Arizona republican., 1921-04-07
FARM BOSS TELLS JURY. GRUES0ME MURDER TALE:| NEGROES WEIGHTED DOWN
 AND THROWN INTO RIVER
Negro Farm Boss Says Fear For Own Life Motive That Prompted Him to Help Kill Eleven Negro Farm Hands; Victims Chained to Rocks and Thrown Alive Into River-Forced to Dig Own Graves
IRepubIican A. p. Leased wire]

CONVECTION, Georgia. April 6.- Fear for his life was the motive tial prompted Clyde Manning, negro 1arin boss to help kill eleven negro farm hands employed on the Jasper county plantation of John $. Williams, he told the jury today in the trlal or Williams. Manning asserted on cross examination 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 testny regarding alleged peonage conditions on the Williams farm
 "They wasn't a bothering me-"
 he said, and l didn't want to get
 them out of the way" but he
 added later, "Mr. Johnny said, i. it's their necks or yours.
 The negroes met death shortly
 after federal authorities started
 Investigating alleged peonage on
 the farm, six of them, according
 to Manning, being chained to
 rocks and thrown alive 'nto @
 rivers, and five knocked in the
 head or shot and buried on the
 farm.
 Williams is on trial charged with the murder of Lindsey Peterson, one
  been brought into Newton county and drowned. Throughout an hour of cross examination Manning, who was indicted with Williams, denied any pressure had been brought to bear on him to make him tell the story Huland, Marvin and Leroy Will Hams, sons of the defendant, for whom Governor Dorsey had asked in dictments in Jasper county, were not in court today but Dr. Gus Williams oldest son, denied they had left the state.
 Besides Manning, two federal agents, Clyde Freeman. a negro farm hand and a negro woman cook testi- fled for the state which was expected to conclude tomorrow. The defense indicated it would close its testi- mony in about a day and that the case should go to the jury Saturday
 Manning seemed little affected b, his recital. He is unable to read O. write, he said, and is about 29 year' Aofd.
 During direct examination tn negro told of the alleged murder O the Il negroes. He said they wer thrown off bridges by himself ant Charlie Chisholm, another 1arn hand. whom he said. he later helpe' Wlll1dn1S 0IOWll-
 "They was stubborn and-begging, he said, in his version of Peterso and Willie Preston, sand me an Charlie rolled 'em over the bridge.
 The men, as were the others killed had been lured from the farm b Williams. Peterson and Preston Manning said. were bound togethe -sxJy a chain around their necks Which was fastened a sack contain ing about 100 pounds of rocks. The hands were bound together by wir he said. Williams drove the auto mobile in which the negroes weI carried. Manning testified.
 Harry Price, another negro take to be drowned, jumped off the bride himself, said Manning, when l found there was no hope.
 Manning went into details of u alleged murder of other negroes, d. claring one known as Little Bit ws induced to help lift Red" Brow another negro, over the bridge raj ing on the pretext that William merely wanted to scare Brow The latter, already weighted dow was dropped into the river. Mannir said, and then he said he help' send Little Bit" to the same fat
 Another negro known as "B John was induced to help dig h own grave on the pretense he W; digging a well, and when the ho was about shoulder deep, Mannil testified, Chisholm knocked Il negro in the head and he and Chri holm filled the hole.