The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-02-14
BREATHITT Chief
Slain BY SON.
Served With Dose of his Own
Medicine.
A Long Chapter of ASSaSSiBa-
tion and BlOOdShed in Ken
lucky Closes.

ing in frenzy, fired by drink,Beacn,
the only son of former County Judge
James Hargis, this afternoon murder
ed his father in cold blood.
This patricide, which comes as eli
max to the feudal wars that gave this
county the unwelcome lille Bloody
Breathitt" and the succession of assas-
sinations through which the town OF
Jackson has been held III a grip of
terror these past eight years, was COM
mitted in the store OF the wealthy mer-
chant, lumberman, land owner, poll
tician and feudal leader at 2:4O o'clock
and in the presence of several horror
stricken witnesses.
One day last week this scapegrace
son of a loving, kindly mother, whose
soul he has narrowed and whose nealI
has long since broken,was drunk and
threatened 10 shoot up the town. his
father demonstrated with him, Land he
drew his revolver.
Judge Hargis promptly knocked the
boy down and disarmed him. That
night, it is related, Beach, while in
local dive, declared 10 some of MS
companions that before another zen
days should roll around, either he or
his father would be a corpse.
This may or may not have come to
the ears of Judge Hargis, but is a
coincidence, if not significant fact,
that while on trip TO Louisville day
or, Two later he selected and paid for
his coffin, instructing the dealer 10 snip
il to Jackson Immediately upon re-
CENT of a message from some member
of his family.
On his return here Judge Hargis told
June Jett his bookkecper, of his pur-
chase and told him how to order the
coffin when he should hear of his
death.
The revolver with which Judge Har-
gis was murdered was his own. IL was
a Colts forty-five, which was stolen
yesterday from drawer in the store
by the son.
Beach, who had been drinking heavi-
ly to-day entered the drug store OF MS
brother-in-law, DR.. Hogg, about two
O'Clock drew his revolver and jabbed
il into the side of Harland Rice. This
frightened the customers out of the
drug store, and one of them, Squire
Brown, went over 10 the Hargis store
and related the incident TO Judge
Hargis.
The Judge and the Squire were still
engaged in conversation, the Judge
telling the Squire mat Beach had
caused him more heart pangs than all
of his other troubles, as serious as
they had been. When the boy entered
the store, he took seat facing the
door,
A moment later he got up and walk
ed TO the counter at the other side OF
the room. Judge Hargis, noticing him
probably for the first time. walked TO-
ward the boy and said something 10
him.
Young Hargis whipped out the re-
volver and began firing. Judge Har-
gis rushed up and laid hands upon
him in an Effort % lake The pistol
The boy had an overcoat on mis- iett
arm, and this he threw over his fath-
er's face, all the while pumping the
trigger of the revolver and sending
the fatal bullets into the body ot his
sire.
By the time the boy ceased firing IN
father was sinking 10 the iioor hy the
corner the blood flowing rapidly from
five wounds, one jusr below me LEFT
nipple. three in the abdomen and one
In the left leg.
With the empty smoking revolver
in his hand. the boy stood with the
look of fiend over the PROSTATE from
of his dying father for an instant, and
!. he was dragged away to jail, fighting
like a mailman to free himself from
the grasp of Govan Smith and Grover
Blantonn.
June Jett rushed to the side OF
Judge Hargis and lifted his head. I'm
killed." came the last words OF the
king of Bloody Brcathitt" in a
deadly whispered.
Those that believe that James Har-
gis escaped the penalty Of the crimes
that were laid at his door to meet a
more rctributive penalty Of death at
the hands of his only son, were not
acquainted with the mental torture to
which he had been subjected for the
past five years. Ante-dating even the
assassination of James B. Marcum'
May 4, 1904. which aroused an out
ragged public opinion, and following the
UNPUBLISHED assassinations OF James
CockriI and DR.. B. ID. Cox,the noted
Breathitt county leader and then Coun'
ty Judge. was virtually a prisoner in