The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-06
MOVE RAPIDLY FIRST DAY
 OF WILLIAMS TRIAL
Jury Is Completed for Trial of Georgia Farmer Charged With Murder to Hide
 Peonage
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 Coyington, Ga, April 5.--Selection of jury to try John S. Williams, in Newton county superior court on a charge of the murder of Lindsey Peterson, way completed here late to- day and ths sS >e made ready to put on the st 5morrow Clyde Man ming, ns Q .rm boss, to relate his versio, . deaths of Il negro farm han0 . the prosecution contends we q ' to block federal investiga-
 peonage conditions.
 Jury, a body of rather young-look-
 & nen, made up of seven fapners. two nsefehants. clerk. barber and drug gist, was selected in the following order:
 T. L. Hill. farmer: G. w Gober, farm CT; Robert Stanton. farmer; W. A. Pate, merchant; Charles A. Cason, farmer; w. c. Moore, farmer; T. R. Starr, farmer; Byron Tracker. grocery clerk F. G. Crowley. merchant J. T. Dennard farmer; J. E. Rawlins barber of oxford, and Reginald Robinson. druggist.
 Extra deputies were on duty in the courtroom and only as many persons as could find seats were permitted to re- main Judge John B. Hutcheson, warned the spectators that any approval or disapprovar would be severely pun ished.a and there was hardly an occa- sion for the sheriff to rap for order.
 HARD FIGHT PROBABLE
 Efforts by the state to prove that the death of Peterson was one of a series of crimes. which, it was understood, would be undertaken carry In the first day of evidence, was expected to draw from the defense one of it's hardest fights in seeking to bar from the trial all reference to the other deaths and to hold evidence down to the single death of Peterson, whose body was found in Yellow river, and who. the state con tends, was brought into Newton county and drowned by Williams and Manning. Williams being held to be the instigalor of the alleged murder.
 Unless there should develop long ar guments over admissibility of evidence and lengthy cross-examination of wit nesses, it was indicated that the prose- cution might conclude its case by to- morrow night. There are some score oi witnesses under subpoena by the state while the defense has kept secret the number and identity of its witnesses and also has declined to indicate how much time was to be taken up with the defense of Williams. There were indi- cations. however, the case would be con- cIuded before the end of the week
 RAPID PROGRESS
 The first days proceedings moved rap idly. The motion of the defense for postponement to allow more time for preparation and so that Green F. John son, chief counsel for Williams might examine Manning, who~ was indicted jointly with Williams. was disposed Of shortly after court opened by Judge Hutcheson ruling that the trial should proceed. The defense also inquired into the employment of W. NJ. Howard oi Augusta, Ga, to aid the prosecution and E. Marvin Underwood of Atlanta tq defend Manning. Both said their com pensation had been guaranteed by groups of citizens. The Rev. C. B. Winner and the R. M. Ashby Jones. Atlanta pastors promised Governor Dorsey the financia backing that made it possible to employ Howard, he said. w. Woods White, At lanta capitalist, headed the group ol citizens who employed Underwood. thu latter declared He named others and in answer to question. said that as far as he knew none of them was con nected with the National Association fol the Advancement of Colored Peoples Graham Wright, assistant Nstate attor' ney general, said he was assigned D, the governor to aid the prosecution.
 Williams, defended by Johnson. whose home is in Monticello; w. Fl. Key o Monticello and c. C.. King of Covington sat quietly throughout the day, watch ings the proceedings apparently witt unflagging interest but betraying nc emotion. Members of his family wer' in the courtroom near his side and n the noon recess joined him in a baske dinner in an anteroom. He had beer held in jail in Atlanta until brought here and when court adjourned he was placed in the Newton jail. where Sheriff B. l. Johnson announced he would spend hi nights during the trial.
 POSES FOR PICTURE
 .The defendant, sparely built man witf sun-tanned face and brown mustache appeared to carry lightly his burden o A years, and in the only remarks h' would make publicly merely reiterated his belief that he would be acquitted Just as he started to enter the jail lat'
  move his hat for picture.
 q think my hair needs brushing h' remarked and, opening his suit case proceeded to slick it down with com' and brush.
 Williams himself said nothing abou the details of the case, but Dr. Gu Williams, the defendants oldest son, in timated that he expected some of the ne gro tenants to appear in behalf of m father He also told newspaper mel that Huland Williams, his brother. ha' killed a negro in self-defense last fall as had been reported around the court house. Asked if the matter had beer renIied that the negro was buried in negro cemetery and after regular deati certificate had been obtained. Hulan' Williams and the other two younge sons were not in court today, accordinl to Williams.
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