Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-04-07
Chain Rocks
to Negroes,
Thrown Into
River, Claim
Meet Death Soon After
Federal Agents Begin
Peonage Quiz on Will
liams F arm in Georgia.

prompted Clyde Manning, negro farm
boss, to help kill IL negro farm hands
employed on the Jasper county plan
tation of John s. Williams, the negro
told the jury Wednesday in the trial Of
Williams in Newton county superior
court here Wednesday. He said he
did not want to help kill them but
was afraid to- disobey Williams. who,
he declared, was trying to do away
with the negroes for fear they might
testify regarding alleged peonage con-
ditions on the Williams farm.
The negroes met death shortly af-
ter federal authorities started an in
vestigation of alleged peonage on the
farm, six of them, according to Man
ming, being chained to rocks and thrown
alive into rivers, and five knocked on
the head or shot and buried on the
farm.
Denies Pressure.
Throughout an hour of ross-exam-
ination, Manning. who was indicted
Jointly with Williams, denied any pres
sure has been brought to bear on him
to make him tell the story.
The state put on four other wit
nesses besides Manning-two federal
agents, Clyde Freeman, a negro farm
hand, and a negro woman cook, and
was expected to conclude it's case
Thursday. The defense intimated It
would conclude its testimony in about
one day.
Manning was the states chief wit
ness He is unable to read or write.
he said, and about - years old, but
does not know where he was born.
During some three hours of direct
examination, the negro told In detail
of the alleged murder of the IL neg
roes, giving his description in simplest
words. He was not asked to describe
the alleged binding Of the negroes who
were drowned. but told how they were
thrown off the bridges BY himself and
Charlie Chisholm, another farm hand,
whom he said he later helped Williams
to drown.
Victims Beg For Lives.
'They was stubborn and a-beEgin', !"
Manning said simply In his version of
the death of Peterson and Willie Pres
ton, land me and Charlie rolled 'em
over the banister of the bridge"
The men. as were the others killed,
he said, had been lured away from the
farm by Williams on the preetext that
they were being taken to trains and
would be allowed to return to their
homes in Atlanta or Mason, where
they had beeen taken from the Jail by
Williams paying their fines. Peter
son and Preston, Manning said, were
bound together by trace chain around
their necks to which was fastened
sacks containing about one hundred
pounds of rocks. Their hands were
bound together with wire, he said
Harry Price. another negro taken
to be drowned, jumped off the bridge
himself, Manning said. when he found
there was no hope for him.
Don't throw me over; I'll get over
Manning quoted Price as saying. and
added that the negro, with a cry of
lord have mercy" flung himself into
The river.
Sends Two to Fata.
Manning went into details Of the al.
legged murder of other negroes, declar-
ng one known on the farm only as
.IittIe Bit" was induced to help lift
Red Brown, another negro. over the
river bridge railing on the pretext that
Williams merely wanted to scare" the
me known as Brown. The latter, al
ready weighted down, was dropped into
he river, Manning said. and then he
said he helped to send Little Bit" to
the same fate.
Another farm hand known as "Big
John was induced to help dig his own
crave on the pretext that he was dig
ring a well, and when the hole was
shont shoulder deep, Manning testi-
lied. Charlie Chisholm knocked the
negro in the head and he and CHS
holm filled the hole. Manning con-
.inued his testimony until he had de-
,cribed each alleged murder in detail,
He declared Williams was present
It the various drownings and had or
iered the killings, when defense coun-
rel sought to make him admit he was
he instigator in the alleged Killings:
ia said that on one occasion he tried
. .break away from the Williams
,Iace where he had worked for the
asst Ia years, but he said Mr.. Johnny
umped on me- and / amt tried il no
nore."