The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-01
THE ROPE FOR WILLIAMS.
THE MAN WHO HELD MEYER TO
BE MURDERED CONVICTED.

Minutes - CD8rIoS bacon Turns
States Witness and Makes a Com
plete Breast of the Plot-He Impll-
Gates the States Two Witnesses,
Days and Lewis-Blois, the Stable
Boy to Be Tried To-day.
The second one OF August Meyers MUIR
derers has been condemned to die for his
part in the cruel conspiracy which placed
an honorable citizen in premature grave
Gus Williams, who had been on trial for
two days, was convicted last night at 7:40
O'Clock, the jury being out twenty minutes
In arriving at its decision.
When court resumed the hearing of the
case at 10 o'clock yesterday morning there
was another big crowd Of spectators in
attendance.
The state put up Frank Days and Adam
Lewis and these witnesses testified 20 the
same story they related in the Gay trial.
The next move of the prosecution was SUR
prise to the defense, as was evidenced by
the prisoner and his counsel when Solicitor
General Fraser called for Charley Bacon,
one of the conspirators.
BACoN's DAMAGING CONFESSION.
The boy shuffied into the court room In
an idiotic fashion and took his seat in the
witness chair to turn states evidence.
Bacon told the story Of the plot from its
incipiency to its cruel consumma-
ton going into every detail
almost exactly as he told the MORNING
News after his arrest Bacon went fur
Their and implicated Frank Days and Adam
Lewis, saying that they were both in the
soda water factory with Williams, Hey
ward Blois and Gay, and took an equal
part in the murder OF Mr.. Meyer. Bacon
claimed that he was the watchman on the
outside of the building while the murder
was taking place inside. Marion Hey ward
assigned him that position. de said he
looked in through the window and saw
Williams holding Mr.. Meyer, Joe Blois hit
ting him with soda water bottle, and Jim
Gay and the others using ak handles.
The witness also claimed to have seen Hey
ward cut Mr.. Meyers throat.
Under the cross-examination by Mr..
Kenan Bacon became badly ratified and
was almost willing to swear to anything
antedating the murder, but 60 that partlcu-
. lar fact he wes quite positive.
The state rested it's case after Bacon's tes-
timony shortly after IL o'clock.
WANTED EVIDENCE EXCLUDED.
Attorney Gazan moved that the testi-
mony of w. w. Smallwood, e.
W. O'Connor. Frederick Rowe and "Bo-
ney" Brittle be excluded on the grounds
tDAC THEIR bsdUeLDeltS Oh uuNluK BeeU
Of men near the soda water factory before
the murder without having identified them
might have undue influence with the Jury
upon the prisoners case and further that the
statements Of these witnesses were mere con-
lecture.
Mr.. duBignon resisted it hotly. He said
that there wasn't the slightest conjecture
about the testimony. All saw groups of
men, and some of them identified Williams
Gay and Blois. Judge Falligant overruled
the motion, allow the jury to pass upon the
evidence as to whether il was conjecture.
The first witness for the defense was Abe
Solomons. His testimony didn't amount to
anything. Mr.. Solomons had engaged
Williams TO go 80 work for him at 80
O'clock the Monday morning after MIR.
Meyer was killed, but the negro didn't
keep the engagement About O'Clock,
while driving up West Broad street
in his buggy, he met Williams
at Duffy street. The state objected to Mr..
Solomons telling auy of the conversation
which passed between himself and Will
Jams, and the court sustained the objec-
tons
A CONNECTING ADMISSION.
Mary Lloyd, mother of Charley Bacon,
one Of the conspirAtors, said Gus Williams
had been sleeping at her house for eight
days previous to Mr.. Meyers murder. The
Sunday night on which the murder occur
red Charley Bacon and a boy named Rog-
ers left her house together, saying that
they were going TO church Charley didn't
come back until about II 80 O'clock. He
was by himself. Gus Williams had come
In before her son.
The cross>examination by Mr..
duBignon brought out strong circum-
stantial evidence connecting Williams
with the murder of Mr.. Meyer.
The Lloyd woman said Williams and Bacon
left the house Sunday morning before
breakfast aud didn't get back until O'Clock
in the afternoon. In about half an hour
Williams left the house, and she saw no
more of him till be came In that night,
Williams came into the room where herself
and husband were sleeping and asked the
latter If he would have some peanuts, at
the same time offering a bag. Then Will.
Jams asked her husband If a certain sum of
money would set up decent grocery store.
BACON DIDN'T GO TO CHURCH.
Charley Rogers, the 'boy" who started
for church with Charley Bacon, was put up
by the defense. He proved an amusing wit
ness. He is an Ogeechee negro and speaks
with the peculiar dialect of the negroes of
that section, being difficult to understand
He is man about 40 years OF age, but told
Mr.. duBignon on cross-examination that he
was Is years old. Rogers swore on his
direct examination that Charley Bacon and
he went to church that Sunday night and
didn't leave him until they were returning
home. When questioned by Mr. duBignon
the negro swore directly opposite, and
stated that Bacon left him on their way to
church, saying that he was going to see some
girls. Rogers was a stupid sort of fellow
aud was willing to swear TO anything.
THE PRISONERS STORY.
At 1:30 o'clock Williams began his state
ment. 1t was long rambling story about
his movements on Sunday MORN
ing, without connecting any
thing about Sunday night He said he
knew nothing of the murder of Mr.. Meyer
until Monday morning, when Mr.. Solo
mons told him that Mr.. Meyer had been cut
the night before. The prisoner said that
the reason he ran from the officers was be-
cause he saw them running toward MIN
with pistols, yelling: Catch him; catch
Gus Williams" He denied ever giving
Queen Martin a watch. Williams closed
by saying: "Gentlemens. Pm telling you
the TRUTH whether you believe it or not
am innocent Of what they got me for. God
in heaven knows it, and knows who done
it.n
Williams told his yarn with lightning
like rapidity and seemed anxious to get
through. he was quite excited and directed
considerable Of his remarks, reiterating his
innocence, to the prosecuting attorneys.
THE ARGUMENTS.
Hon = r. INF A.