The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-08
Defendant Scored U NJ
mercifully by Prose
cutor Who Appeals
for Conviction to Save
the Honor of the State
as Well as to Vindi-
cate the Law.
Arguments Today

( Covington, Ga, April 8.-The case
of John S. Williams, Jasper county
farmer on trial in superior court here
for the murder of one of the eleven
negroes alleged to have been killed
while held in peonage on his planta-
tion, was expected to go to the jury
today. With the presentation of eyi-s
dence completed and argument begun
late yesterday, it was believed that
final pleas of counsel for both sides
would be concluded today within three
or four hours.
! The trial has been shortened by
the presentation of only one witness
for the defense, Williams taking the
stand in his own behalf yesterday as
/ the only attempt by his attorneys to
refute the testimony of the states
star witness, Clyde Manning, negro
boss on the Williams farm, that the
eleven negroes were Killed at the de-
fendant's orders.
/ Asserting his absolute innocencen
i of the murder charge, Williams, VINO
was not sworn and, therefore, under
/ the Georgia law, not subjected to
+ cross examination, declared In his
statement to the jury he held Man.
ming as the man having a probable
motive" for the killings. Defense
counsel later sought to support this
statement by telling the jury that
Manning, ignorant of the penalty for
peonage, had become alarmed at the
federal investigation
+ Closing argument for the prosecu-
ton will be made today by w. Nj.
! Howard, former congressman from
Georgia, while Green f. Johnson, of
Monticello. Ga. chief counsel for the
defense, will make final plea for ac-
Quittal Privilege of opening and clos
ing argument was given the defense
by reason of its having introduced the
defendant as its only witness. -
Barring mistrial there are three
possible verdcts according to opening
argument of both sides; acquittaI or
conviction of murder with a chance of
the latter being accompanied by
recommendation for mercy which
would automatically cnange the death
penalty. II Williams is acquitted Of
the present charge he would not be
free as Solicitor General Brand stated
re would be held for trial on two 9TH
9r murder indictments returned
against him in this county in connec.
ton with the deaths of three negroes.
The courtroom was packed again to-
day. spectators standing shoulder to
shoulder in the aisles and in the space
space between the spectators seats
and the railing around the bar. High
school students were given the morn-s
ing of from the school to heart the
closing arguments. s
Mr.. Howard, closing for the state.
named the eleven farm hands killed
and pointed out all came from jails
in Atlanta or Macon except one who
was bailed out of jail in Monticello.
and all worked for Williams or his
sons.
The Williams arm and those adjoin-
ing operated by his sons were referred
to is the plague spot" by Mr.. Howard.
The others on the placed seemed i'm
mune," he added, "and seemed able to-
live and move on the Williams plan
tations without getting this dreadful
contagion or disease of death" Il
The eleven negroes taken from jails
to work on the farm met death within
the twelve days from February "a to
March 8. he said, and added he would
look for cause of this "scourge OF
death" as physicians look for the,
cause of pestilance.
Mr.. Howard then turned to the sub.
ject of peonage and briefly outlined
it's origin in Mexico and traced It TO-
the south. Federal laws were made
against it, he said, and told of investi-
cations by department of justice agents
} on the Williams place February 10,
Mr.. Howard did not make the afs
J rect charge that peonage was. the
, cause of the "scourge of death seem:
ing to leave the. jury to draw its owa
. conclusions. 4E