Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-07
PeOnage Testimony
 by Negro Farm Boss
He Helped Kill Eleven Negro Farm Hands For Fear of His Own Life.

CoSington. Georf<a April s.-Fear for his own life was the motive that proTlct- ed Clyde Manning, negro farm boss, a help kill eleven negro farm naads en;- ployed on the Jasper coun-y plantation of John S. Williams. the rsgro told the jury today in the rial of Williams in Newton county superior court nele. Manning asserted ol CT oss-exlmination he did not want 10 ncip kin them, but was afraid to disobey Williams who,- he declared was trylng 10 do/awdy with the negroes for eSeachery might testify regarding alleged peo Iage conditions Oh the Williams farm.
 They. wasn't botie-:ng me-" taid Manning, coal bia .K, short, stochily built man of about 15J pounds, and ! didn't want to get 'em O.; of the way but he, added later, MT. Jonnnv said, it's their neck or yours"
 The negroes met death shortly after federal authorities started an ;nvestiga- ton of alleged peonage on the farm. SIX of them, according to Manning. beirg chained to rocks and thrown alive into the rivers, and five knocked in he head or shot and buried on the farm.
 Williams is" on trial. cnA--sl with the murder of Lindsey PetersoA one of thi ee negroes alleged to have been brougl. in. to Newton county and drowned, anI t3t
 
 ! his account of Peterson's death and tt bar him and two federal agents from | testlfying to peonage conditions. Judge John B. Hutcheson overruled both mo. tions and Green R. Johnson, chief coun. sel for Williams indicated he would ap. peal on these grounds in event of convic. | tion of Williams
 The state put on four other witnessel besides Manning-two federal agents Clyue. Freeman, a negro farm hand, anC a negro woman cook, and was expected 1 to conclude it's case. tomorrow. | The defense indicated it would con 1 clude its testimony in about one day ant that the case should go to the jury Sat | urday Manning was the states chief wit ness and during his testimony the court i house was packed tH capacity. H. seemed little affected by his recital. an, rarely changed the infection of his voice lie IS unable to read or write, he said and about 2S years old, but does no know where he was born.
 When l first remember myself" h said, T was in Jasper county"
 During some three hours of direct ex animation the negro told in detail of tn alleged murder of the eleven negroes giving his description in simplest words
 They was stubborn and a-besging, Manning said simply in his version a the death of Peterson and Willie Pres ton. and me and Charlie (another, negro rolled 'em over the banisters of tn bridge"
 The men. as were the others killed ne said, had been .lured away from tn larm by Williams on the pretextt, tha tney were being taken to- trains an would be allowed to return t1 inc; I homes in Atlanta, or Macon where ths I had been taken from jail by William paying their fines Peterson and Pra, ton, Manning said, were 5und togethe oy trace chain around their neeks f "nlcn was fastened 9 sack contaipin aOout one hundred pounds of rock fnelr hands were bound together b "ire' he said. Williams drove the a, tomobile in which the negroes were cal red, Manning testified
 Harry Price, another negro taken be drowned, jumped of the bridge hin self, Manning said. when he found the, was no hope for him.
 Don't throw me over; I'll get over Manning quoted Price as saving ar aaoed that the negro, with a cry
 Lord have mercy" flung himself in the river -'1
 Manning then went into details of f, . aHeged murder of other negroes. He declared Williams was nresent
 tne various drownings and had orde
 ca the killings when defense couns
 sought to make him admit he was fl
 insugator in the alleged killings. F
 saio that on one occasion he tried 5 orea'A away" from Williams r,a,
 where he had worked for the last fo,, ' teen years. but said MT. Johnny inn k ed on me- and I ain,t tried it no more