The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-22
SENSATION IN THE COURT
Williams Tells How He Held Up J. B. Messer In Store at Avondale On the Night of Jan
 uary 2.


 one of the gang of five negroes charged with highway robbery, when he wds placed on the stand in the first division of the Criminal court yesterday afternoon about oclock, and which caused a ripple of subdued excitement and intense inter est in the court room. Those sitting in the rear arose from their seats and all tried to get positions nearer to the rail dividing the room, and it was evident that everyone was expecting something sensa- tional, and they wanted to hear it. Quiet prevailed during the time Williams was on the stand. broken only by the voices of the judge and attorneys.
 States Evidence.
 Abe Williams has turned states evil | dence, and has made the statement that he. Will Hudson and Will Jones held up J. B. Messer in his store at Avondale about o'clock on the night ol January ? and robbed him, taking about $17 in | money and gold-filled watch, valued at s2O.
 Jones was on the stand just before Will Hams and claimed he was in Mobile at the time but came here the following Sunday and went to the house where the entire gang was captured by the police ct 5:5o o'clock Sunday morning, Janu- ary 4.
 It is thought to save himself from pun ishment of life in the penitentiary or death Abe Williams decided to tell a straightforward tale of the robbery.
 In addition to making this statement Williams stated that Hudson had said that he fired the shots at Policeman Pat ton that went through the officers hat. This statement he made after court ad- journed. In court, in the course of the testimony he said: Hudson said if didn't help them rob MT. Messer he would do me the same way he did Bacon. Every ear was turned to catch his reply as he was asked to repeat the statement. He repeated 1t. using the name Baccn. Afterwards he told the officers he meant to say Patton" This was in substance the sensational development in the trial yesterday of Abe Williams, Will Hudson and Will Jones, tried on the charge of Highway robbery The evidence is all in, and the arguments will be made this morning, when the jury will take the case
 The cases of all five of the negroes were set for yesterday, but John Bryant and Robert Lee, members of the gang, were granted a severance and will be tried today. They are charged with highway robbery, but not in connection with the 1znI1 ~f five of the negroes there are five indict- ments charging highway robbery. The only case examined into yesterday was that of MT. Messer
 Securing a Jury.
 When court convened yesterday, Judge Dan A. Greene on the bench, the first work taken up was that of securing a jury to try the cases. It soon became evil dent that this was rather hard propo- sition. The regular venire of thirty-sx names was exhausted and twenty others were summoned before the full jury was made up. It was o'clock in the afternoon before the trial began.
 An attempt was made by both Hudson and Jones to prove an alibi. A number of witnesses for the defendants were ex- amined, but their testimony gave little information.
 Will Jones was put on the stand and said he was in Mobile at the time of the robbery. He stoutly maintained that he was not connected with the affair." And then Abe Williams went to the wit ness box The first question was Abe, have you heard what MT. Messer has said about you all robbing h.m?'
 "Yes, sir" answered the negro.
 Well, is what he said true?''
 'Yes, SIT, what MT. Messer has said about our holding him up in his store ard robbing him is the truth, and l don want to tell no lie about it. but only just the truth"
 Williams Story.
 Williams then told substantially the foJ- lowing;
 Will Jones and Will Hudson visited his home on the West Highlands on the afternoon of the second. They asked him to go out hunting that night and he agreed to do 1t. The three met at the same house where they were captured and went to Avondale that night. When near the store of MT. Messer they sat down. Presently Hudson said he wanted some money Williams said he ought to have got money before he left 1T he wanted any. Well" said Hudson, T want some money and know how to get it. Here IS 50 cents, and l want you to go to that store and ask for a nickle handkerchief. See if there is any money around any where" Williams protested, saying he did not want to do 1t, whereupon Hudson drew pistol from his pocket, and empty- ing the chambers of the revolver of the cartridges gave it to him, telling him to point it at MT. Messer and after he had the gun on him he and Jones would come in and help get the money.
 How Messer Was Held Up. Williams said this he did not want to do, but the pistol was given him unload- ed so he could not get away, and with an unloaded pistol he held up MT. Mes- ser He said there were glass doors to the store, and locking towards them, he saw Jones and Hudson with weapons raised. He was afraid they would kill him. and so turning to MT. Messer said, hold up your hands," The other two came in, and in this way the robbery was committed.
 Williams says he does not know what Bryant and Lee have done, and that he was not mixed up in any of the robberies except the one at Avondale, and one on the Southside, and that under threats he had to go with Hudson and Jones, that they held guns on him while he was in fhe house on Second avenue He says