THE HARGIS-COCKRILL VENDETTA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9123, 24 June 1908, Page 3

THE HARGIS-COCKRILL VENDETTA.

After a fshort period of calm, the •old feud betwteen the Harris and Cockrill factJons in Kentucky has become as virulent as ever, and three more victims have to be added to the long list this sanguinary vendetta has produced, says the London "Daily Mail -" The latest phase of the quarrel came on Monday night, Maj 4th, when ex-Sheriff Ed. Callahan, chief lieutenant of Jim Hargis, was mortally wounded by his brother-in-law, John Spicer, during a fight in Callahan's store in Crockettsville. A moment later Spicer was shot by Callahan's son, Wilson, and fell dead across his victim's body. At the ■same time, in Jackson, Kentucky, 'Daniel White, a Hargisite, shot and icilbdJim Fugate of the Cockrill faction, in a street revolver duel. White himself was blinded. It was in 1897 that this vendetta —which, it is estimated, has resulted in fortv or fifty houses being burnt and over sixty psopl being murdered began. It had its genesis in the •endeavour of Jim Hargis, a wealthy Democratic "boss", to make himself the ruling power in the district. He succeeded in getting himaelt' made cou-ifcy court judge, his brother AlexanJjr a State Senator, and his bosom —J, "Ed." Callahan, sheriff. x H.irgis had had a dispute with a tei ! named Cockrill over soma land. died, and a Dr. Cox became guardian to two sons'he left. John Hargis (another brother of the "boas") wooed a certain June Cordwell, who, however, refused him, and became engaged to Dr. Cox. Jerry Card well, the young woman's brother, in a quarrel which ensued, shot <>ohn Hargis dead. Though hu was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, the assassin was granted a full pardon by the Republican Governor of the State. Shortly afterwards Ben Haggis, another brother of the Democratic "boss," was murdered by Tom Cockrill. "Boss" Hargis spent a fortune in endeavouring to have Cockrill handed, but failed, mainly in consequence of the legal astuteness of David Marcum Young, a lawyer. Ths enraged the Hargises. Dr. Cox, of Jackson, was lured from his home, and shot by a hidden assassin. Subsequently some of the Hargis gang were accused of th? crime, and one of them confessed that he had been hired by Judge Hargis to slay Dr. Cox. Then Lawyer Young was waylaid and murdered in sight of Hargis and Callahan, and his widow, who uttered a wild prayer saying, "L<?t me live to sea David's murderers kiildd as murdered him." All this while Judge James Hargis Wdiii, unscathed, owing to wnat is ltno.vn in America as his "political pull." He spent, it is stated, £4O 000 in defending himself against charges of murder and lesser crimes, the law always failing to reach him. Bjt justice reached him from an unexpected quarter, for he was struck dnvn'in February last by the hand of his own son. The latter, a drunken, ne'er-do-well, resented a thrashing his his lather had criveti him. and shot him in his own shop. Mrj Young affirms that Heaven is answering her prayer. "Three months ago," she says, " 'Boss Harris was murdered by his own son. No-.v Callahan," she add id, "his fallen at the hand.* of his brother-in-law. White, who is blinded, wa3 a, brochar of one of my husband's murbath of «v 10m arjingail. Wh-.-n they ,are slain Haaven's will twill have been accomplished."