The Washington times., 1908-02-09
MURDERER WEEPS
IN MOTHERS ARMS
OYER HARGIS BODY
" | Didn't Mean to Kill
You, Dad" Sobs Son of
Slain FeudiSt.

JACKSON, Ky, Feb. s.-Displaying
the first agonies Of remors, since he
committed the deed, his heart softened
by the tears Of a forgiving mother and
with her arms about him, Beech Hargis,
murderer of his father, Judge Hargis,
the famous feudist, kEelt 0y the coffin
this afternoon just before II was car
ried from the homestead and wept
II didn't mean to kill you, Daddy"
he sobbed, IT only wanted 10 scare you
into treating me right"
Up to this morning the boy, still
sullen and angry, had refused with an
cath to go near his fathers body. His
mother had pleaded with MIN in vain.
Mother Pleads With Son.
Don't be mad at your poor Old
mother" was her message 70 the boy.
Il know you didn't go to do it. Come
see your daddy before they put him
away"
StiH the lad kept up his unforgiving
attitude. He would not SEQ his daddy.
But his nerve gave way as the day wore
on, and when his mother visited him
in the jail and in a broken voice begged
husband and father, he went with the
cld woman and kneelinS at the caskct,
the tears came at last,
God have mercy" he cried aloud.
Il killed my dad. don't care now
what happens TO me"
The mother knelt beside him and
mingled her tears with his. But she did
not reproach the lad for his deed. on
The contrary she mutely showed her
love and her forgiveness by the pres
sure Of her withered arms over the
patriclde's shoulders
Changes Attitude.
Beech Hargis remained at the Casket
but a few moments Then he went TO
the outer door, where his guards waited
His sullen spirit reasserted itself then
and he positively declined TO attend the
funeral.
Later IN the afternoon all that was
mortal of the noted feUdist was laid TO
rest. The funeral services were brief
and simple. No hearse conveyed the
casket TO it's last resting place. Sturdy
InOUrn6rs hOisted il TO their shoulders
and carried IT TO the grave
AS the rude funeral procession moved
through Jackson street the men who
stood on every corner removed their
hats. Many of them had been enemies
Of Hargis and more than one had been
marked fOr death Their evidence Of
respect was prompted by the ChiValry
usually found in the mountain man.
The Rev. Galloway Cooper preached
the simple funeral ceremony He spoke
OF the dead man as strong man; told
of the family life In which there has
never been a blsmish; told of the love
Hargis had always expressed tor those
bound TO him by ties of blood and az
fiction. He did not reopen the wounds
left by years Of war and only Closed
BY blood. That James Hargis made
errors he admitted He closed with a
heartfelt appeal to all within sound OF
his voice TO forget the past with its
mistakes and its sOrrOws and begin
anew.
Quiet Visits Jackson.
jackson is quiet tonight It seemed
TO be taken for granted that the death
of Judge Hargis means a truce in the
war that has devastated Bloody
Breathitt" county for thirty years. and
conferred upon Jackson the title Of the
"City of Sudden Death" Today men
that a week ago would have passed
without speaking-would have stood
upOn the further side OF the street. a
hand In close touch with a siX-shOoter-
are discussing a feUd that is dead.
There seems TO be no bitterness
against the murderer, as the deed can
rot be attributed to q feudal cause, and
as it seems 10 have definitely ended a
generation-long struggle, everywhere
there is a feeling or relief Every man
went in fear Of death. Now there is a
chance that the prosperity which has so
long been stihed in Jackson will bring
dollars TO every mans door. Outside
capital would not come IN while the
feud lasted
One OF the chief mOuTners for the
= If1 ha
six sons and has followed four of them
TO their graves-eveTy one by violence.
It was the death Of Ben" Hargis,
who fought a duel with Tom COCkrill,
muzzle TO muzzle, that. il is said. made
jim Unsparing IN his thirst for ven
geanCe. The tie of affection which ex-
listed between Ben and Jim was
especially close, and the day Ben"
was brought home dead his brother
sent out the Fiery Cross.