The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-31

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 that IL 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 he
has been sleeping with his gun. He
told my mother that he had decided
to come voluntarily to her and tell
of the occurrence, because he wanted
TO help my father. And now they tell
me he has confessed in Covington be-
fore the grand jury that 1t was all a
frame up"
DIR. Williams then described condi-
tions on the farm, saying it had be-
come badly run down during the war,
as he and the three youngest brothers
were all in the service. He said his
father lately had paid the fines Of ne
groes who otherwise would have gone
to the chaingang to get labor.
Are the peonage charges against
your father and brothers true?" he
was asked.
We'll, if they are guilty of peon-
age" DR.. Williams replied, after a
lengthy pause, as if studying his
answer, there are many other farm
ers in Georgia guilty of the same
crime. 1t is true they have bailed ne
groes out of Jail, but they have paid
them wages and given them clothes to
wear"
After federal investigators made
their trip to the plantation in Febru-
airy, DR.. Williams said, and told the
negroes they should be making more
money and working only eight hours
a day )" the elder Williams decided to
let all dissatisfied ones leave. He
even gave the negroes who owed him
money enough funds to get them out
of the county and cancelled their |
debts" DR.. Williams continued.
DR.. Williams received the newspa-
per men at the Williams home, a typ
ical Georgia country place situated on |
a commanding shill and surrounded |
by fields In a high state of cultiya- |
ton. The house is not particularly |
large or imposing, but appears to |
have been well built and contains |
many Of the conveniences that for
merly were peculiar to the city. Flow !
er gardens made the yards beautiful |
the place, including that Of DR.. Will |
liams. The younger sons did not make |
their appearance and when the ply |
stefan was asked where they were,
he said they did not care to talk |
pending their possible trial They |
have not yet been arrested, although |
warrants have been sworn out against |
them at the request of Governor Dor
he foth to jojI
where he and the negro, Manning, |
were taken for safe keeping.
The fate of Manning, whose state
ments regarding the killings resulted
in the indictments against himself
and Williams, was the subject of spec
ulation here today and courthouse at
taches voiced the opinion that Solicit
tor General A. NJ. Brand would recon-
mend mercy If the negro is convicted
when tried here.
When the solicitor was asked his
plans about Manning he declined to
reply definitely but referred question
ers to the legal code of Georgia COW
ering persons acting under fear" in
crimes, as Manning claim
ed he did. The section reads:
"a person committing a crime or
under threats or men
aces, which sufficiently show that his
life was in danger shall not be found
guilty; and such threats and menaces
being proved and established the per-
son compelling by such threats and
nenaces the commission of the of
'ense, shall be considered a principal
md suffer the same punishment as if
he had perpetrated the offense."