January 21, 1910
Killing Near Holly Grove
Thomas ABLES Killed by his
Uncle, John Ables
An appalling tragedy is reported as
having occured on January 15, 7 miles
southeast of Holly Grove at the home of
Sam Ables.
The report is that Sam Ables and Uncle,
John Ables, were fighting when Thomas Ables
interposed. The fight changed from Sam to
Thomas, who fought with his uncle for some
minutes. Tom had a pistol but didn't use it.
His uncle is said to have stabbed him in
the side, severing one of his ribs, whereupon
young Tom dropped his pistol and ran from the
house. His uncle is said to have grabbed the
pistol and fired two shots at him before he
got out of the house, missing him each shot.
Following him out of the house, three more
shots were fired, two of which hit him in
the side and passed through the body. Young
Tom ran about 95 steps, it is said, jumped
a picket fence and fell. He lived about
twenty minutes, during which time he asked
his friend, Robert Hughen, to tell his
friends and mother good-bye for him.
The deceased leaves a mother, a brother,
and two sisters and a host of friends. He is
said to have been a clever boy, well-liked
by those who knew him.
Whiskey was the cause of the tragedy and
it is reported that it was political
candidate and whiskey,too, at that.
May 19, 1898
Assassination at Roe
On Saturday morning between 7 and 8 o'clock
Captain L.N. Williams, one of the wealthiest
farmers in the southern end of the county, was
assassinated by an unknown person near his
home in Roe township. Captain Williams had
left home [on] horseback to attend to his stock.
Not long after he left, his wife noticed his
horse returning home. She, thinking that the
horse had in some way ran[sic] off from her
husband, caught the animal and let it in the
direction he went. Possibly in less than a mile,
she was horribly shocked by finding the dead
body of her husband lying in the road with a
ghastly gunshot wound in his breast. The alarm
was given and soon Sheriff Jackson with his
deputies, Howard and Youngblood and Marshall
Kelley, of this city, were on the ground. A
blood hound was put on the trail and ran it
well for about half a mile. The Sheriff and
posse then followed the trail, which led in
the direction of the home of Robert McKnight.
On account of existing bad blood between
McKnight and the deceased and other circum-
stantial evidence, McKnight was placed under
arrest and brought to this place Sunday by
Sheriff Jackson and Marshall Kelley. |
January 20, 1898
Hunter Hummings
On Monday evening about four o'clock,
Jacob Murray's house and all his household
goods burned. They lost everything they had
and have our sympathy in their misfortune.
November 19, 1909
Holly Grove was visited late Sunday
night by burglars breaking in at the front
door of H.C. Lairs dry goods store, they
proceeded to the safe and by means of
nitroglycerine the safe was blown open,
some parts of the lock struck the stove
pipe going through and others were found
in the front part of the store. After all
their work they only found a small amount
of money and a piece or two or more of
jewelry. No trace of the men has been found
yet.
March 17, 1898
Cyclone at Hunter
Houses blown down, stock killed,
people dangerously wounded
The Argus special correspondent at Hunter
writes of the terrible cyclone that struck
that pretty little town Tuesday morning as
follows:
"It struck the town about 3:30 o'clock
Tuesday morning, leaving wreck and disaster
in its track. The storm was going in a
northeast direction when it passed through
Hunter, when it apparently changed its course
to due east. It lasted only a minute and was
accompanied by a heavy rain.
The home of J.E. Ernest was blown down and two
of his children were hurt....
Wes Densel was seriously hurt by flying
timbers.
Jas. Ernest lost a team of mules....
The latest news from our correspondent last
night was that Wes Densel is still alive with
some chance for recovery. Mr. Ernest's girls
are doing well, while he is very sore...."
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