The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-02-13
JUDGE JAMES
HARG|S KILLED
The Noted Feudist Falls by
Sons Pistol.

pistol shots In rapid succession
this afternoon snuffed out the life
of Judge james Hargis, for long
years reputed the active head and
brain of feud which made the
name of Breathitt county stencil
in the nostrils of civilization.
Ghastliness is added to- the
tragedy by the fact that the hand
which wrought the vengeance
called down INCREASINGLY upon the
head of Hargis by the widows att
orphans of the feud, was that of
his only son, Beech Hargis, lad
of % years Reared in the school
of violence, stepped in disregard
for the sacredness of human life,
and maudlin from the effects of
mountain whiskey, the young
patricide would brook no author
lty nor interference with his own
mode Of life. With brutal indif-
ference and maniacal frenzy he
ended the life of him from whose
loins he had sprung.
The tragedy took place at 2:40
o'clock in the afternoon, and was
witnessed by two customers and q
stenographer.
After the first shot Hargis fell
crying: "Mercy, mercy, you've
killed me-" Young Hargis' ans
wer was to fire two more bullets
into his parents PROSTATE body.
The news soon spread oyer the
town, and in quarter of an hour
the streets were filled with excited
and horror-stricken people, who
stood in groups discussing the
deed.
Judge Hargis was killed with
his own pistol, Colt "forty-five," +"
which Beech stole from a drawer
in the store where it was usually
kept. A few minutes before the
murder Judge Hargis was walking
around in the store chatting pleas
antly with his customers, while at
the time his son was in poolroom
block away playing pool.
Miss Mary Coffy, a clerk in
charge of the women's dress goods
department, says she noticed
Beech enter through the front
door of the store, near where she
was waiting on customer, and
take seat directly facing the
door. She noticed that he had
been drinking.
In very few minutes Beech
arose and walked over to the
counter. AT that time Miss Cotfy
walked through an archway into
another department., leaving Judge
Hargis, James Brophy and another
clerk, customer whom Brophy
was waiting on, and Beech Hargis
in the dry goods department. She
had scarcely reached the other
room when the firing began.
The others who witnessed the
shooting say that Judge Hargis
walked toward his son and said
something to him, whereupon the
boy at once drew revolver and
began to fire, emptying it's con-
tents into his fathers body.
Judge Hargis first caught hold
of his son in an effort to disarm
him. The young desperate threw
his coat over his fathers face and
thus binding him, pumped the
contents of the revolver into his
fathers body, one of the five shots
taking effect below the left nipple,
three In the abdomen and one in
the leg.
Young Hargis was later removed
to Jail by the town marshal and a
deputy but he struggled like a
mad man until thrown into his
cell.
The younger Hargis had been
on protracted spree and some
days ago his father administered
a thrashing. This chastisement
was the cause of the murder.
Judge Hargis has been for years
a prominent figure in Kentucky in
political and criminal circles. He |
has figured in the courts in the
for years on account of
the murders of DIR. Cox, Attorney
Marcum and Jim Cockrill. Judge |
Hargis was the political leader of
the Democrats of the Tenth dis.
trict and was the "boss" of
Breathitt county, For years his |