Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-04-06

then he has been sleeping with his
gun. He told my mother that he
had decided to come voluntarily to
her and tell Of the occurrence, be-
cause he wanted to help father. And
now they tell me he has confessed
In Covington before the grand jury
that it was all frame-up."
DR.. Williams then described con-
ditions on the farm, saying it had
become badly run down during the
war, as he and the three younger
brothers were all in the service. He
said his father lately had paid fines
of negroes who otherwise would
have gone to the chain gang to get
labor.
Are the peonage charges against
your father and brothers true?" he
was asked.
well, IL they are guilty of peon-
age" Dr.. Williams replied after a
lengthy pause, as though studying
his answer, there are many other
farmers in. Georgia guilty OF the
same crime. 1t Is true they have
bailed negroes out Of jail, but they
have paid them wages and given
them clothes to wear
Federal Agents Give Advice.
After Federal investigators made
their trip to the plantation In Feb
ruary, Dr.. Williams said, and told
the negroes they "should be making
more money and working only eight
hours day." the elder Williams de-
cided to let all the dissatisfied ones
leave. Some of them owed him some
money. but had funds enough to get
them out Of the county, and for these
he cancelled their debts" DR.. VIII
liams continued.
DR.. Williams received the news
paper men at the Williams home, a
typical Georgia country place, situat-
ed on a commanding hill and sur
rounded by fields in a high state Of
cultivation. The house is not par
ticularly large or imposing, but ap-
pears to have been we'll built, and
contains many Of the conven-
fences that were formerly pecu-
liar to the city. Flower gardens
made the yards beautiful, and there
were four automobiles on the place,
including that Of DR.. Williams. The
younger sons did not make their ap-
pearance, and when the physician
was asked where they were he said
they did ont care to talk pending
their possible trial. They have not
yet been arrested, although warrants
at the request of Governor Dorsey.
The father is in Jail at Atlanta, where
he and the negro, Manning, were ta-
ken for safe-keeping.
The fate Of Manning, whose state
ments regarding the killings result
ed in the indictments against him
self and Williams, was the subject
Of speculation here to-day, and the
court house attaches voiced the opin-
ion that Solicitor General A. NJ.
Brand would recommend mercy II
the negro Is convicted when tried
here.
When the solicitor was asked his
plans about Manning he declined to
reply definitely, but referred ques-
TONERS to the legal code Of Georgia
covering persons "acting under fear"
IN committing crimes, as Manning
claimed he did. The section reads
"A person committing a crime or
misdemeanor under threats or men
aces, which sufficiently show that his
life was in danger, shall not be found
guilty; and such threats and men,
ace being proved and established,
the person compelling by said threats
and menaces the commission of the
offense. shall be considered a prin-
cipal, and shall suffer the same pun
ishment as II he had perpetrated the
of1ense."