Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-28
ELEVEN BODIES
ARE RECOVERED
Georgia Negro Victims Dug
Their Own
Graves
TWO ARE HELD
TWO ARE HELD
Letter Confessed Actual Murders
Farmer Had Hands Killed For Fear
Of pcnlase Inquiry.

Monticello, Ga, Marca 23.-Tw.
more bodies Of negroes were recover
e. from the Alcovy rive: here yes.
teraay, making total 0: II boaies
foGrd since the authorities began an
Investigation of charges of peonage
and murder against John Williams, a
JASPER county farmer Like the first
three fcund Il numner of days ago,
the bodies recovered today were chain
ei together and weighted down with
sacks of stones and iron. Five bodies
were found Saturday, buried on the
Williams plantation.
According to confession made to
Department of Justice agents by ely
&c Manning, negro employed BY
Williams, the II negroes were slain
and their bodies made away with IN
order to prevent them from tes:ifyng
against Williams in the peonage
charges. Manning, it was said con-
fessed ne killed five of them with an
axe at Williams order. Tie ooiies
were recovered Saturday after he hal
pointed out the place of burial.
The coroner's jury investigating the
death found that in two cases the
negroes were compelled to dig their
own graves. Williams and Manning
10th are being held in Jail here un-
der close guard. =
At the inquest held today over eight
Of the bodies q verdict was returned
declaring the negroes came to their
death at the hands Of Manning and
naming Williams as an accessory.
Solicitor Campbell, of Newton coan
ty, yesterday requested Governor Dor
sey to appoint Attorney-General Den
ney to take charge of the investiga-
licns in Newton and Jasper counties
It was.atso ANNOUNCED by Judge Parks
of the Ccmulgee circuit, that he was
awaiting the Governors orders to call
special term of the Jasper county
Superior Court.
The coroner's jury conducted the in
quest 3y numbers. The first inquest
was ovef John Williams, same name
as the plantation owner, whose grave,
t is alleged, was dug by himself. The
ju1-y was informed that the negro was
sent to pasture in ravine to dig
a post hole After digging the hole
Manning's confession is said to show
that he struck Williams over the heal
with an ak, pushed the body into the
hole and covered it up.
Johnny Green was No. 2; he was
sent to tie same pasture to bring COWS
back to the stable. Manning is said
to have confessed that he killed Green
in the same way, but had to dig the
grave.
Willie Givens was referred to as NO.
2, He was said to have oeen killed on
his way to country store, IN the
same ravine. but Charley Chisholm
was named as the negro who killed
Givens.
Fletcher Smith. body No. a, was
sent to dig well, and when ne had
dug deep enough TO receive his body,
ManninGs confession, as repeated 70
the jury, showed he killed him with
an Ak and buried hin in the hole.
In case No 5, known as Big
,'chn," Manning was held response
bic.
In the cases of Nos. 7 and s, Cit
tic Bit and John Brown, the jury held
that the engroeS Manning and CHS
holm AMI John Williams. the p,anta-
tion owner, were responsible
The verdict for No. 6. Charley CHS.
holm. read: eve. the jury find that
Charley Chisholm met his death a,
the hards Of Clyde Manning and Johr
S. Williams"
March l two Department of Jus
tice agents. A. ]. Wisner and! f. S
Chastain. came 10 Jasper county :.
investigate alleged peonage practice
Continued on Page Four( ~.