Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-04-10
WILLIAMS GETS LIFE ON GANG
JURY'S VERDICT
MADE SENTENCE
OF RICH PLANTER
Motion For New Trial
To Be Heard At De
catur April 30

CONVICTION, ArGl 9.--The jury
in the case Of John S. Williams veal.
| thy Jasper county planter, charged
with the murder Of Lindsey Peter
son, negro farm hand ON bis PLAN
| tation, returned verdict of guilty
this morning, recommending Viii.
liams to the mercy of the court.
The verdict means that Williams will
| be sentenced to serve d life sent
ence on the Georgia chaingang
motion for new trial was lin.
mediately filed by Green F. John.
son counsel for Williams.
! The case was given to the jury for
| consideration at 3:15 O'Clock yester-
day afternoon, and their verdict
was returned early this morning.
Surprise was expressed when the
verdict was read as it had been gem
orally believed mistiral would re-
! suit. Last night, after it had been
reported the jury stood 10 to 2 for
| conviction from the first ballot, the
court delivered an additional charge
upon certain points at the request Of
the jury.
Following the delivery of these in-
structions, the jury again began de-
! liberating and at a late hour Judge
| Henderson left the court room, leav-
ing word that he would return in
the event verdict was returned.
The jurors shortly afterward sent
word they were preparing to retire
for the night, having been unable to
agree upon verdict.
Greene +. Johnson, leading eoun-
sci for Williams, announced follow
ing the verdict, that an appeal
would be taken, but no bill Of excep
tions has yet been filed.
| Although visibly affected by the
verdict, Williams made no comment
upon the outcome Of the case.
DR.. Gus Williams, who has been
4 with his father since the beginning
of the famous trial. was in court
when the verdict was returned. but
none of his other sons, who were re-
ferred to frequently in arguments
before the jury by counsel for both
state and defense were present. 10
is believed all of them have left for
parts unknown.
So far as is known here the Will
iams. case is the only case in the his
tory cf Georgia criminal jurisppu'
dence in which a reputable white
man was convicted Of murder upon
The practically unsupported testl-
mony of negro acc0mplice.
There are Zen other indictments
pending against Williams, all Of
which charge murder, the alleged
victims having been negro farm
hands employed on his farm in each
instance. 4 number of these ne-
1 groes, the state alleges, were klllet.
in Jasper county, but the murder of
Peterson for which Williams has
lust been convicted, was committed
in this county, Peterson and another
negro having been claimed together
and thrown into Yellow river.
Additional disclosures in connection
with the so-calIed murder farm of
Williams in Jasper county, were
promised today by Doyle Campbell.
! solicitor general Of the Ocmulgee CIR
cult, when tie grand jury starts rs
Investigations at Monticello next
Monday
/ A large number Of witnesses shage
been aubponaed to appear, and 5olleT
llor Campbell said he would ask that
murder indictments be returned.
against Williams and his three sons,
as well as against the negro Clyde.
Manning.
Judge Hutcheson set April 30 II
Decatur as the time and place for
/ hearing the motion for q new tfiat
which was presented by Williams at.
! torneys, and Immediately afterward
it was announced that Williams would
be taken back to Atlanta and kept II
Fulton tower until the motion has
| been disposed of.
Solicitor Brand announced that
the negro. Manning would be tried
on the murder Indictment pending
against him. but that no date far
this hearing had yet been set.
| The jury is reported TO have taken
only six ballots, The first Of which
stood six for a verdict Of murder
with no recommendation. aud The
! other six for an acquittal
The defendant, who had been
cheerful before the jury came in, fe-
ceived the verdict outwardly calm.
but when his wife and daughters
began to- sob almost inaudibly he
seemed TO be making a desperate ef-
| fort TO hide emotion.
Williams appeared more affected
by his familys suffering than 4ht
had been by the verdict He was
on trial charged specifically with the
murder Of one of the negroes fouhf
drowned in Newton county C'vd:
Manning, negro farm boss for VA,
liams, and Jointly Indicted with lar
testified that or Williams order ha
and another negro. afterwards lill-
ed, had done tho killings
| William had maintained a eheef
full attitude during the trial and ha'
stoutly maintained his innpcaBce
although having admitted he might
be technically guilty Of peonage, as
! he said ne had paid fines for negroes
(Continued on Pace Twn.l