Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-14
NEGRO FARM BOSS
TO Go ON TRIAL
FOR LIFE IN MAY
Continued From Page ~

called "Black Strap" in the fall of
1920.
3. A joint indictment against Lee
Roy and Marvin Williams charging
called Iron Jaw" in the summer of
1920. The evidence alleges this negro
was killed on what is known as the
Kelly place.. and later thrown into
| 4. An indictment against Marvin
! Williams for the murder of John Sin
| gleton, in April, 191S-apparently the
| first Of the long string of murders.
This negro was killed with heavy
iron wrench, and according to the
mule during the night to a nearby
jury.
Individual indictments against
John S. Williams totaling eight were YER,
lowing negro farm hands:
Willie Givens, big John" Johnnie
Williams, Johnnie Green, Charlie
Chisholm, John Brown, Little Bit"
and Fletcher Smith.
The remarkable speed with which
To Search for Sons
the grand jury conducted it's probe
was AN outstanding feature of the
! day. Monticello citizens pointed out
that the grand jurys quick action
reflects the sentiment of the people
of Jasper county in favor of an early
trial for the defendants implicated
| in the recent greWsome series OF
murders.
Mrs. Williams, wife Of the wealthy
| planter, wearing long fur coat and
heavy veil. waited in store on the
courthouse square for news Of the
grand jury's activities. She wept
when court attaches told her that
her husband and three young sons
DR.. Gus williams, accompanied her
| to Monticello. He stated that he
would now take over the 1000 acres
| of land on his fathers plantation ana
| essay to operate it.
Order in Monticello
| Perfect order was maintained
throughout the day. Monticello was
thronged with farmers from all
parts of Jasper and adjoining coun-
ties. They formed in small groups
and discussed the death farm" as
they awaited news of the grand
! jury's investigation.
The Eugene Hamilton lynching also
was widely discussed. There was
much speculation as to the result OF
| the grand jury'S probe into other hon.
! icides occurring in Jasper county
| during the past twelve months.
"Mystery surrounds the death of
| two negroes on farms in this county
| during recent months, AMI the grand
! jury will do what it can to ascertain
the real cause of their deaths" said
| Solicitor Campbell.
"In one Of the cases, a party or
| four white men went TO negro S
| house to inquire about a business
| matter, and the negro opened fire on
them. The next morning the body of
| the negro was found in his yard, the
solicitor continued. LAS matters
| stand, no one knows how the negro
was shot. The matter was never re-
| ported to the authorities In the 9TH
er case under investigation, negro
| went to a white mans house, and
was later found dead"
Black Straps Death
Manning also gold of how Charlie
| Chisholm killed the negro SHOWN
as BLACK Strap, at the alleged com
BLACK Strap run away and some
| of the niggers found him and
| brought him back. Mr.. Huland was
mad as he could be and started beat
ing Black Strap After ne beat MN m
| kill him, kill him. and the second
time he yelled, Charlie pulled down
/ on him with a 38-caliber pistol that
| Mr.. Huland gave him." declared Man
| ming.
Charlie Chisholm is the negro who
assisted John S. Williams and Man
ming in staying several negroes, &C
| cording to Manning'S confession. He
was later killed by Manning under
| instructions of Williams, according
Manning said after "Black Strap"
was shot and killed, his BODY lay
| under the shed for about an hour
and was then taken away by Mr..
Huland and Charlie"
Manning declared to the jury that
Gus Chapman, former negro labor
err on the death farm could cor.
roborate his story of the death, of
'Black Strap" Gus was there when
it happened" he saia;
jury and, it is said, described the
killing in the same manner 1T had
been described by Manning, Chap
man said, it is stated, that he was
taken from the Atlanta stockade py
Huland Williams and taken to the
death farm" that he was held under
guard at night, and was forced to
TX in the fields under guard, and
that all the negroes on the farm
were cruelty treated.
The grand jury Monday heard
Clyde Manning repeat his story Oh
how, at Williams command, he sen;
eleven negroes to their deaths pc
cause Mr.. Johnny said they would
ruin him it they sWore in the courts
about peonage."
"One night I asked Clyde Man
ming to turn me out of the guard
house" said Chapman, and he did
it. / left the place quick, but they
caught me and took me back They
|
and Mr.. Marvin said they ought to
| kill me, but [ begged so hard and
promised everything, so they let me
off. They said they would XIII me
| like 1 was a snake if 1 ever lett
| again.
1.-The next time 1 left was about
Thanksgiving" Chapman continued:
CLYDE turned me out of the guard
house this time, too. This time l
got away and returned to Atlanta.
knew if they caught me that time
[ was goner
"They never did pay me for my
work as long as I worked on the
! farm. Once or twice | got fifteen
cents from Mr.. Johnny Williams, but
| that was all. But he fed all of us
all right and gave us clothes"
After the grand jury heard Chap
mans sensational story, Manning
was recalled. He corroborated Chap
I mans statement of how he escaped
! from the guardhouse.
| Yes, gentlemen, 1 turned him out,
| because 1 didn't think it was exactly
right to keep them boys fenced up
like that every night. But when Gus
got out the second time, Mr.. john
ny was mighty mad and told me [
would have to do two mems work to
make UP for him." declared Man
| ming.
PEONAGE PROBE JUST BEGUN,
DECLARES GOVERNOR DORSEY
| NEW YORK, April 12.-Governor
| Hugh NJ. Dorsey, Of Georgia, here to
dispose of 100000 worth of school