The first local option law was passed in Kentucky when Breathitt County went dry in the year 1871.

The Hargis and Cockrell feud began in 1899, when a contest over a county office election occured and many charges of fraud were made between the parties.

James Marcum and O.H. Pollard were law partners and headed a leading law firm in eastern Kentucky. Prior to that time, Marcus had been a friend and attorney for the Hargis brothers. The two attorneys got into an arguement in Pollards office as they were taking depositions for the contestees. They then went to Marcum's office and while taking more depositions, the two lawyers had another disagreement and almost came to blows. Hargis and Callahan were sitting in the office when pistols were drawn and all the men were ordered out of Marcum's office. The warrants were issued by Police Judge T.P. Cardwell, and James Marcum appeared in court and paid a fine of $25.00. Hargis refused to be tried and Tom Cockrell, the marshall of Jackson, and his brother Jim went to arrest him. Hargis drew a gun but Tom Cockrell beat him to the draw, and Hargis surrendered. Later in the year, Marcum and Hargis got into another arguement over a school election, and Marum drew his gun on Hargis but didn't shoot.

James Marcus accused Ed Callahan with the assassination of his uncle, and Callahan said that Marcum's uncle had assassinated his (Callahan) father.

One night in July, 1902, Tom Cockrell and Ben Hargis, brother of James Hargis, met at the "Blind Tiger Saloon" in Jackson. They got into a fight and Ben Hargis was killed. The Hargis brothers prosecuted Tom Cockrell, who was still a minor. Dr. B.D. Cox, a physician, had married one of the Cockrell women and he was gaurdian of the Cockrell children, including Tom. The Cockrells were also related to James Marcum who defended Tom in the trial.

Shortly after the killing of Ben Hargis, his brother John was killed by Jerry Cardwell as he was resisting arrest, and Cardwell himself was wounded. Soon after that a half brother of Judge Hargis was shot from ambush and killed at his home one night while he was making molasses.

Dr. Cox and J.B. Marcum were cousins of the Cockrells, and also good friends. One night Dr. Cox left his home about 8:00 P.M. to make a pofessional call and as he walked down the steet, opposite the stables of Judge Hargis, he was shot and killed. Ed Callahan is supposed to have killed him as he was standing in the yard at the back of the horse shed when the shot was fired.

The next man killed in this feud was Jim Cockrell as he stood on the street at 12:00 noon, shot from a window on the second floor of the courthouse. Cockrell at the time was a leader of the faction. Until May, 1903, Mrs. James Marcum said there had been (30) homicides in Breathitt County during the administration of County Judge James Hargis.

Notes taken from Famous Feuds of Kentucky, Johnson.

P.P. 324-325
P.P. 95-114
P.P. 3- 23

Story of Kentucky Feuds - By Harold Coats
Public Library, Frankfort, Kentucky