Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-28
BUSY WITH FEUD|STS
Many Efforts to Convict Alleged
Murderers in Kentucky. +
STRONG FIGHT FOR HARGiS
He Has So Far Defeated All Attempts
to Convict Him.
NARROWING TALE TOLD BY JET
Aid to Judge Boasts of Having Kill
ed Thirty-Seven Men Without
Having Fired Shot.
TALE TOLD BY JET

LEXINGTON, KY, January 2S.-The Ken
lucky court of appeals, seven circuit judges,
the state militia, score Of prominent law
yers and numerous minor civil officers have
been kept busy with the Hargis- Cockrill
feud in Kentucky during the last four
years, and the end is not yet.
The state has expended many thousands
of dollars in defraying the expenses of wit
nesses, jurors, special judges and troops
to keep order while the trials were in prog
ress.
The real leadership of this feud centers
in one man-James Hargis, former judge of
Breathitt county, but the personality of B.
F. French, leader and victor of the noted
Perry county French-Eversole feud, figures
prominently as adviser to Judge Hargis
According to evidence developed in the
court trials and the confessions of Curtis
Jett Asbery Spicer, John Smith and Nose
Feltner, eight men were directly involved in
various aSsassfnatiOns.
Judge Hargis Is a man of fine physique.
He weights about go pounds, is six feet
tall and has broad shoulders, with long
arms. He is angular. with no extra flesh.
His face Is round, his forehead high and
broad, his ears and eyes small, the former
sitting far down and pointed out from the
head. He has keen, steel blue eye; short,
cussing any subject half-hidden smile Is
apparent in his expression. He has won
derfully attractive personality, speaking
usually in confidential tones that win for
his argument
When Judge Hargis found himself in the
midst of deadly feud he employed as his
adviser B. F. French, who had removed to
Winchester, in the blue grass section OF
the state and had taken up the practice OF
law Judge French had the reputation of
hofr In hOaSteO
Of having killed thirty-seven men without
having fired shot and without even being
arrested.
Killing Of DR.. Cox.
Curtis Jett has told narrowing story
of the murders of Messrs. Marcum and
Cockrill, in both of which he took part.
John Smith made a full confession last
week of the murder Of DR.. B. D. Cox, the
first of the three prominent enemies of the
Hargises killed.
Smith went to Jackson, and he tells of
the plan and execution of the deed in a
sworn confession, which is now in the
hands of Commonwealth Attorney ]. P.
Adams.
The question of the jurisdiction of the
Fayette county court was taken to the
Kentucky court of appeals, where the Har-
gises We're represented by former Chief
Justices Hazelrigg and McQuown. They
lost and were finally landed in the Lexing-
ton jail.
The trial of Judge Hargis was called first
and It resulted In failure Of the jury to
agree The cases were continued and are
still on the Fayette county docket, bond
being allowed for $751; 900 each.
Marcum's widow sued the Hargises and
French for 500, 900 damages for the MUIR
der of her husband. This case was tried
before Judge Benton Of Winchester. She
was given a verdict Of $1,000.
B. F. French was found guilty of spirit
ing away witnesses and fined $1,000. This
case was taken before the court of appeals
and the decision sustained.
Judge Dorsey tried the Hargises in
Beattyville for the murder of Marcum, and
they were acquitted. Judge Lewis. who
was appointed by Gov. Beckham, heard the
examining trial Of the Hargises and held
them to bail for the murder OF Cox. Judge