New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-10
Planter Collapses When
Verdict Is Given and
Wife and Children Burst
Into Sobs; Will Appeal
Fugitives Reported
To Be in Mexico
Indictments Against the
Younger Williamses Are
Sought in 3 Murders

COVlNGION, la, April S.-JOnn ..
Williams, wealthy planter, of Jasper
County, was found guilty to-day by
jury of murder in connection with peon-
age charges which had been made
against him. The jury recommended
mercy. The verdict automatically car
ried with it sentence of life imprison
ment. Williams collapsed in court after
the verdict was returned.
On the heels of Williams's conviction
it became known that his three sons,
Huland. Leroy aDd Marvin, are re-
ported missing. They are believed to
have fled either to Texas or Mexico,
after having negotiated loan at Month
cello, near which place they lived.
In connection with the report that
the three sons are missing Solicitor
General Doyle Campbell of Jasper
County, announced tonight that he
would demand indictments on Monday
by the Jasper County Grand Jury for
the death of "Blackstrap," "Iron Jaw"
and an unidentified negro who met
death before the eleven murders were
alleged to have been committed on
Williams's plantation. The three sons
of Williams are accused of these mur-
ders.
Two Thrown in River
"Blackstrap" was killed on Huland's
farm, but the other two negroes we're
said to have been taken out in canoe
on the Ocmulgee River just after
"Blackstrap" was killed and were
thrown into the stream They we're
witnesses to the killing of "Black-
strap"
There have been reports that the
three Williams boys might be in the
hands OF Federal agents, but they
are not. Both Federal and state
agents and members of the family
confirmed the report tonight that the
young men have departed for parts
unknown.
Williams was convicted specifically
Of the murder of Lindsey Peterson, a
negro farm hand, whose body, bound
and weighted with sack of rocks, was
found with that of another negro en-
ployee on Williams's farm in Yellow
River, in this (Newton) county, Just
over. the line from Jasper County.
Bodies of nine other negroes, said to
have been killed to conceal peonage
conditions, have been found buried on
the farm or. elsewhere.
~ Williams's collapse to-day was
thought to be due to the fact that his
wife and his children were sobbing
violently as the verdict was read. This
excited Williams, who had not previ-
ously weakened.
motion for nou, +~;,1 Ill l.
heard by Judge John B. Hutcheson at
Decatur, Ca, on April 80. Williams
and his lawyers have not yet given up
their fight and they declare that they
will carry it to the highest court.
Two Favored AcquittaI
All last night the jury had stood ten
for conviction and two for acquittAl,
according to reliable reports on the
streets at Covington following the YER
dict. A mistrial was expected. But
shortly after the jury arose this morn
ing and resumed it's delibe. tions an
agreement was reached They decided
to recommend mercy.
The jury took the case about 4
o'clock Friday afternoon and after I
o'clock this morning was recharged,
Judge Hutcheson repeating the entire
charge. Williams was t-ken into
court and all of the lawyers were there
when the judge recharged the jury.
The parting of Williams from his
wife and his children to-day was af-
fecting. Sheriff johnson later took
Williams to Atlanta, where he will re-
main until the court fight which seeks
to obtain new trial is disposed Of
The motion for new trial is based
upon claim that the verdict is con-
trary to the evidence and contrary to
the law and without evidence to sup
port it.
In his argument to the jury Solicitor
General Brand insisted that CLYDE
Manning. the negro who furnished
most of the evidence against Williams
and who confesses that he killed most
of the negroes, some of them with an
axe, on Williams's order, will be as
vigorously prosecuted as was Williams
Mr.. Brand repeated this assertion
after the jury returned verdict
against Williams. No date for the trial
of Manning has been fixed.
All eyes now turned to Jasper
County's own investigation of the
series of crimes that have occurred
there. Not only will the grand jury on
Monday take up the inquiry into the
deaths of eight negroes on the vii.
liams farm in the chain of eleven mur-
ders-five bodies being found buriec
and three in the Alcovv River-but the
grand jury will go into new evidence
(centlnued on page three,