The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-05-10
FORMER fEUDIST
SERIOUSLY shot
Ed. Callahan Fired Upon
from Ambush.
esperately Wounded and Rushed
to Lexington Hospital-Not
Expected to Recover.

Jackson, Ky, May 4.-Edward
Callahan. former sheriff of Breathitt
county, at one time a leader of the
Hargis faction, was shot down and
desperately wounded Saturday morn
ing as he stood at the door of his store
at Crocketsville, in this county, twen-
ty miles from Jackson. He was
rushed to Lexington to the hospital
and 1t is not believed he can recover
The assassins were hidden on the
hillside near the point from which CAL
lahan was shot two years ago Calla-
hans body was riddled with bullets
Callahan was one of the best known
men in rBeathitt county. ard during
the days when James Hargis and his
faction were in power Callahan was
regarded as Hargis' right hand man.
Hargis was county judge and Callahan
sheriff at the time when some of the
bloodiest records of Breathitt were
written.
Callahan was tried several times in
connection with the killing of Jim
Cockrell, James B. Marcum and DR..
Cox, but on every occasion there was
no verdict secured against him. For
the murder of Marcum, Curt Jett and
Tom White are now in the peniten-
tiary for life and efforts made short
time ago to secure their paroles were
bitterly fought.
The killings Of Cockrell. Marcum and
DR.. Cox were the result of bloody
feudal warfare which ragged in Breath
lit county for number of years be-
tween the Harsts and CockreM fac-
tions, and which caused in addition to
these murders the killing of a number
Of others.
The Hargis faction. headed by Judge
James Hargis and Callahan. were in
the ascendency for many years, but
later they lost out, and finally the
climax was reached when Beach Hair
gis. the son Of Judge James Hargis
slew his father and was sent to the
penitentiary for life.
During the last few years Callahan
had been out of politics. and II was
said that he had been avoiding all
forms of trouble with his former enc
mics. He was, according to the claims
Of his friends, attending strictly to his
business, but he was always heavily
guarded, as frequent threats were
made to take his life.
About two years ago he was fired OH
from ambush and it was reported at
first that he had been killed. Though
he was painfully wounded, he recover
ed, but since then his store had been
surrounded by a stockade. and It was
said that he never went out without an
armed guard at his side.
Callahan Is about forty-five years
old. He has a wife and sew
eral children. one Of them being
Wilson Callahan. who. several years
oS0 hAAiC0 lis e4AShSs SoaAtA D<~so4is
when the latter attacked Ed Callahan
In Callahan's store and almost cut
his arm off with butcher knife.
Callahan had so many enemies
the mountain section that
it is hard to suspect from what faction
the assaiants came.
About four years ago a feud broke
out between the Deaton and Callahan
factions. Callahan was related to- ths
Deatons by marriage. his first wife
having been a Miss Deaton. The two
factions descended upon Jackson and
for some days kept the town in a state
Of terror.
The Deaton faction took possession
Of the courthouse while the callahans
took up their posts of vantage in the
Hargis store. just opposite the court
house. Here two clans faced each
other until citizens at Ieace with both
sides interceded and secured the sigma
lures Of John Deaton and Ed Callahan
to a peace pact. Then the two factions
rode out of Jackson. taking different