Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-04-06
,yIriLIAaIs' FARM HANDS HELD
AS Material Witnesses-Niany Are
Arrested by Federal Agents.

SoVlngton, Ca, March 30.-Fed-
eraI agents raided the farm in Jas
per county to-day Of John S. Will
l1ams, charged with having caused
theG murder Of eleven negroes, and
arrested several negro farm hands,
whom they wanted as material wit
nesses In the investigation Of alleged
peonage conditions on tho farm,
winch conditions are said to have
caused the killings.
Williams, it was announced to-
day by Judge B. Hutchison, the pre-
siding judge in the Newton County
superior Court, will be placed on
trial here next Tuesday on one of the
murder indictments which followed
the finding Of the bodies Of three
negroes In Il river in this county.
More than 100 veniremen have been
summoned. Governor Dorsey has
suggested to officials that Williams
be tried Oh each of the murder
charges separately.
Thrce Murders in Jasper.
There are three murder charges
IN this codnty against williams, who,
according to Clyde Manning, his ne
gro farm boss, brought three negroes
into this county and had them
drowned. The Jasper county grand
jury will meet April II to inquire
into the deaths Of eight negroes
whose bodies we're found in that
county, and the Governor has asked
the Jurors not only to indict Will
liams and Manning, but also the
three younger sons Of Williams.
reports that the three younger
sons of the plantation owner had
sought to incite white residents
against the negroes by spreading
reports that the negroes planned an
uprising were investigated again to-
day by the grand jury here, which
recessed tonight without taking de-
f1inte action. 1t was announced that
the inquiry would be taken up again
at an early date.
Stories alleged to have been
told the grand jury by Floyd John
son, young white man, that there
had been a concerted effort to cause
racial trouble and to make it appear
that negroes killed the men found
dead, In the hope Of melting public
sentiment in favor of John S. Will
ltams, were discussed to-day by DR..
Gus Williams, a hero Of the Somme
retreat, where his services won him
the British war cross.
33# Refuse to Discuss Case.
The elder Williams and his three
youngest sons, Julian, Huland and
Masasa, have consistently refused to
discuss the case since the father is
sued his first statemene after arrest,
categorically denying the charges,
but the oldest son, DR.. Williams,
called newspaper men in to-day and
offered to answer any questions that
they might ask.
DR.. Williams declared that his ia
ther and brothers were innocent of
the murders. and also Of the alleged
"|tSAAPe w lllClto lOlIO"luR
the exposure Of alleged conditions.
The first they (the three younger
sons) knew Of the latest attempt to
arouse public sentiment up against
u.s." the physician said, "was when
! told them the other night about
rumors ] had heard in Covington.
The truth about the situation is
this:
johnson came to my fathers
house the day after father had been
arrested and told Of meeting q car
filled with negroes on the Allen
bridge over the Yellow river.
He stated that he had seen two
black bodies in the car, and that the
negroes had told him If he told any
one they would kill him. At the
time they told him this, he said, they
held their guns on him, and since