The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1907-05-03
CONFESSES TO FOUL
ASSASSINATION
Jim Hargis And Ed Callahan
Chief COnSpirat0rS.
John Smith Tells how he and 9th.
; ers Followed Instruction In
\ Numbering C0ckrill.


Lexington, which closed last Thurs
day afternoon with a hung jury John
Smith wade a confession on the wit
ness stand revealing the part played
by Hargis, Callahan and others which
sif true, is one of the most bloodhound
ling stories ever heard in GRIM
inal court.
His confession shows that he work.
ed under the personal direction of
James Hargis, former County Judge
of Breathitt county ard at present
a member of the Democratic State
Central Committee, and Edward calla-
han, at that time Sheriff of Breathitt
county, apd.. like Judge Hargis, lead
ing ffnancier of Slre Amountains of
Eastern Kentucky and deacon in a
church.
Smith spared no one in his confess
sion, which is the first confession made
revealing the entire plot to murder
James Cockrill, his former statements
having been confined TO the assassina-
ton of DR.. b. d. Cox.
Smith was placed on the witness
stand upon the opening of court. His
face does not in the least portray the
characteristics ascribed to criminals
by experts of criminology, and con-
tradicts all laid-down rules.
However, according TO this state
ment, he is of The worst criminal
class, shooting men for personal ia
vor with whom he had only a slight
acquaintance, and against whom he
had no grievance whatever, it being
developed in the course of his exam
ination on the stand that he not only
took part in the murders of DR.. Cox
and James Cockrill. but that he was
one of the men who was shadowing
James b. Marcum for the purpose
of taking his life at the request of
James Hargis and Ed Callahan, af-
ter he had gone 10 Marcum on the
pretense of having law business in
order to get to see and know him.
Smith told of first meeting with
Judge James Hargis at Frankfort,
when Hargis had asked him to come
and see him at Jackson, saying that
he had something for him to do. La
ter Ed Callahan talked with him at
Valley View, where they had gone
with RATS of logs, and told him that
there were some people in Jackson TO be
killed, and that he and Abner and
others were expected to do the
job.
He saw Callahan again at St.Hel-
ems and Callahan told him to take
the train for Jackson and go TO see
Judge Hargis. He walked into Har-
gis' store Hargis was at his desk
talking to some one, and winked AT
him, but did not speak.
Presently Hargis took him up TO
his room over the store, and there
told him that DR.. Cox was TO be kill
ed, and he wanted him TO go down on
the river and meet John Abner
Hargis gave him revolver and $500
Ebert Hargis and Bill Britton came
TO where he and Abner We're on the
river. and took them TO the old Har-
gis home, where they gave Gran
ny" Hargis some excuse for so many
stopping at her house.
Smith detailed his trips in the night
with Britton, Ebert Hargis, Curtis
Jett and John Abner to Jackson where
three conferences with Ed Callahan
and Judge Hargis were held in Har-
gis' back yard.
He was not allowed 10 tell of the
Cox assassination, which was then the
lob on hand, but this was passed, and
he was asked TO relate how he came
to Jackson just prior to the assas-
sinatioh of James Cockrill, for whose
murder the defendant is being tried.
He lived in Perry county and Lizzie
Evans brought him message from
Bob Deaten. He went to Deaton's
home, where he met Abner. They
were furnished mules, and went TO
Longs Fork, where they stopped for
a rest at the barn of Ed Callahan, who
was at that time in Jackson.
They came on to Jackson, arriving
at 2 o'clock in the morning. Smith
tells the story of the assassination
from this time on as follows:
1--WE first hitched our horses in the
shed of Hargis brothers stable, and
then, as directed. went and ratified on
the side door of the Hargis store,
While we were there Curtis Jet and
Jesse Spicer came from the Hargis Of
flee building and Joined us in getting
Hargis up. He let us in, and We
went up to his om,where we found
Ed Callahan. They told us TO go
down on the branch to the same place,
where we had been before, and that
they would send us our breakfast.
Eve went before daylight. This
was Sunday morning. Jet brought
us ported ham, potato chips potted