The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-22
BEACH HARG|S
TAKES STAND
Young Patricide Testifies as First
Witness For the De-
Tense.


Tense.
Special to The News.
IRVINE, KY, Dec. 22.-The pros
ecution Unexpectedly closed in the
Hargis case at IL o'clock this morn
ing. An adjournment was taken to
/ o'clock and the defendant, Beach
Hargis took the stand as the first
witness for the defence.
Hargis was nervous In answering
the first few questions but gradually
recovered his composure and testified
as indicated by the statement of his
attorney in opening the case.
IRVINE, KY, Dec. 22.-The jury
to try Beach Hargis, charged with
the murder of his father, Judge
James Hargis, of Jackson, was COM
pleted yesterday morning.
The jury is as follows: w. T..
Blackwell, Sampson Curry, Travis
Daniel, William Witt, Joel Todd, Till
man Witt, H. B. Garrett, Cash Rice,
Daniel w. Duggin, David Winston,
Walter Tyree and M. A. Winkler.
Sensational Opening Statement.
The opening statement on behalf
of the prosecution was perhaps one
of the most sensational ever heard In
a Kentucky court, and while Com
monwealth's Attorney was relating to
the jury the nature of the proof to be
offered he was continually interrupt
ed by the attorneys for the defense
in an effort to prevent the statements
going to the jury.
Judge Adams overruled the objec-
tions, however, and all of the sensa-
tional facts which the prosecution
will endeavor to prove by witnesses
were allowed to be given to the jury
In advance.
What State Hopes to Prove.
1t was claimed by the Common
wealth that it would be proven that
on the day of the killing Beach Har-
gis had made statements in the pres
ence Of various witnesses that he in
tended to kill his father and also DIR.
W. P. Hogg, his brother-in- law, and
j. Jett, his cousin and brother of
Curt Jett.
He said that it would be shown
that a week before the killing Beach
Hargis attempted to shoot his moth
er at the supper table, and that it
was necessary for his father, who
entered the room Unexpectedly, to
overpower and disarm him to save
Che life of the mother.
He said it would be shown that
Judge Hargis was killed In his own
store by his own son and with his
own pistol, which had been stolen by
the patricide the night before.
Defense Raises Protests.
1t was when Prosecutor Kash took
up the question of Mrs. Hargis' ac-
ton in the defense that the defense
counsel were on their feet, raising
a storm of protests.
He said it would be shown that
Mrs. Hargis had offered Sam Cock
rel $500 and sufficient proof to con-
. Wet Alex and Ebert Hargis of the
murder of Jim CockreIl, if young
Cockrell would have the Indictment
against Ed. Callahan at Lexington
dismissed, and the case against the
Hargis brothers continued.
1t would be proved, he said, that
Mrs. Hargis desired to use this as a
club over Alex. and Ebert Hargis to
prevent them from taking part in the
prosecution of Beach Hargis.
Judge Bach Scores Dead Man.
Judge j. j. c. Bach, of Jackson
{ counsel for Beach Hargis, began
MS opening statement for the de-
Tense. While he had for years been
the legal adviser and friend of Judge
j Hargis, Judge Bach scored the
dead chieftain In a much more bit
ter manner than was ever done by
Byrd during all of his prosecution
of Jim Hargis.
Bach Bitter in Denunciation.
Judge Bach was bitter in his de-
nl'neiation of the dead chieftain, and
said that he was even more tyranni-
v,l than Louis XIV and more than
Grg nan of the Dark Ages.
said it would be shown that
te i Hargis was reared by his faith
"a, not as son, but as murderer
q he was taught everything that
bad and nothing that was good
H. IRIS. Hargis was allowed nc
pa in the bringing up of the SON
First Witness Testifies.
10 hearing of testimony began