New-York tribune., 1921-04-08
Il Didn't Kill
Ihem,' Planter
Pleads at Trial
General Denial Is Sole De-
fensc of John S. Williams.
Accused of Staying Eleven
Negroes Held as Poems
Likely TO Know Fate Today
Georgia Murder Case Nears
End; Citizens Prepared
to Stop Any Disorders
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

CONINGTON, Ga, April John s
Williams, Jasper County planter, who
is accused of staying eleven negroes
employed on his plantation in order
to cover up alleged pconagc, probably
will know his fate late tomorrow
afternoon. Two more arguments are
to be made to the jury, that Of Green
Johnson, attorney for Williams, and
former Congressman w. M Howard
OF Augusta, who is assisting Solicitor
General A. M. Brand in the prosecu-
ton. The two arguments and the
Judges charge will take up most of
the day. People throughout this sec
tion expect a quick verdict.
In a twenty-thre minute speech
from the witness stand this afternoon
Williams calmly told what he said was
cali that know of this affair."
1t was a general denial of the state
ments made by the negro Clyde Man
ming yesterday, and which had been
corroborated by other witnesses and
by circumstantial evidence. There
was no other testimony for the de-
fense.
Il am as innocent as any man on tho
earth, declared Williams in his
narrative. He promised that when the
Jasper County court investigates the
other killings in that county he will
"eSplain them all satisfactorily to the
jury"
The story that Williams told the
Newton County jury was confined
strictly to the deaths Of Lindsey Peter
son, Willie Preston and Harry Price
the latter known as "Foots," three of
the negroes whose murder he is said to
have ordered.
Williams gave his age as fifty-fve.
and said he was married and the father
of twelve children. He said he was
born in Merriweathcr County, Ga. and
moved to Jasper County after residing
for seventeen years IN Monroe County.
Had Four Sons in War
~ have always been low-ab;ding
citlzen,' Williams began. Il have
never been arrested before. I have
always tried to do the best that could
lor my fellow man. Four of my bows
answered the call in the World War
served in the army and were honorablv
discharged
i have plantation in Jasper Coun-
ty, but 1T is not as large as the news
papers have said it is The negroes
the boil weevil and the low price Of
cotton hit me pretty hard last wear
Lake most every farmer | have bonded
negroes out of jail and have paid the
hne Tor some negroes and mad them
work it out on my place, but in a good
many cases | have paid them regular
wages.
About two months ago some Federal
agents came to my place while | was
away While they were there investi-
eating some peonage report | drove up
IN my car and introduced myself. There
IS one of them over there now (and
he pointed to Agent Weisner). I got
out OF my car and told them that they 4
could have access to everything about
my place and l would go with them.
In the conversation | told one of the
gentlemen | would like to know some
thing about the Federal peonage law
and he told me that if | should go on
a bond of a negro and take him from
'all to my farm, or if l paid the fine
Of negroes on the chain gang and took
them to my farm and worked them.
would be guilty Of pconage.
VI sad then that and most all of
the farmers in this county must be
guilty Of peonage. About that time
the other Federal agent walked out
from behind the house with CLYDE
Manning, and Clyde seemed to be
about scared to DEATH
This agent asked me if had ever
worked a negro by the name of Gus
Chapman and l told him | had. He
asked me if he had run away in July
and if ! went to help get him back,
and | told him | had. He turned to
Clyde and said Manning you ought to
1ave your neck broken. You have been
telling me nothing but pack of lies
Then they READ a list of names Of