The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-02-13
Dead Man Quarreled With His Son
for Drinking and Was Shot
Five Times.


murder has not been learned, but
it is supposed to have been the result
of diff ferences which have existed be-
tween father and son for some time.
The two men are reported to have
had a severe quarrel several nights
ago, when the father, it is alleged,
was compelled to resort to violence
to restrain his son.
: Young Hargis, it is said, had been
drinking heavily of late. He came
into the store this afternoon and was
apparently under the influence Of
liquor. Judge Hargis, it is said, spoke
to his son about drinking and a
quarrel resulted:
Father and son stepped behind a
counter, when the son, after a few
minutes conversation, drew a re-
volver and fired five shots. Four took
effect, Judge Hargis falling dead:
The young lady stenographer and the
customers in the store fled in fright.
YOUNG HARGIs ARRESTED.
Young Hargis was arrested and
placed in Jail. He was raving like a
maniac and the officers were COM
PEELED to drag him to Jail.
Judge Hargis has been for years a
prominent figure in Kentucky in
political and criminal circles. He has
figured in the courts in the noun
tains for~years on account Of the
murders of DR.. Cox, Attorney Mar
cum and "Jim'' Cockrill.. Judge
Hargis was the present leader of the
Democrats of the Tenth district and
wasregarded as the ''bossp Of Breath
lit county. For years his sway was
not opposed, but some years ago
James M. Marcum had the tenerity
to oppose him in a law case. From
that date he was a marked man.
Judge Hargis had been on trial at
various times for completely in the
murder of Marcum, Jim" Cockrill
and DR.. Cox, but had been acquitted
on all the charges. He was recently
forced to pay judgment OF $4,000
| to Mrs. Marcum in connection with
the death of her husband.
Judge Hargis had just disposed Of
this, the last of these cases in which
| he had been involved when he paid
the Judgment of the court. Mrs. Mar
cum had sued Judge Hargis and
othersfor $100, 900, alleging that they
had caused the death Of her husband.
The Hargis-C -Cockrill fued had its
inception in a political contest. The
Hargises had long been dominant in
Breathitt county, where they con:
Quoted general store, were engaged
in the lumber business and were
generallya active. ThebrothersJame
Alex and Ebert were good business
men and accumulated a fortune.
The trouble with the Cockriils arose
when the latter opposed the Hargises
at the polls. Feeling was bitter when
one day BENZ. Hargis, younger
brother of Judge James Hargis, met
one of the Cockrill boys in a "blind
tiger" near Jackson and was killed by
his enemy
DIR. CoX's ASSASSINATION.
In the fall of 1902 DR.. Cox, the
guardian of the Cockril boys, who
lived on the outskirts of Jackson, was
shot as he entered his gate on his
way home one night by assassins con-
cealed across the way. John Smith,
John Abner and others of the alleged
Hatgis band were accused Of the
crime, and in a confession made by
| one of them, Judge Hargis was charg'
ed with having hired them to kill DR.:
Cox. From this time on the story OF
the Hargis-C -Cockrill feud was written
| in blood. The next to fall was Jim
CockriIl, the town marshal.
Shortly after the murder OF Cock
rilI, James B. Marcum, the attorney
for the CockrilI boys, created q tenn.
pestuous scene by publicly declaring
| in Lexington that he was "a marked
man. and that he had been doomed
to death by the Hargis clan.
One morning in May, five years
ago, Marcum was shot down while
standing at the door of. the court
house at Jackson talking to Capt
Even. The assassin was "Curt" Jett
the "wild dog" who has since con:
fessed his part in this tragedy and
who was accused of the other crimes
He and "Tom" White are now serv.
ing life sentences in the penitentiary
I Judge Hargis will be buried in 8
casket costing 81, 500, which he him.
self purchased about month ago.
About 4:3O o'clock this afternoon
the following message was received
by the casket company:
Express today casket selected by
James Hargis, as he is dead.
(Signed) "Mrs. James Hargis. "
| Wet disaoreeahe weather we've