The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-19
How Ho,derfieId Family
Bear Road Supervisor.
ROAD DUTY DISPUTE
That, Says Mr.. Seagraves, Cause ct
UnmercifuI Observation-Disclosures
to Close Knife Drawn to De-
fend Himself, he Was
Badly Manlsd.

Additional details of the affair OF
the assault by the Holderfield family
upon Road Supervisor r. A. Sea-
graves briefly referred to yesterday,
indicate that the matter is one of con-
siderable Importance and seriousness,
the facts tending to show a conspiracy
and an attack upon an ~ofIicer by rea-
son of the discharge of the duties of
his position.
According to Mr.. Seagraves the as
sault was the result of his summons to
James HOldertield, the father of Ern-
est and viii, the other participants in
the assault, to perform road duty.
The elder Holderfield had been sum-
moned last year and excused as haV
ing passed the age limit of forty-five
years. Lately, said Mr.. SeagraVes he
learned that Mr.. Holderfield had
stated to several parties that he was
not past the age limit, as he had stat
&c, and that, consequently, he APP
preached Mr. Holderfield last week
and summoned him, with his two boys,
to report for road work. Some words
ensued, Mr.. Holderfield again claim
ing that he had passed the age limit |
and the supervisor stating that he pro-
posed to force him to perform the la
Dor, but the two men parted without
conflict. Again, on Monday. says Sea-
graves, he was called by HOlderfield.
who again preached the subject of
road work, but they parted again
without trouble.
In the afternoon. however, the road
force, in which were the two Holder
field boys, having quit work, Mr.. Sea-
graves encountered the father and his
sons on the roadside and a man named
Short, who was sitting off to himself. |
AS he approached the four, Mr.. Sea-
graves saws that he was stopped by the
elder Holderfield, who again took up
the matter of the road work and COM
menced to curse violently. About that
time he saw one of the boys slipping
to his back, baseball bat in his hand.
Thinking that he was to be assaulted,
Mr.. Seagraves wheeled on the boy and
drawing his knife, commanded him to
stand still.
Further parleying ensued. the elder
Holderfield stating that he did not de-
sire a fight, the supervisor declar"
ing that if the boys would drop the
bat and the rocks which they held, he
would fight the three, and Mr.. Sea-
graves finally closed his knife and re-
placed it in his pocket.
AS he did so, he says that the elder
Hoderfield exclaimed: Il don't be-
lieve you've shut it." whereupon he
it closed.
No sooner had the elder Holderfield
seen the closed knife than he sudden
ly grabbed Mr. Seagraves and pulled
him forward, while the boy with the
bat rushed in and delivered a stun
ming blow near the ear and the other
boy hit him on the head with d rock.
When he fell to the ground Mr.. Sea-
graves said that the three men stood
over him, beating him numerically
with the bat, with rocks and with
their fists.
Il don't scare easily" said he, "but
| was scared then, for l expected to
be killed"
During the whole performance the
man who sat by the side of the road
was an impressive spectator. He stated
afterwards that "it was none of my af
| fair"
The elder Holderfield is a welI-built,
| demonstrating man, apparently forty
| years of age with black hair and eyes
| that are set deep behind contracted
, brows. His appearance is that of an
impulsive and a dangerous man.
| The two boys, possibly twenty and
eighteen years of age, respectively,
have shifty blue eyes and tangled
blond hair. A student of the human
! face would probably say that they
We're weak, timid, but vindictive.
Their mouths were weak and they
| both have receding chins.
Supervisor Seagraves is one of those
| mild, blonde giants of the Saxon type,
| good humour written in every line of
| his face. He is slow moving and his
smile has the impassive quality that
| seems to mark the possession of great
strength AS he spoke of the assault
he seemed deeply moved by the mem
| DRY of it's treacherv and unfarness.
| Had there been a stand-up fight he
could probably have made good his Of
| fer to lick the three
Seagraves' face and head show the
marks of serious punishment. His left
| eye is badly bruised and discolored;
| there is a bruise along his nose. On
| his ear, just under the left ear, there
| is a deep cut, and on the top of his
head are many bruises. He says, also,
| that his legs, body and back also suf-
| fered severely.
| 1t must be understood that the
above is written entirely from the
statement given me by Mr.. Seagraves,
the Holderfields disappearing before
they could be given an opportunity to
state their side of the case. AS stated
yesterday, all three waived examina-
ton and were bound over to court by
| Magistrate Separks. And there was
of course, no evidence adduced before
| him.