Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-07
Judge Hargis, Breathitt County
Terror, shot Down By His
Own Son
QUARREL PREcEDEs TRAGEDY
Death of Harsis Recalls Long and
Deadly Struggle Between Two Ken
lucky Factions-Famous as Fued
Leader-Participant in Peculiar
Mountain Justice.

jackson, Ky, Feb 7.--Formef
County Judge James Iargis, for years
a member OF the state executive com
mittee. accused of completely in many
great murders, and a prominent figure
| in the feuds which had disrupted
Breathitt county for several years. was
shot and instantly killed in his gen.
eral store here yesterday afternoon by
his son, Beach Hargis
The son fired five shots in rapid sue
cession at his father who fell dead
while his clerks were waiting on GUS
toners
The exact cause of the murder has
not been learned, but it is supposed to
have been the result of differences
which have existed between father and
son for some time. The two men are
reported to have had a quarrel several
nights ago. when the father, it is al
legged. was compelled to resort to vio-
lence to restrain his son.
Young llargis, it is said, had been
drinking heavily of late. He came in
TO the store late yesterday afternoon
and was apparently under the intlu-
ence of Liquor. Judge Hargis, it is
said. spoke to his son about his drink
ing, and ii quarrel resulted Father
and son stepped behind coun-
ter in The store when the son,
after only few minutes controversy,
drew revolver and fired five shots.
The first took effect, the noted noun
tain character falling dead.
The young lady stenographer and
the customers in the store rushed for
the doors and fled in fright.
Young Hargis was arrested and
placed in Jail He was raving like a
maniac and the officers were compelled
to drag him to jail.
The exact cause of the quarrel
which resulted in Judge Hargis death
is unknown. 1t is supposed, however,
that the killing was the result of an old
grudge between father and son, which
had been intamed of late by the young
mans dissolute habits. The two men
are said to have had an alteration
several nights ago. during which the
father was compelled to resort to vio-
lence to- restrain his son.
Beach, who is reported to have been
drinking heavily Of late, entered his
fathers general store about $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Judge
Hargis was standing behind the coun-
ter in the rear of the place, and sew
eral customers were grouped in the
front.
Young Hargis who was apparently
under the influence of liquor at the
time u,.,ll,aI towa,.1 his father who is
said to have demonstrated with him.
a quarrel started. which attracted the
attention of the customers. Young
Hargis then joined his father behind
the counter, and after few moments
conversation drew revolver and fired
three shots at point blank range.
Mercy. Mercy! You've killed me"
Appealed the elder man as he lay on
the floor. Young Hargis' answer was
to fire two more bullets into his par
ent's PROSTATE. body.
A panic ensued. during which the
store was emptied and Town Marshal
Goran Smith notified. Smith, with
Grover Blanton, placed young Hargls
under arrest after a desperate strug-
gle, during which he raved like
mailman. He was removed to the
county Jail, fighting every inch of the
way with his captOrs.
The summary fate visited upon
Judge Hargis removes one of the most
picturesque and sinister figures of the
mountain regions of Kentucky, where
he has been a practical dictator and
the chief figure in one of the most
deadly of the old mountain
feuds. Only recently was he acquit-
ted of completely in the cold blooded
murders of James B. Marcum, jim
Cocllrill and DIR. B. D. Cox, who led the
opposition to the Hargis party.
The verdict was secured in the face
of the sworn confessions of one Of
three mountaineers, who admitted he,