The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-05-17
life SAVED
BY LITTLE BABE
Widow of James Marcum
Narrates Story.
Is Vigorously Fighting a Proposed
Pardon For Her Husbands
Guilty Murderers.
anil 0HsriiI. -

Lexington. Ky, May i3.--Mrs. ALI
rella Marcum of Jackson. who has been
fighting vigorously the granting of par
dons or paroles to Curt Jett and Tom
White, who are serving life terms in the
penitentiary for the murder of her hus-
band. James b. Marcum. as well as for
the murder of James Cockrel, in an arti-
Gle published here gave in detail the
persistent efforts to assassinate Marcum.
which finally eliminated in his being
shot to death in the door of the court
house at jackson. on May g. 1903. In the
course Of her story, in which she narrates
the innumerable articles to which Mar
cum was forced to resort to save his
life. Mrs. Marcum gives the following de
scription of an occasion in which the pres
ence of his baby In his arms prevented Mar
cum from being killed. and also the
cold-blooded craftsmanship on which the
mountain assassin prides himself.
"On Saturday he asked me to bring OH
baby to the hotel and did so. In the af-
ternoon when I went to the hotel Mr..
Marcum told me he was going home will,
me and the children when we went.
tried to get him not to go. as l was
afraid he might be killed before we got
there, but he persisted in going. so we
passed up Main street in front Of the
Hargls store. all unconscious of danger.
I'VE had been home but a little while
until we were told Of Tom White being
at an upstairs window in the Hargis
store with q shotgun to kill him as he
passed. After we had got beyond the
range of Toms gun and no shot was fir
ed. Jim Hargis and Ed Callahan went
up stairs to where Tom was and asked
him why he didn't shoot. Tom told them
he couldn't kill Mr.. Marcum without kill
ing the baby. and Jim Hargis. with an
oath. told him he ought to have killed
the damned kid and sent It to hell with
him. Tom told them he was only hired
to kill Mr.. Marcum and not the women
and children, and that If they had Civ
en- him a rifle as he wanted them to
he could have shot Mr.. Marcum through
the head without hitting the baby"
Mrs. Marcum thus describes the Incl
band. who would have been warned and
that time have escaped but for a delay
of three minutes:
ION Monday morning. the day he was
killed. he meant to go to Lexington to
rent us house to move there, but decid
ed he would wait until Tuesday morning
and go. told him 1 was afraid he was
going to do like Jim Cockroll-stay in
town one day too late. We discussed
the matter thoroughly and he told me
what must do in case anythi ng happen
ed to him.
"About 1880 he left home to go up to
his office to finish up some business he
had there. and 1t was necessary for him
while there a final warning came that
he was going to be killed that day.and
the man had seen him in the courthouse
door and called to him and told him
that he wanted to see him. Mr.. Mar
cum told him that he would be there in
three minutes but before the three minu
ties was up Curt Jctt and Tom White
had done their deadly work.
II afterward asked this person how
he knew that Mr.. Marcum was going to
be killed before Curt Jett. Tom white
and Asberry Splcer went to Brock Combs
blind tiger at the mouth Of Quicksand
for some whisky and while there they
discussed this plan freely among thcm-
selves. and Mr.. Marcum had one friend
in the crowd who did not want him
killed, and so he sent the warning.'i