalry fol
leadership in mountain society, burst
into flame. Coombs was the nephew
Of Tom Cockrell. Cockrell loudly pro-
claimed that the injury to his family
must be atOned by the blood OF the
Hargises. That was many years ago
and In the course OF the intervening
years the effort to make the menace
good, and the determination OF the
other side to be even with the Cock.
rells, have led to some slaughter. The
score shows greater activity by the
Hargises, but the Co1krell shooting
has been the more accurate and fatal
1t was not constant, open fight.
On the surface. Breathitt county was
not always turbulent region. From
time to time, sometimes by accident
and again by design, not infrequently
from the security of ambush, Cock.
rell would slay Hargis or q Hargis a
Cockrell. The record, as made up al
Jackson recently, showed the account
10 stand as follows:
THE EBEWALL-HARGIS SCORE
| Buck Coombs, wounded by Il. j.
Sewall.
Judge Cardwell, wounded by IT. J
Sewall.
Thomas Dunbar, killed by r. j
Sewall.
Jerry South, wounded by William
Sewall.
Fillmore Brown, wounded by viii
liam Sewall.
Henry Barnett, killed by Elber
Hargls.
Sally Hayes, killed by John G
Hargis.
Chrales Everett, wounded by Ber
HargiS.
Samuel Lentzford, wounded by Bel
Hargis.
Tom Cockrell, wounded by Bel
Hargis.
Henry Smith, shot by County Judg,
Hargis.
| DR.. Cox, killed.
John Cockrell, killed by Curtis Jett
James B. Marcum, killed by Curti
Jett and Thomas White.
Willis Gabbard, killed by JET
Stapleton.
| Granville Prater, killed by George
Barnett, Jr.