The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-09
Receives Verdict Cody,
but Shows F e e ling
When Family Break
Into Tears II Motion
Made for a New Hear
ing.

CoyingIon, April Q. Locked up for
the night shortly before | o'clock af-
ter being ont hours without reach
ing verdict the jury in the trial of
John c. Williams. Jasper county far
Ger, charged with the murder OF one
Of the eleven negroes alleged to have
been killed while held in peonage on
the Williams plantation, was ready
carly today to resume deliberations.
Since the case was placed in their
hands shortly before 4 o'clock yester-
Gay, the jury had reported to the
court only once, when the Judge at its
request repeated his entire charge In
C:der to clear up certain legal points
7yolyed. The judge, counsel and de-
ec2dan were aroused as the jurors
tralled into court Tor this purposS
Just before midnight 1t was undet4
stood andother tallot was taken after
he charge was repeated, but the fore-
man announced shortly after the Jury
" u'd retire fer the night
During the late hours Of delibera-
ic", Sc letter General Brand took oe-
s.oa 70 STATE tha- should Williams
q ace0t ted he would be tried ON
y hcT OF the murder indie ements
-airst him as sCon as possible. In
harging the jury yesterday the court
ave instruction on three verdicts.
murder, which under the Georgia law
would carry the death penalty; MUIR
Gei with recommendation fer mercy
which would automatically carry life
imprisonment. and acquIttal
Covington. Ga. April John s.
Williams, accused OF the murder of
eleven OF his negro farm hands To
halt federal investigation OF
paOnage. was found guilty of murder
b. 4 jury in Newton county superior
court here today and sentenced to
life Imprisonment
Motion Tor a new trial was immedi.
ltely filed and hearing on the motion
st Tor April 30 at Decatur, Ga. he
lore Judge John B. Hutraason who
presided at the trial.
The verdict Of murder with recon-.
for mercy, which under
Georgia law automatically carries
lie sentence. was read exactly eight.
IN hours after the case went to the
ury and was calmly received by VIII
iamS
\ moment later as his wife and
'hlldren began 10 sob. he seemed to
le struggling tu restrain his own
emotions. Just after court adjourneu
Williams two daughters became hys.
erical and were led from the room by
friends. The defendant appeared
more affected by his family's suffering
han he had been by the verdict lie
was on trial specifically charged with
The murder OF one OF the negroes
found drowned in Newton county.
Clyde Manning. negro farm boss for
Williams and jointly indicted with
him, testified that on williams order
he and another negro had killed and
done away with eleven negroes. VIII
liamS maintained Il cheerful attitude.
during the trial and he had stoHly,
maintained his innocence althoughr
he admitted he might have been tech
nically guilty of peonage as he said
he had paid fines of negroes and LET
them work out the debt The SEN
Ience was formally passed within a
few moments after the verdict was
read. Judge llutcheson restated tho
verdict as read by r. r. Starr, farm
er and foreman of the jury. and add
ed. and the verdict is the sentence
NJ the court.
The verdict was not in exact form
but in open court both sides agreed
that ii was legal by supreme court
decisions and that no exception would
be taken. r
Motion for a new trial will be made
on the grounds that the verdict s.is
to the evidence; contrary
to the law and without evidence. to
support it,"
The jurors were composed of seven
farmers. the remainder comprising
clerks and a barber. Most
Of them were young men. six of them
serving on jury for the first time.
The case went to trial last Tues
day. one day being taken up with ar
for postponement and selec,
tion of a jury. The state took little
more than a day to present It's setH
dence while the defense relied solely
on the unsworn statement Of Will
liams