Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
HIRED TO KILL
THREE FEUD|STS
Kentucky Assassins Make Com
pIete Confessions.
TEN THOUSAND WAS PRICE
Fields is the Man Judge Hargis
Employed.
WAS GOV. BECKHAM INFORMED
Trial of the Judge at Beattyville Be-
gins Next Week - More Than
800 Feudists on Ground.
Fields is the Man Judge Hargis
Employed.
WAS GOV. BECKHAM INFORMED

Special Dispatch to The Star.
LEXINGTON, KY, June 30.-John Smith
and John Abner, confined in Breathitt
county Jail, at Jackson, charged with assas-
sinating DR.. B. d. Cox in April, 1902; Jas.
Cockrill in July, 1902, and James B. Mar
cum in May 1908. during Breathitt feud
troubles, have made complete confessions,
detailing their completely in assassinations
of three men. News was brought here by
Capt c. w. Henry, detective from Dallas,
Texas. who has been engaged to work up
the feud cases. Sam Fields of Hamilton.
Ohio, former feudist who charged with
killing a man named Spcer during the
feud troubles, told Henry of the confession.
stating that he had just seen Smith and
Abner in Jackson Jail and that they had
told him that they had confessed, but that
pending developments that would come up
confession in full would not be made public
for two or three weeks. Fields said that
confession corroborated Curtis Jett and
Asbury Spicer in their confessions of two
weeks ago regarding Breathitt assassina-
tons, and that there were most sensational
developments in last confession that
neither Jett or Spicer or Nose Feltner,
who made the first statement regarding
Breathitt assassination plots in February,
1908, did not mention and that many new
people never before mentioned would be
Smith and Abner bother appeared relieved
since confesSing.
Employed by Hargis.
Capt. Henry met Sam Fields at Torrent,
Wolfe county, and elected information from
him. Fields said that he was the first man
that Judge James Hargis had ever en-
ployed to assassnate James Cockrill.
Fields said that he was standing on the
in ba-
fore Cockrill was killed. when Judge Har-
gis approached him and told him that he
would pay him $1,000 If he would kill
Jim Cockrill. Fields said that he was
afraid to refuse the offer and when he ac-
cepted Hargis detailed the plot to him.
Fields was to engage Cockrlll in a card
game, take offense at some trivial remark
and then kill Cockrill before the latter had
a chance to shoot back, but to wait until he
had drawn pistol SO 1t would give Fields the
semblance of self-defense. Fields said that
he did not carry out Hargis' orders, and
that the plot was afterward detailed to
Curt Jet, John Smith and John Abner. but
was never carried out, men killing Cockrill
by shooting him from the court house win
dow in Jackson. Fields said that after he
had failed to carry out Hargis' directions
in killing Cockrill he was always afraid
while he was in Jackson.
Afraid of His Life
Whenever he went to the court house or
wherever crowds congregated he was al
ways on the watch against assassination,
knowing that he would be killed If the OPP
portunity offered. He said that before
Cockrill was killed and after he had been
offered $4,000 by Judge Hargis to murder
him he wrote letters to Governor Beckham,
detailing plots against Cockriil's life, but
that Beckham did not reply. When Hargis.
Callahan and others were indicted in Fay
cite circuit court here for the murder of
Cockrill who died in a hospital here, Fields
went to Frankfort and visited Governor
Beckham, and requested the return of the
letters he had written regarding plots to
kill CockriH.
Beckham denied having ever received
such letters. Fields then returned to jack
son. but said that he became more fright
ened every day, and finally left there, go
ing TO Hamilton, Ohio where he had since
lived Captain Henry said that Fields was
badly frightened, and was continually
watching him while ne was talking to him.
Fields said that his life was not safe in
Jackson, and that he was only in that Sec
ton because he had TO appear in the Har-
gis trial at Beattyville, Lee county, during
the coming week. Fields was formerly a
member of Judge James Hargis feud fac
ton, and he and Hargis were close friends.
1t is said that Hargis assisted him in OBJ
tanning his release when he was charged
with killing Spcer. Fields was on his way
to Reattyville when he was seen by Henry.
He said that he was not out of danger
from assassination so long as he remained
in that section.
He said that Smith and Abner were evil
IDENTIFY much relieved at having made their
confession. Captain Henry said that while
he was at Torrent the members of Hargis
faction. Cockrilrs, Fields and others prom
inent in mountain troubles were present In
large numbers. and that while seemingly
friendly, were watching each other closely.
and that least belligerent movements would
have precipitated a conflict.
He said that nearly all of them were
armed with eight shooting magazine re-
volvers Efforts were made to keep the
confession of Smith and Abner secret, but
they told Fields about It The trial of
Judge James Hargis charged with murder
of James B. Marcum, will begin at Beatty
vile, Lee county, Monday. That town is
full Of witnesses. there being more than
800. 1t is estimated that three weeks will
be consumed by trial.