The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-16
People Are IntinIdated and Militia Are of No Avail
 in Jackson
EVEN FAMILY PRESENT
 4 PITIABLE SPECTACLE
Jurors Fear Assassination at the Hands of Hargis' Faction and 1t Is Believed lncendlarles VIII
 Be Released.

Jackson, Ky, June 15.-The second week of court in Breathitt county opened with a reign of terror. One term of court was overlapping another. While the petit jury continued hearing testimony in the murder cases of Curtis Jett and Thomas White. the grand jury was hearing evil 1 dence In the cases of Joseph Crawford and Edward Tharpe, teamsters for the Hargs Brothers, who are held without bond on the charge of arson for burning the Ewen hotel. The arson cases as well as the murder cases are the last in long series of similar crimes in connection with the feud that has been raging here for almost three years.
 In these feudal conflicts one faction has been almost exterminated by assassina- | tions and fights, and the present prosecu- l tion Is against representatives of the dom l inant faction which includes local of- | ficials. It was due to this condition that the state troops were needed for the pur- pose of serving summonses on witnesses, | making arrests and protecting life and 1 property.
 Troops Overworked.
 The small force of troops was over worked again today in serving summonses for witnesses for the grand jury, as weli as witnesses for the trial. They worked | yesterday as flremen and are engaged night and day for police duty under Che provost marshal.
 Judge Redwine today divided his time between the murder and the arson cases. | Early In the morning before court con vened he heard the habeas corpus cases of Crawford and Tharpe, and afterward | at different times excused the trial jury while he gave instructions to the grand jury.
 The defense opened with a statement that 1t would prove an alibi and intro duced both Curtis Jett and Thomas White on the witness stand in their own behalf to testify that they did not enter the courthouse until J. B. Marcum, the attorney for Ie contestants for county offices, had been shot down. Both prison CTS made exceptionally good witnesses for themselves. Jett was especially cool and confident and apparently uncon- cerned The mothers of both defendants heard their testimony, and Miss Sarah | Hargis. daughter of the county judge and leader of the dominant faction, was as usual, an intrested listener
 Interest and Anxiety Intense.
 Although ene people of Jackson are in- tensely interested in the arson cases, tine leaders of the dominant feud faction are 
 as in the trial of Jett and Whlte. The penalty in Kentucky for arson Is from one to twenty years Imprisonment, and in case of conviction the general belief Is that the sentences would come nearer the | minimum than the maximum, under exist ing conditions in Breathitt county. But l in the murder cases there is no compro- mise in the sentence if a verdict of guilty | should be rendered.
 In the doubtful event of conviction there Is a general belief that the confess sions might precede execution. and there | is no limit to the undercurrent of com ment as to who would be involved if either or both of the defendants should ever tell all they know. While one class | Is apprehensve of the results of convic- ton, others are apprehensive of what would follow acquittal so that there are none in Breathitt county without anxiety | as to the near future.
 A verdict may come tomorrow or the rext day.
 FEUD-RlDDEN TOWN
 THE SAME TiMlD PLACE. This feud-ridden town, the people of which had somewhat shaken off intimida- ton under martial law, Is today the same timid place as before the state militia arrived When the troops were first sent here there was a feeling of relief, and the people said that some of the wrongs would be righted because the intimidated citizens would now talk out. Since the burning yesterday of the large new hotel of B. J. Ewen, the principal witness against Jett and White, and the rally of the Hargis faction to the aid of the men suspected with having burned 1t, the hopeful citizens shake their heads and say today the state cannot render any relief
 The newly finished Ewen hotel had forty rooms, and it was greatly needed It Is pointed out that of the fourteen in- cendary fires here during the past two and half years, ten of them have taken place in the day time.
 Pitiable Spectacle.
 The Ewen family, including seven chill dren. in the military camp presented a pitiable spectacle today Ewen tried to console his heartbroken wife and daugh- ters, but their distress was too great The two daughters had escaped from the | burning hotel in wrappers, and the small- CT children In their night clothes. Kind hearted citizens, although feeling they are running the risk of their lives and property, have sent them clothing and bedding. They were breakfasted by the soldiers, Quartermaster Casey making them special Dlli or rare. scores Of people gathered near by to look at them. Major Allen in charge of the troops or dered the crowd dispersed. and the guard lines set back so that the distressed fam fly might not be so annoyed
 1 The jail last night was under a heavy guard. The prisoners suspected of burn ing Ewens house were detained in the camp. They were kept in the camp guard l house manacled so that they would have no opportunity to escape. They were greatly frightened during the night fear ing a mob would come to release them, and that the soldiers would shoot them. Crawford cried during the night and re- peated what a fool what fool ann Breathitt county and will fear vengeance similar to that wrecked upon Ewen, If they indict the men. The people of the town are completely intimidated and are awaiting the results at the court house