Howard is Convicted
- Title
- Howard is Convicted
- Source Type
- Newspapers
- Publisher
- Weekly Advertiser
- Publication Place
- Montgomery, AL
- Publication Date
- 08/30/1901
- Transcript
- HOWARD IS CONVICTED Participated in Lynching of Bob White. HE MADE A CONFESSION Gave Names of Other Members of the Mob. John Strength and Martin Fuller on Trial Charged with Com- plicity—Several of the Accused Leave the County. Wetumpka, Aug. 28—(Special.)—George Howard, one of the best known and most highly respected planters of Elmore County was convicted here today of murder in the first degree, and his punishment fixed at life imprisonment. This verdict was returned by a jury in the Circuit Court after Howard went on the witness stand and told of the details of the lynching of Robert White, negro, near Wetumpka about seven weeks ago. Howard said he was in the lynching party. The lynching of White, the instructions of Governor Jelks for an investigation and the recent strong charge to the grand jury on the subject by Circuit Judge Denson, are familiar to readers of The Advertiser. Indictments were returned against number of well known citizens of Elmore County and the first case was tried today. resulting as heretofore stated. Little trouble was found in securing a jury for the trial of Howard, and it was composed of some of the best citizens of Wetumpka and Elmore County. Hon. A. E. Williams appeared to represent Howard. The State was represented by Solicitor Brewer, who was assisted by Mr. Edward Jones of Montgomery. Both sides declared themselves to be ready, and the State submitted its evidence. There was whispered conference between Mr. Williams and his client, and to the amazement of the great crowd which thronged the court room, Mr. Williams, addressing the court, said that Howard would make voluntary statement describing in detail the lynching of the negro White. Howard's Statement. Howard was sworn in and took the witness stand. Without hesitation and in clear voice he told the complete story of the lynching of White and gave the names of the twelve men who participated with him in the affair. He said that White was taken from the officers who were taking him to Wetumpka carried into nearby swamp. one man climbed a tree and tied rope to limb while the other end was placed around White's neck. The negro was raised from the ground by the other members of the mob and the rope was made taut. White was then dropped. The fall was not sufficient to break the negro's neck, he dying from strangulation. When Howard had finished his testimony the case was submitted without argument and just at 12 o'clock the jury retired to consider its verdict. The jury was out two hours and thirty minutes when verdict was returned. The verdict was evidently great surprise to Howard and his friends but Howard gave no sign of emotion while listening to its reading. The Lynching of White. The lynching of Robert White occurred between Wetumpka and Tallassee early Tuesday morning. July 2, White and his brother were accused of shooting at farmer named Thomas. Robert White was arrested and was being taken to Wetumpka jail by Messrs. Clop Tanton, Marion Pitman and Bryant Nails when he was taken from the officers by mob and lynched. Robert White and his brother Winston White were tenants on the place of Mr. Godwin who lives four miles from Tallassee. Their cabin was near the little farm of a white man named Thomas. The chickens of the negroes annoyed Thomas who shot them while they were on his premises. This enraged the negroes and the night before the lynching the White brothers went to the house of Thomas and attacked him firing a shot gun into his house six times. Thomas returned the fire and Winston White was shot in the arm. A posse gave chase to the negroes and Robert White was captured and lynched. Winston White was subsequently captured and safely lodged in the Wetumpka jail. Thomas, the farmer. was not injured. Tanton, Pitman and Nails, the men from whom Robert White was taken, refused to testify before the grand jury when it had been empaneled by Judge Denson, and they were sent to jail, but were subsequently released. Trial of the Others. As soon as the verdict was returned in the case of Howard, he was taken to the county jail and Judge Denson began empanelling jury for the trial of John Strength and Martin Fuller, well known white men who are also accused of having been participants in the mob which lynched Robert White. Their case still on trial. A number of other men indicted for the same crime are in jail and will be tried during this term of court. The case against John Thomas will be called tomorrow and the case against Ben Martin is set for trial Friday. Lem Strength and Will Still are also to be tried on the same charge, but their cases have not been set. All others who are accused of having been mem- bers of the mob have left the county. These cases have attracted a large crowd to Wetumpka and the greatest interest is felt throughout the county A well-informed lawyer said tonight that if It was proved that any person was present and urged the mob to lynch the negro without participating, he was equally as culpable as those persons who pulled the rope.
Part of Howard is Convicted