The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-29
HOWARD IS
 CONVICTED Participated in Lynching
 of Bob White. HE E DE A CONFESSION
Gave No 1eS of Other Mem
 ts s of the Mob.
John Strength and Martin Fuller on Trial Charged with Com plicity-Several of the Accus-
 ed Leave the County.

Wetumpka, Aus. 28.-CSpecial.)-- George Howard, one of the best known and most highly respected planters of Fillmore County, was convicted here to- day of murder in the first degree, and his punishment fixed at life imprison- ment. This verdict was returned by jury in the Circuit Court after Howard went on the witness stand and told of the details of the lynching of Rob- ert White, a negro, near Wetumpka about seven weeks ago. Howard said he was in the lynching party.
 The lynching of White, the instruc- tions of Governor Jelks for an inves- tigation and the recent strong charge to the grand jury on the subject by Cir cult Judge Denson, ara familiar to readers of The Advertiser. Indictments | were returned against number of well known citizens of Fillmore County and the first case was tried today, resulting as heretofore stated. Little trouble was found in securing jury for the trial of Howard, and it was composed of some of the best citizens of Wetumpka and Fillmore County. Hon. A. E. Williams ap- peared to represent Howard. The State was represented by Solicitor Brewer. who was assisted by MT. Edward Jones of Montgomery. \ | Both sidea declared themselves to be ready, and the State submitted its evil l ence between MT. Williams and his cli- ent. and to the amazement of the great fcrowd which thronged the court room. lMr. Williams, addressing the court, said that Howard would make vol- untary statement describing in detail the lynching of the negro White.
 Towards Statement.
 | Howard was sworn in and took the witness stand. Without hesitation and in clear voice he told the complete story of the lynching of White and gave the names of the twelve men who participated with him in the affair. ,.
 He said that White was taken from | the officers who were taking him to Wetumpka, carried into a near | by swamp, one man climberi a tree | and tied a rope to a limb while the other end was placed around Whites ! neck. The negro was raised from the | ground by the other members of the | mob and the rope was made taut. White was then dropped. The fall was not sufficient to break the negro's neck, he dying from strangulation.
 When Howard had finished his testi- mony the case was submitted without | jury retired to consider its verdict. The jury was out two hours and thirty minutes when a verdict was returned. The verdict was evidently a great sur prise to Howard and his friends but Howard gave no sign of emotion while listening to it's reading.
 The Lynching of White. The lynchlng of Robert White oc- cured between Wetumpka and Tal- lassee early Tuesday morning. July ?, shooting at a farmer named Thomas. Robert White was arrested and was | being taken to Wetumpka jail by Messrs. Clop Tanton. Marion Putnam and Bryant Nails when he was taken from the officers by a mob and lynched. Robert White and his brother Win ston White were tenants on the place of MT. Goodwin who lives four miles from Tallassee. Their cabin was near the little farm of a white man named Thomas. The chickens of the negroes annoyed Thomas who shot them while they were on his premises This en- ragged the negroes and the night before the lynching the White brothers went to the house of Thomas and attacked him firing a shot gun into his house SIX times. Thomas returned the fire and Winston White was shot in the arm.
 A posse gave chase to the negroes and Robert White was captured and hIynched. Winston White was subse- quently captured and safely lodged in the Wetumpka Jail. Thomas, the farm CT. was not injured.
 Tanton, Putnam and Nails. the men from whom Robert White was taken refused to testify before the grand jury when it had been empanneled by Judge Denson, and they were sent to Jail, but were subsequently, released.
 Trial of the Others.
 As soon as the verdict was returned in the case of Howard, he was taken to the county jail and Judge Denson be- gan empanneIling a jury for the trial of John Strength and Martin Fuller. we'll known white men who are also accused of having been participants in the mob which lynched Robert White. Their case is still on trial.
 A number of other men indicted fer