The Washington herald., 1908-02-09
HARGIS' SON IN TEARS
Remorse for Daddy that He
Didn't Mean to KILL"
MOTHER SOFTENS RESENTMENT
hoy PatTicide, However, HHrdens
Again and Refuses to Attend FH-
Respect Paid 10 Dead on Way
Through the Various streets.

Jackson. Ky. Feb S--Displaying the
first agonies OF remorse since lie com
mitted the deed, his heart softened by
the tears Of a fosgiving mother with her
arms about him. Beecher Hargis, mur-
derer of his father. Judge Hargis. the
famous feudist knelt by the coffin this
afternoon just before it was carried from
the homestead, and wept over the dead
Il didn't mean to kill you. daddy" he
sob1ed 4 only wanted to scare you into
treating ME right"
Up 10 this morning the boy. still sullen
and angry had refused with an oath TO
go near his fathers corpse. His mother
had pleaded with him in vain
Mother Wins Him over.
Don't be mad at your poor old moth
err was her message to the boy. Il
know you didn't go TO do IT, Come, see
your daddy before they put him away.
Sdl the lad kept up his unforgiying
attitude. lie would not see his daddy.
But his nerve gave way as the day
wore on.
When his mother visited him in the
jail. and in "a broken voice begged her
only son to 90 and see the clay OF the
dead husband and father be went with
the old woman. Fneelng AZ the casket.
the tears came at last
God have mercy he cried aloud. Il
have killed my daddy. ! don't care now
what happens to me-"
Mothers Love shown.
The mother knelt beside him and min
sled her tears with his. But she did not
reproach the lad for his deed. On the
contrary, she mute.y showed her love and
her forT'veHess by the pressure Of her
withered arm over the patricides shou!-
der.
He stayed beside the casket but a few
moments Then he went to the outer
door. where his guards waited His suHen
spirit reasserIed itself then He positively
aeeIined to attend the funeral
Later in the afternoon an that was
mortal If the noted feudist was Iald to
rest. The funeral services were brief and
simple. No hearso conveyed the casket o.
it's last resting place. sturdy mourners
loisJed il 20 their shoulders and carried
t TO the grave
Respect Paid tn the Dead.
As the simple funeral procession moved
through Jacksons streets the men who
stood on every corner removed their hats.
Many Of them had been enemies Of Har-
sis. More than one Of them had been
marked for death if the feud had con-
.inued. Their evidence Of respect was
marked by the chivalry usually found IN
the mountaineer.
Rev. Galloway Cooper preached the sim
pie funeral ceremony. He spoke Of the dead
man as strong man; told of the family
life on which there has never been
1lemish; told Of the love Hargls had
always expressed for those bound to him
by ties Of blood and affection.
He did not reopen the wounds left by
years Of war and only closed by blood.
That James Hargis made errors he ad-
nitted. He closed with a heartfelt ap-
peal to all within sound Of his voice 10
.orget the past. with its mistakes and its
iorrows. and begin anew
Feud Believed at an End.
Jackson is quiet tonight Il seemed to
De- taken for granted that the death OF
Judge Hargis means a truce In the war
hat has devastated Bloody Breathitt |
County for thirty years and conferred
Ipon Jackson the title OF "the city Of
sudden death To-day men that a week /
lgo would have passed without speaking
would have stood upon the further side /
# the street a hand in elise touch with
siX-sho0ter-are discussing a feud that
S dead.
There seems to be no bitterness against
he murderer as the deed can be at /
ributed TO no feudal cause, and it seems
o have definitely ended a generation /
ong struggle. Everywhere there is a /
ceiling Of relief.
For while jim Hargis lived every one !
NEW the feud would also live. Every !
nan went in fear Of death. Now there is 4
chance Of the prosperity which has so 4
0ng been stihed.
Jackson will bring dollars 10 every /
mans till. Outside capital would not 4
ome in while the feud lasted
One of the chief mourners for Hargis IS
Granny Hargis. who has borne six sons
ma has followed four OF them to the /
.rave-every one dead by violence. Il /
vas the death OF ben" Hargis. who /
ought a duel with Tom CockriH. muzzle |
o muzzle, that il IS said made jim IN
pairing in his thirst for vengeance. The
ie Of affection which existed between
Ben and Jim" was especially close.
nd the day Ben was brought home dead !
us brother sent ont the fiery cross"
Woman to Give Lecture.