The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-07
FIVE BULLETS FIRED
INTO OLD MANS BODY
Judge Harqis Died as He Must Have
Anticipated, for He Had Ordered
and Paid for Handsome
Coffin In Louisville. II

from Jackson, KY, says:
Former County Judge James Hargis,
for many years a member of the state
democratic executive committee, accused
of completely in many murders and a
prominent figure in the feuds which have
disrupted Breathitt county for several
years, was shot and killed in his general
store here at $3.50 o'clock this afternoon
by his son, Beach Hargis. The son fired
five shots in rapid succession at his
father, who fell dead while his clerks
were waiting on customers. The exact
cause of the murder has not been learn
ed, but it is supposed to have been the
result of difficulties which have existed
between 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, has been drink
ing heavily of late. He came into the
store late this afternoon and was ap-
parently under the influence of liquor
Judge Hargis, it is said, spoke to his
son about his drinking and a quarrel
resulted. Father and son stepped behind
n counter in the store, when the son,
after only a few minutes conversation,
drew revolver and fired five shots. Four
took effect, and the noted mountain char
acter fell dead. The young lady stem
ographer and the customers in the store
rushed for the doors and fed in fright
Young Hargis was arrested by Town
Marshals Goran Smith and Grover Blan-
ton and placed in jail. He was raving
like maniac and the officers were COM
pclcd to drag him tor5al.
Bloody Record.
Judge Hargis has been for years a
prominent figure in Kentucky, in politi-
cal and criminal circles. He has figured
in the courts in the mountains for years
on account of the murders of DIR. Cox,
Attorney Marcum and Jim Cockri Judge
Hargis was the political leader of the
democrats of the Tenth district and was
the "boss" of Breathitt county.
He had been on trial at various times
for completely in the murder of James
b. Marcum, Jim Cockrill and DR.. Cox,
but had secured an acquittal on all the
charges, He was recently forced to pay
judgment of $4,000 to Mrs. Marcum in
connection with the death of her hus-
him in the circuit court at Winchester
Judge Hargis had just disposed of
the numerous cases in which he had
been involved in his connection with
the Hargis- -Cockrill feud when he paid
check of over 900 to Mrs. Marcum,
covering $4,000 damages and her litiga-
tion expenses. Mrs. Marcum had sued
Jadge Hargis and others for 500, 900,
alleging that they caused the death
of her husband. Though Judge Hargis
was acquitted of the charge of having
instigated the murder of Marcum, the
Winchester jury awarded Mrs. Marcum
$4,000 dana ges against him.
Started BY Politics.
The Hargis-Cockrill feud out of
which grew the almost innumerable
tragedies with which Judge Hargis'
name is linked had it's inception in a
political contest. The Hargises had long
been dominant in Breathitt county,
where they conducted general store,
were engaged in the lumber business
and were generally active. The broth
ers, James, Alexander and Ebert, were
good business men and accumulated
what in the mountains is a great for
tune.
The trouble with the Cockrills arose
when the Cockrills opposed the Har-
gises at the polls. Feeling was bitter
Dne day, when Ben Hargis, a younger
brother of Judge James Hargis met one
of the Cockrill boys in blind tiger
near Jackson. There was gun play
and Cockrill killed Ben Hargis.
In the fall of 1902 came the first
murder in the feud DR.. Cox the guard
Ian of the Cockrill boys, was the vic
time.
Dr. Cox lived on the outskirts of
jackson. He was called from his home
one night to answer professional
call. AS he entered his gate on the
way home, he was shot by assassins
concealed across the way.
Afterward John Smith, John Abner
and others of the alleged Hargis band
of assassins were accused of this crime,
and in a confession made by one of
them they asserted that Judge Hargis
hired them to kill DR.. Cox.
From this time on the story of the
Hargis- -Cockrill feud was written in
blood The next to fall was Jim Cock
till the town marshal.
Killing of Cockrill.
One afternoon in July, 1903, Cockrill
was standing on the street corner in jack
son, across from the Hargis store and
The court house. He had been tai.AIng to
some friends and started to turn away,
when shots rang out from the upper
window of the court house. Cockr1l
yelled my God, they've got me at last,
md turned to run, while the unseen mur-
derers continued to fire at him. One
bullet tore through his throat, another
through his chest. Cockrill ran into an
plley and fell, dying. He was placed on
train and rushed to Lexington, where
an operation was performed, Dut ne dieo
In a hospital there the next morning II
was because of this that the trials OF
those accused of the murder of Jim Cock
ri were held in Lexington.
There was a perfunctory investigation
Of this murder but it amounted to moth
lngS,nore than that in the Cox murder. II
the tragedies had ceased with this thers
might have been none of the sequel that
has come well known to kentucky
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