1946 Georgia Lynching - The Beating of Lamar Howard

The Beating of Lamar Howard

Months later, 19-year-old Lamar Howard was attacked by two men at his job in the municipal ice house on January 1, 1947. They attempted to extract the testimony he had given to the grand jury about the Moore's Ford lynching. At about four o'clock that afternoon, James and Tom Verner walked into the municipal ice house, briefly speaking with plant manager, Will Perry. When the pair walked to where Howard was sitting, Tom Verner slapped the young man's cap onto the floor. James asked him, "What did you tell 'em down at Athens?" To which he replied he knew nothing to tell them. They started to attack him. Howard's employer, Will Perry, allegedly suggested the two "take him out in the back."

The men continued the beating while questioning Howard. The beating concluded after 10 or 15 minutes with no resistance from Howard, as he feared he would be killed. Upon the cessation of the assault, he was forced to get in his car and go home.

U.S. Attorney John P. Cowart arrested the Verner brothers and charged them with "unlawfully injuring Golden Lamar Howard because of his having testified before a federal grand jury" and "conspiring to injure" him. The Verners' $10,000 bonds were signed by H.L. Peters of Walton County who put up 316 acres (1.28 km2) of land as security.

Verner acknowledged he had beaten Golden Lamar Howard until his fists were bloody. His brother testified, as did other witnesses, who stated James Verner committed the crime for which he was charged. Despite the testimony, the jury struggled in deliberation for nearly two hours before rendering a verdict of not guilty.