The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-04-13
WILLIAMS TESTIPIES
In HIS OWN BEHALF
Jasper County Farmer Tells Georgia
Jury that He Is Innocent Of Murder

Ol' JOuu -. WlllldTmS accused or tho
murder Of II negro farm hands, WIN
rest with jury tomorrow. In even
dispassionate tones tho Jasper county
planter. testifying In his own behalf,
today declared his absolute inno-
cence" OF the charge oe murder and
when court adjourned late today the
trial had been concluded except for
the two closing arguments and tho
judges charge.
Williams will be either convicted
OF the murder OF one Of the men, for
whose death he Is specifically on trial
or he will be acquitted, for attorneys
on both sides argued this afternoon
that there could be mo half way YER
diets" and the defendant himself told
the Jury In 80 many words that tho
killings were murder" A verdict OF
murder might be accompanied by a
recommendation for mercy carrying
life Imprisonment.
Clyde Manning negro farm boss
for IA years on tho Williams place,
whose confession implicated the plant
er, WAS pointed to by Williams as the
man having a probable motive" for
the killings. Charles G. King, plead
ing for Williams acQuittal, told tho
jury that Manning, ignorant Of the
penalty for peonage. had become
alarmed at the federal investigation
and that the evidence indicated he was
the only person who had motive for
the killings
Mr. King asserted the defense e1-
pectcd to rely largely on Williams
"alib" which. he said. Williams had
established "as far as possible" by
describing how he was at home the
night the three negroes were killed,
and asserted the state had offered no
legal corroboration OF the testimony
OF confessed acoomplicc as required
by law
Graham Wright. assistant attorney
general pointed to certain testimony
rs corroboration and said the law
left 1t 10 the jury to make final de-
cision on that question He termed
Manning incapable OF planning and
carrying out the crimes. under tho
eyes OF Williams and his family" and
named Williams as the guilty man.
Manning also will be put on trial
for tho murders, 1t was announced
today the time to be decided later,
and his attorney. E. Marvin Under
wood, said he would not enter a plea
Of guilty.
Clyde Manning shall not escape"
declared Solicitor General Brand in
urging conviction Of Williams. 81 could
not. under the law. permit him to es-
cape"
Manning has testified for the state
that by Williams orders the negroes
were weighted down gwith rocks and
thrown alive into rivers or knocked
in the head and buried where they
fell and Williams. taking the stand
today, briefly recited all he said he
know OF tho deaths OF Lindsey Peter
son. Willie Preston and Harry Price,
three drowned the same night in New
ton county. He Is on trial for mur-
der Of Peterson and he did not 60
into the other cases.
The defendant, accused by the state
Of "Oeorgia's most atrocious mur-
ders" has watched the proceedings
calmly throughout the trial. even
c. Inc t,,,,o 4 1
was as cool as any OF the spectators
who packed the court room almost to
suffocation to hear his story
These were the first criminal
charges OF any kind ever fled against
him. he declared. in his 54 years Of
life, and told, proudly it seemed, that
his four grown sons were among the
first to answer the country's call to
war. He admitted he might have
been technically guilty OF peonagc
as he had worked negroes VINO owed
him money. He had so informed fed
cral investigators when they first
came to the farm. no added. and also
had declared he always paid and fed
the negroes. These agents replied
that the negroes on his place were
among tn best fed and clothed" they
had seen, he declared II he were
technically guilty OF peonage most
Georgia farmers also were," he add
ed
Il am absolutely innocent" he told
the jury in conclusion. as he reverted
to the murder charge.