The Detroit times., 1909-06-25

y gts as boss or bloody Breathitt county
the famous Hargis feud has been rc
opened. Hardly a mountaineer arcun'
here but expects more killings daily.
Nowhere in the world are conditions
like those here in Jackson. The Law
--of tfH rough Kentuckians-a life FOR ;
y life is their gospel One might ap
I peal TO the friendship OF one OF the Sc
ignorant uncouth giants at any time
but 10 his mercy never
Since WORD came from Callahan s
bedside that he would recover people
In Jackson say: "Therell be another
KILN when Ed gets out; he is a-goin'
10 make someone pay dear for hat
there shot"
From the day when old Uncle Bill
Strong was ambushed and murdered
! near here nearly II years ago, I'd Cal.
lahan has been in the front rank OF
feudists.
He started out in this task OF re.
venee and. man-killing as an enemy OF
. Judge Hargis, then the richest man in
Jackson, He and Hargis joined in the
task OF getting a third man they
both disliked. and became friends. The
man they disliked, jim Cockrill. was
! killed. -~
The revenge of these mountain dwell
: lers Is swift and terrible, their ideas
! of punishment their own.
Nobody blames the men who shot
! Callahan, but surprise is expressed
. that the aim of the would-be assassin
was rot more accurate.
Women Are Barefoot.
) The town and the customs here are
!. different. Jackson today is full of
I country people. Many OF the women
are barefoot and some never had shoes
on in their lives. They wear no head
dress, except perhaps q shawl. and are
the pack-horses Of the family.
Men with biblical names like Abner.
J Jared, Uriah and Ezekiel 20 about
lsfrom store to store swapping tobacco
and talking about Galatians shooting.
Scripture gave them their names. but
OF scripture they know little
~ Every store has it's liquor az one end
OF the counter for the customers. In
many saloons there Is a small jug OF
the end OF the bar that is most IN de-
mand. A drink from a bottle Is as
natural a courtesy as a handclasp
: Moonshine whisky, some might call
; II, but TO these mountalneers ii IS just
> white ticker"
> Ask any man on the streets Of Jack
!. son when the mountain jewellers come
!. 10 town. what he thinks OF the feuds
here, and he seems surprised. Death,
to their minds, was just and matter
of-fact punishment for a man who
would plot death 10 his enemy. The
law doesn't count.
: Get your man." is the rule.
The trials OF the feudists and their
( confessions, made known after the
Marcum killing. are an old story. But
the fact that similar scenes are *
! pected again here in Jackson has
quickened the town with excitement.
Hate Is Undying Trait.
Hate is the most undying trait OF
these mountaineers. Their bodies are
large their hands are gnarled from
dragging a pittance from their scaniy
farms or chopping wood in the timber
I lands on the hills near here.
I Made giants bodily by their work,
: yet the average Kentuckian is a pig.
} my mentally.
There Is no big game which can be
. hunted here. yet in nearly every cabin
. hangs a rife. II Is rarely spoken VI
but II is bigger instrument Of their
law than is the figure Of blindfod-d
Justice In other communities.
Old Judge Jim Hargis is dead. Cur
tbs Jet and Tom White. two leaders Of
: the Hargis chan. are in prison and Ed
Callahan Is lying near death from
bullet wound. But others are pointed
. out in Jackson almost ang-day. as men
who never shoot twice at the same
!. foe.
/. In appearance John Smith. one cf
!. these, and Callahan, have much IN