Holifield - Assaulted and Beaten

On Wednesday night of last week Mr. Jabe Holifield, who runs a bar and family grocery just out of town on the road leading to Flovilla, was aroused about midnight by two Negro men who told him they wanted to get something to eat.  Mr. Holifield opened the door, and after selling them some little articles they called for some pickle pig´s feet, and while he was stooping over the keg getting them out he was struck over the head and knocked to the floor.  They then jumped on him and began beating him with the intention of murder.  Holifield having his pistol on his person began firing, and by his presence of mind and game cock pluck succeeded in saving his life.  The Negroes fled.  Holifield was badly beaten, but as soon as possible he secured the services of Dr. R. G. Bryans, who dressed his wounds.  Warrants were issued for the assassins, who proved to be Charley Amous and Oscar Hawkins.  Marshall McMichael succeeded in arresting the later but the former is still at large.  We trust that he too will be captured and find his way into the chain gang where all such devils deserve to be.  It was a bold attempt at murder and the black brutes should be punished to the full extent of the law.

Middle Ga Argus – Week of December 11, 1888

Holifield Murder

We are pleased to state to our readers that Messrs. McGuire Sharp, Higgins, Thompson and Bledsoe, the two latter well known to our people, who were arrested some weeks ago charged with murdering John Holifield, a citizen of this county, in Hernando county, Florida, in 1884, and lodged in jail at Brooksville, Florida, are all breathing free air under bail.  At the preliminary trial they were all denied the privilege of bond with the exception of W. J. Bledsoe and his bond was fixed at $5000.  On the 19th inst. Judge J. A. Bledsoe came to Jackson and employed Wright & Beck to represent his brother.   Co. Wright with Bledsoe, Mr. W. I. Shields and Dr. Conley of Newton County started to Brooksville to look into the case.   They returned on Saturday and we learn form them that all the accused parties had been carried before an officer on a writ of habeas corpus and are now under bonds, which were easily made.   These gentlemen also inform us that there is nothing in the case, and in a final trial they will all come clear beyond a shadow of a doubt; that no skeleton has even been found and that is can and will be proven that John Holifield is yet alive.    We trust that justice will be seeked out to all parties.  If Holifield was murdered as was first reported some one should be punished but if there  parties are innocent as the evidence indicated it was a shame that they should have thus been accused and incarcerated.  We will keep our readers posted as the case progresses so as to the final trial in March next.

Submitted by Don Bankston

John T. Holifield

If John T. Holifield Is Alive Please Produce Him

It having been alleged that Dave F. McGuire, John I. Sharp, Oscar Higgins, of Hernando County, Florida, Shaw Thompson and W. J. Bledsoe, formerly of this county, in the month of November, in the year 1884, in Hernando County, Florida, did kill one John T. Holifield, and on said charge they have been tried recently in the state of Florida and acquitted, and we, the relatives of John t. Holifield, from our knowledge of the case, believe said Holifield is dead, and was killed at the time slated in the charge.   The defendants plead not guilty, and to sustain their plot endeavored to prove by J. M. McMichael and J.M.D. Bond, of this county, and Rufus Cruse and Thomas Weaver, of Newton county, that they had personally seen and talked with said Holifield since the alleged killing, in this Butts and Newton counties.  Now we, the relatives of John T. Holifield, to more fully prove the sincerity of our belief, and to induce those who say he is still alive to produce him, we will pay, in addition to what has already been offered, a liberal sum of money for the live body of John T. Holifield delivered to us at Jackson, Ga.  Confer with us as to the amount of the reward; we will go into a written agreement with you to produce him and deliver him to us.

J. H. Holifield, Henry Holifield, Wm. Holifield, J. B. Holifield, McCajor Duke, E. L. Duke, T. J. Holifield, J.M. Holifield, Jr., Wyly Holifield, J. M. Holifield, William Duke, and others.

Middle Ga. Argus, Week of December 17, 1889