The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-09
ID BE RESUMED AT TER
 BREAKF FAST TODAY
Before Retiring Jury Wakes Judge and Has Him Repeat Entire Charge to Clear
 Point of Law
Ky Associated Press

trying John s. Williams on a charge of murder of one of II farm hands, went to bed at 12:55 a. m. today without having reached verdict, aft CT nine hours deliberation.
 The deliberations will be resumed
 nftcr breakfast time today.
 Before retiring. the jury hnd
 aroused Judge John H. Hutcheson
 from he'd shortly before midnight
 and hsd him repeat his entire
 charge. After n short deIlberation
 and apparently another ballot,
 Foreman T. II. Starr announced
 the jurors would retire.
 In asking for the entire charge to be repeated, the foreman said the jurors were not certain as to the ex- act portion of the charge they needed to clear up a point of law. Judge Hutcheson suggested they might re- tire and get the charge on convening of court
 We would rather have 1t now" the foreman replied, and the charge was repeated.
 The jurors appeared neavy-eyed and tired.
 Judge Hutcheson. Solicitor General Brand, Green F. Johnson. counsel for the defense and Williams himself. all had to be aroused from sleep to come into court Williams was smiling as he entered the room, where score of spectators, in addition to the law yers and newspaper men, awaited the jury.
 The solicitor and MT. Johnson, who did not take time to put on their col lars and ties, and before the jurors came in, bantered each other about their appearance.
 WILL BE TRIED AGAIN
 Should Williams be acquitted, Solicit tor General Brand said he would he tried on one of the other murder war rants against him in this court as soon as it could be arranged.
 Judge John E. Hutchesen, presiding, charged the jury en three verdicts. murder, which, under Georgia law would carry the death sentence; mur- der with recommendation for mercy which automatically carries life im- prisonment or acquittal Spectators and court attaches discussing the prob able verdict also talked of the possi-
 
 rnents that occupied the day, admit tedly powerful efforts by two at torneys with brilliant legal reputa- tions, drew crowd that filled every inch of the Newton county courtroom. The spectators. maintaining the good order of previous days silently list ened, but they showed no less emotion than the defendant.
 Williams, surrounded by his wife and family, watched attentively, as he heard himself denounced as the author of one of "the states most atrocious crimes.' and was as little affected. out wardly at least, by the plea for his acquittal.
 NO SIGN OF UNEASINESS
 Arguments and charge over. at D. m and the case gone 10 tho jury.s the Jasper county planter remained in the courtroom. chatting first with his wife and family his face wreathed in smiles at something which was said. Soon he was one of a group of men who drew their chairs together and talked as friends do when they gather around the general store at the county seat.
 Williams was placed on trial here for murder of one of three of his em- ployes drowned in Newton county, and the state arranged, in event of ac- quittaL, to hold him on the other two indictments. Deaths of the eight killed in Jasper county are to be in- vestigated next Monday, and depart ment of justice agents announced if be were acquitted of all the murder charges they would arrest him on peonage warrants.
 The deaths of the II negroes took place between February 24 and March 8 following federal investigation into alleged peonage there February IS. and former Congressman Howard termed the place a Plague Spot"
 Only the Il negroes he had paid out debts to Williams were subject to the dreadful contagion of death" he de- clared. "The others" he said. seemed to be able to live and move freely without being affected by this con- tagion, this diseyse of death." MUST SEEK CAUSE The lawyer said physicians always sought the cause of a pestilence. and added ''We must do the same" Turning from this into q discussion of peonage, he seemed to leave 1t to the jury to draw it's own conclusion. Denying that Clyde Manning, the ne- gro farm boss who said he helped Wil- Hams kill the men, had any motive for the Killings, MT Howard accused Will Hams of being willing to sacrifice these convict lives to maintain his own 5ecuIily dH0 pFlQ0 Oi pOSitlou- anu pleaded for legal punishment for the slayer of negroes as. we'll as whites. Even if the jury did not believe Manning. the lawyer said, the facts remained that the bodies were found:. that the motive lay in Williams. As he closed. he left the courtroom seek ing. he said later. a breath of fresh air and cold drink of water. There were rumors he had been seriously af- fected by the strain, but he went to lunch as usual and said he felt all right.
 MANNING DENOUNCED Manning came in for severe denun- citation from Green F. Johnson. closing for the defense. He termed the ne- gro confessed liar and admitted murderer" who '@knockd a negro in the head as he would an ox.~ and asked the jury if they would convict Williams. a white man. on the word of this worthless negro" The attorney dwelt at length on Manning's ignorance and declared the negro, frightened by federal agents into the belief he was guilty of peon- age and being told by them he fought to be hanged" he committed the crimes to save his neck.
 Manning. and not Wi1liama had a motive was the deduction Mr. Johnson drew. Mir. Johnson also denounced tho (CcntinueA - Page Elevenl