New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
NO HARGIS VERDICT
Jury UN4BLE TO AGREE.
Pat,lcide Has Gilman of Tragedies
in "BLoody Breathitt.

IRVINE XIV Dec es-The Jury In the case of
Beach Hargis charged with the murder OF ms
father Judge James Hargis. reported their naolhty
TO agree this afternoon. and were discharged Inc
;rx stood nine for acouitta and three for convic-
ton.
Beach Harsis had been drinking heavily few
davs before the killing OF Judge Hargis, and hau
finally been brought back 10 Jackson For some
DIS the neiebbors declared that Judge Hargs had
been dragging the boy through the streets OF Ihe
wild little mountain town
As told I'm the trial Beach entered his fathers S
,o~a opd after few words with the judge en-
gagged In a struggle with him They feh 10 the
eoor Peach on ton and, with the Judges own
nisto the boy fred several shots into the BODY OF
the PROSTATE man. 3,
The state I'm the trial of young Hargis, contented
itself with the facts of the case ending It's
mony at the point when witness tesuneo uia'
I2eac, during the course OF the day of the murder
said:
I'm getting wild, and I'll do something desper-
ate before night
The defence one of the lawyers for whom was
United States Senator-elect William O. Bradley
former Governor of Kentucky, based its strength
on the testimony OF the boy and that OF his mother
Mrs Louellen Hargis. Mrs Hargis testi1ed mat
her husband had early taught the boy bad habits
end when Peach was a child had given him whiskey
and had buckled pistol the child. Beach COR
Beauchamp, his rightful name) Is twenty-three
years old and has always been what in the Ken
lucky mountains is termed feverlsh lie hau
given his parents much trouble
The only other Hargs child is Mrs. Evelyn hogs.
of Jackson who married of the bitterest Oh
Judge Hargfs's political and family enemies.
Judge James Hargis admittedly as much d
baron in Breathitt County, and even In the 1Vtn
Congress District ever any mediaeVal lord-
His adherents occupied all the county Offices ne
was himself Democratic committeeman anu was
the chairman of all the district conventions
Men rose up to question his rule and to make per-
sonaI attacks him, and these men were suddenly
done au-av with. The Marcuns. the head OF Whlch
family J. r. Marcun. walked the streets of Jack
son for months with baby in his arms 10 avert
the assassination which finally overlook him, the
CccllrilIs and others disputed the rule OF Juoge
Harsis and paid the penalty with their lives
This summary and violent rule bred the school
of TnrIrderers and bad men who gave to their
county the title of Bloody Breathitt' One OF
them Curt Jett is serving a life sentence IN the
state penitentiary: some are dead and others have
fed the state or living quietly since the death
of their chieftain.
Judge Hargis had vast mining interests IN thls
neigh borhood in addition to general store az
Jackson 1t was in this store that he was killed
one Of the strange incidents in connection Win
the death of the feud leader his purchase OF d
coffin in Louisville a week before his death ne
saw a silver handled coffin valued at SlloO' Whhch
struck his fancy and he ordered it IL was 10 pe
sent on Mrs. Hargis's request When Judge mar
gis met his death, eight days later, Mrs. Hargls
telegraphed for the coffin.