The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-07-03
BY J. v. KNIGHT


the shooting here a fortnight age
of Ed Callahan, successor of Judge
James Hargis as boss of bloody
Breathitt county, the famous Har-
gis feud has been reopened. Hard.
ly a mountaineer around here but
expects more killing daily.
Nowhere in the wrold are con-
ditions like those here in Jackson.
The law of the rough Kentuckians
"a life for life-is their gospel.
One might appeal to the friendship
of one of these ignorant, uncouth
giants at any time, but to his
mercy never.
Since world came from Gala
hans bedside that he would recov-
er people in Jackson say: "There'll
be another KILN when Ed gets
out; he-all is a-goin' TO make some
un pay dear for that there shot"
From the day when old Uncle
Bill Strong was ambushed and muir.
dered near here nearly II years
ago, Ed Callahan has been in the
front rank of feudists.
He started out in this task of re-
venge 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 thehy both disliked, and
became friends. The man they dis
liked, Jim Cockrill, was killed.
The revenge of these mountain
jewellers is swift and terrible, their
ideas of punishment their own.
Nobody blames the men who
shot Callahan, but surprise is ex-
pressed that the aim of the would
be assassins was poor enough to
fail of death. For the people here
say Callahan, when he gets well,
will wreak fatal vengeance on the
men who sought his life.
The town and the customs here
are different. Jackson today is full
of country people. Many of the
women are barefoot and some new
er had shoes on in their lives. They
wear no headdress except perhaps
a shawl, and are the packhorses of
the family.
Men with biblical names like Alb
ner, Jared, Uriah and Ezekiel go
about from store to store swapping
tobacco and talking about Gala
hans shooting. Scripture gave
them their names, but of scripture
they know little.
Every store has its liquor at one
end of the counter for the custom
ers. In many saloons there is
small jug at the end of the bar
that is most in demand. A drink
from o bottle is AS natural a
courtesy as a handclasp.
Moonshine whisky, some might
call it, but to these mountaineers
it is Just white Ticker"
Ask any man on the streets Of
Jackson when the mountain dwell
ers come to town what he thinks
of the efuds here and he seems
surprised. Death, to their minds,
was a just and matter-of-fact pun
ishmeat for a man who would plot
death to his enemy. The law
doesn't count
Get your man." is the rule.
ne llldlS VI tIlc lSuulSIS anu
their confessions. made known aft
er the Marcum killing. are an old
story. But the fact that similar
scenes are expected again here in
Jackson has quickened the town
with excitement.
Hate is the most undying trait of
these mountaineers. Their bodies
~ 10 ~
from dragging a pittance from
their .scanty farms or chopping
wood in the timber lands on the
hills near here.
Made giants bodily by their
work, yet the average Kentuckian
is a pigmy mentally.
There is no big game which can
be hunted here, yet in nearly ev-
cry cabin hangs a rifle. 1t is rare
ly spoken Of, but it is a bigger in
strument of their law than is the
figure of blindfolded Justice in
other communities.
Old Judge Jim Hargis is dead,
Curtis. Jett and Tom White, two
leaders of the Hargis clan, are in
prison, and Ed Callahan is lying
near death from bullet wound.
But others are pointed out in Jack
son almost any day as men who
never shoot twice at the same
foe.
In appearance John Smith, one
of these, and Callahan have much
in common. Both have stubby, Ill
trimmed mustaches and both the
sharp, crafty, slanting eye of the
mountaineer.
When Smith shot down DR.. B. ID.
Cox IN cold blood he talked about
it afterward just as farmer would
in recounting the animals he had
killed on a "butcherin' day"
I'VE stayed under a shed about
half an hour" he testified, "and
while we was there Ed Callahan
came in and told US to be sure
and not miss him. And when Dr.
Cox did start from his office and
came down just across the street
from US, Ebert Harsis called to
him and said. is that you. Door
and he said Yes
"All three of us fired at the
same time, or so near it was all
one report. In short time Judge
Hargis said, by God, you sure got
him, / heard him heller like a
big bull!'