THK KEK: UA1AHA. fWUAI.v WAM;n ll, 1921.
Oklahoma Town
' Thrilled as Hainon
i
Hearing Opens
Clara Smith Hamon, in Fight
For Life, for Slaying Ucr
j Affinity, Oilman ami
- Politician. 1
By SAM BLAIR,
I'nlwwl wic Ktnff rorriontent
(i..,rlrht My I nlveinal hr,lr.
(CoitirlRht lllil Hy (iileaso Hrmlil
uml Kiainlner.) ,
Admorc, Okl.. March 10.Thc
tniirdcr trial ot Clara Smith Hannjn
began , this morning. '
Today this little city regards it
self importantly. Throngs course
the sidewalki of the main street and
congest in store entrances and on the
curbing to talk pompously about
this matter which is to be the climax
uf the history of the state.
Each side knows the general trend
which the evidence of the other side
will follow.'
The evidence will be divided thus:
The prosecution will attempt to
prove that Clara Smith Hamon killed
' her employer and aninity, Jake L.
Uanion, in a cold-blooded and' un
provoked fashion. The defense will
that a revolver held
in Clara's hands vJas aclcntally dii. J
charged wheu the republican national
committeeman Struck down upon her
with a chair after a period of drunken
abuse'.
Jibe slate will attempt to throve
that Clara achieved a murder inspira
tion after realizing that the oil mag
nate and politician was about to dis
. card her and take up a life of "resptc
tahilitv." ' The defense will try
to show that Clara despised the lile
.she had led with Hamoh; that she
h;ul only remained with him because
of his dominion of will; that she, her
self, had helped arrange a plan
whereby the two should part.
Clara's Stiry to Stand.
'IV -defendant's own story from
the witness stand will be identical
with the story she told to nic when
I found her. after the shooting and
- " her disappearance from Ardmore, in
Chihuahua. Mexico. Because she
made to me her first statement of
' the facts of the shooting, I am ex-
peeled to he a witness in the case.
My testimony, however, is not an-
, tu-ipatcd with special interest by
either side, because I already have
published every important thing she
eold inc.
Hut there are witnesses whose
statements are awaited with excite
ment. One such and probably the
first witness who will be called is
Frank Ketch. generaKmanager of
the Hamon properties and Jake
Unmon's business overseer.
M r. Ketch originated and gave
first circulation to the fabrication
that Jake, Hamori accidentally shot
himself -while cleaning a .25 caliber
automatic pistol. Mr. Ketch is ex
fcmed to admit on the stand that
this story was an untruth, told with
V the kindly purpose of protecting
Hamon from notoriety- and an
nounced at t time when he believed
Hamon would survive his wounds.
This much of Mr. Ketch's testimony
is generally anticipated. y
Can't forecast Testimony.
Other details, however, of his
statements cannot be forecast. MfnyHj
oeiieve that twougn jvir. iVCttn tne
dead Jake Hmon will speak fronj
the witness stand. Mr. Ketch was
with Hamon from almost the hour
of the shooting to the moment of
v his death, last November2S.
Will 4 Vi a tifitnaee "V t n)n 4-lis
Jury: "Before he died Jake Hamorr
ow me how ana why he was shot,
and the way of it was this?"
; When the questifcn is answered,
probably the most 'vital element of
evidence will have, been introduced.'
Some .tears may be shed, in the court
room; some reputations may be as
tailed: some political and personal
sensations may be developed. But,
so far as concerns the matter of con
viction or acquittal, the one- im
portantthing is supposed to be Jake
Hamon's deathbed statement to his
friends.
' The heart appeal will come in the
testimony of the two women most
concerned with what the verdict will
be. The testimony of these two
the defendant, 27, andthe slain man's
widow, 42 already has been told in
tubstance in interviews given this
correspondent.
, Wido Is Present.
Air.. Hamon. the widow, with her
son, )al:c. jr., aiu hr ll-year-jowl
Principals in Murder Trial of Clara Hamoh
1
v - ?- y - - ' 'N , . u
FfcAricWi A' 4 -- W,
Sh"L
IEffortti to Sell Important
Navy Documents to U. S.
Captain Results jn Deten
tion of Lieutenant.
Clara Smith Hamon is kin tria)
charged with the murder of Jake L.
Hamon. multimillionaire "Empife
Builder" of the west. Prominent fig- i
ures in the trial besides the defendant
are Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, widow ofv
the-alleged murdtred man; Justice
Thomas- Charr.oion. who is the trial
judge; Frank Ketch, business part-1 ministrator of Hamon's estate, who
ner of Jake L. Hamon, and ad-lolds tbe secret of the reported
will; Charles A. Coakley, of the law
firm of Mathers & Coakley,, who will
defend Clara Smith Hamon; Sheriff
Buck Garret, to whom the defendant
surrendered ; District Attorney
James Mathers of Carter county, ex
cused from the prosecution of the
case because he was retained as
counsel for the defense prior to taking-
office on January 1.
daughter, Olive Belle, reached Ard
more yesterday afternoon. In ad
vance ot Airs, mmon came james
C O'Brien, -Chicago attorney, who
earned the sobriquet of ' "Ropes?"
when, as an assistant prosecuting
attorney, he convicted and sent to
the gallows a number of murderers.
Mr. O'Brien has been retained by
Mrs. Harnpit in a personal' capacity.
His retainer's fee has been paid, no:
out of the fund withdrawn from the
Hamon estate, but v'out of money
saved by curtailinl grocery and
clorhing expenses." f
Mr. O'Brien may not , take an ac
tive part in the direct prosecution,'
although he arrived in town weiring
the red necktie he always affected
when appealing to a jury for a death
verdict. He is expected to partici
pate in the case only insofar as the
interests of Mrs. Hamon are in-
vn1vd Th artnal tTfoserution will
rbe conducted by Attorney General
S. P. Freeling of Oklahoma City, as
sisted by H. H. Brown of this city.
The defense attorneys are Charles A.
Coakley, James H. Mathers and J.
B. Champion. (
.., Trial Will Be Short.
The defense announces that it fears
nothing v Mr. Coakley agrees- with
Attorney General Freeling in esti
mating that the trial will not con
tinue beyond a week. But this esti
mate is conditioned on both sides
upon the assumption that the "other
side doesn't intrude extraneous de
tails." '
It is the possibility of these ex
traneous details that lends "pieman-
cy" to the trial prospect. Some of
the testimony will concern character
and reputation that of the defend
ant, several of her associates and,
possibly, that of- men who were Jake
Hamon's political and business allies.
And for every reputation assault
there will be a defense. . .
For instance, the attorneys of the
accused woman have subpoenaed
one Steve O'Brien, mentioned by
Clara inyone of her interview with
me as her, "first beau." . . v
Clara recalled this romance'as the
bright, clean period of her life
when she was a school girl in'Law
ton and just before she yielded io
the dominating influence of Jake Ha
mon. It appears that this sweetheart of
another time also looks bacjc upon
this affair with kindly interest. He
will testify, it is understood, that
Clara was a blfitneless girl befpre the
Hamon lured her
determined
away.
t
Twelve Men in Box.
Ardmore, Okl., March 10 The
trial of Clara Smith Hamon,
charged with the murder of Jake L.
Hamon, millionaire oil man and re
publican national committeeman of
Oklahoma, began shortly after 9
o'clock this morning. Judge Thomis
W. Champion is presiding. The case
is generally regardedas Oklahoma's
most celebrated murder trial. Ha
mon was shot and killed last fall.
The court room, which had been
virtually empty until a jfew minutes
before the trial opened, filled rapidly.
When the trial started every scat was
tilled and persons were lining the
walls on all sides. .
Mrs. Clara' Smith Hamon, the de-feidant.-ind
mother and sister took
seats Jichind her counsel, x Several
frienW came up to where she sat and
shook hands with her.
Mrs. Jake L. Hamon was not in
the court room.
s After examination of 21 veniremen,
12 men who had not disqualifted
themsetves were, in the jury box.
Much surprise was caused by the
rapidly" of the selection of pros
pective jurors. Each side had left
nine peremptory, challenges. , "
Nebraska City Ma Hurt
Nebraska City, Neb., March 10. !
(Special. Lawrence Yearsley was
injured when a young mule he was
leading behind a wagn, became
frightened and jerked him out of
the vehicle and sprained his back and
ctherwise injured him.
Japanese Naval
Officer Is Held;
Offered Secrets
Tokio, Mareh 10. CBy The As
sociated Press) Naval Lieutenant
Tsurn IIamaguch was today ar
rested and handed over to a conrt
niartial in connection with an alleged
attempt t sell Japanese naval se
crets to ' Captain Edward Howe
Watson, naval attache at the United
States embassy here.
Captain Watson, it js said by the
Nichi Nichi Shimbun, received two
letters signed "Goto Yapada, ask
ing for an appointment, as the writer
desired to sell for 1,000,000 yen Ja
pan's mobilization plans against "jk
certain country.'' Secret maps of
Formosa and documents showing
ihe depths of various parts of Tokio
bay were to be included,'- Captain
Watson concluded.
Captain Watson, it is said, turned
the letters over to the naval depart
ment authorities, and an investiga
tion resulted in the arrest of Lieuten
ant Hamaguchi. r-
Statue of Lincoln Will Be
Erected in Nebraska City
Nebraska City, Neb., March 10.
A statue of Abraham Lincoln, yr
school in a few dais. It is seven
class of 1920, has been received and
will be placed in position it the high
srhool in a few days. It is seven
feet and two inches in height and is
modeled after the statue in Lincoln
park, Chicago.
Pig With Eight Legs Bom
On Farm NearPawnee City
Pawnee City, Neb., March 10.
(Special.) Frank Boren has an eight
legged pig which was born at his
farm ,a day or so ago. The pig
has two .completely separate bodies
which jom a thethoulders. AH
eight legs are absolutely whole and
complete. It has four ears. , One
I
Instant
POSTUM
a table drink of delightful
flavor, healthful and satisfying
Made at the table, a cup at .
v a time, strong or mild to
. y suit the individual taste
"There's a Reason for Postxim
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77 ;
3 ' ! '
15,000 Miles on Tires 50" Greater
Fuel Efficiency Zero-Balance Road
ability Less Annual Depreciation
On Exhibit at the
AUTOMOBILE SHOW
-Next Week " ' '
x Traynor Automobile
f x . Retail Distributor
2200-02 Farnam St. Phone Doug. 5268
Cole Motor Car Company. Indianapolis. US A.
IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF"
r.
$ai5
F. O. B. ST. LOUtS .
THERE'S NO ONE OvUSTANDI NG
FEATURE IN THE GARDNER LIGHT
FOUR IT'S GOOD THROUGH AND
THROUGH IT'S 100 PER CENT ALL
OVER-IT HAS QUALITY AND STYLE
THERE'S AMPLE CAPITAL BEHIND if
AND AN ORGANIZATION WHO" TAKE
PRIDE IN BUILDING A BETTER CAR AT'
A LOWER PRICE. -
THE GARDNER , MOTOR CO.. INC. --'
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v.-
Western Motor Car Co;
FARNAM AT THE BOULEVARD
OMAHA, NEBRASKA
V
pair is in jhe roitnal position and
the olljer pair on the top of the head.
The head is aoout tnc normal size.
The pig did shortly after birth.
Mr E. Smith Shirt Factory
N At Beatrice is Closet!
Beatrice, Jsch., March 10. (Siie
Wl.) The M. E. Smith & Co.
shirt factory, which opened here a
few vears aso. has been dismantled.
'The company when it established its
plant here was guaranteed two years
free rent and a briclf building was
erected and the machinery installed.
It is said that business here did not
demand operating the concern
longer.
Pure Bred Hog Sale at
Beatrice Well Attended
Beatrice, Neb., March 10. (Spe
cial.) At the annual sale of pure
bred Poland China bred sows owned
by G. A. Wiebe & Son, which was
held at the driving park here, prices
avcraeed all the wav from $75 in
$100. There were J number of
buyers from .various points in the
county, which included members vof
the boys' and girls' pig club.
Lexington Country Club "
' Will Improve Grounds
. Lexington, Neb., March 10. (Spe
cial.) At the annual meeting of the
Lexington Country club the follow
ing 'officers were elected: D. P.
Rankin, president; L. T. Smith, vice
president; H. T. Krier, secretary; J.
B. Woods, treasurer. Plans for im
proving the golf links, swimming
pool and grounds were made.
State Agents Start Drive
To Collect Auto Licenses
Beatrice, Neb., March 10.J-(Spe-cial.)
Carl Schmitt, state agent, and
C. W. Wilson, federal officer, ar
rived in Beatrice and will spend a
few days in Gage county rounding
up auto owners who nave not taken
out 1921 licenses.
Beatrice Police Find
, Part8 of Still in Barn
Beatrice, Neb., March 10. (Spe
cial.) Officers searched the prem
ises of ra Lemmon in West Bea
trice and found part of a still in a
barn including a cooker and Uvo
large oil cans frort which it is al
leged he Ijas been selling moonshine.
Lemmon' was arrested and the para
phernalia confiscated by the police.
North Platte Woman Shot
By Jealous Roomer Dies
North Tlatte, Neb., March 10.
(Special Telegram.) Mrs. W. Len
ton died here of wounds in the
shoulder received last wek when shs
was shot by Victor Moss in a
Quarrel. Mo.ss was'a roomer at the
Lentou home atd became infatuated j
with his landlady. . When she tried
to check his advances last week.
Moss shot her and then turned the
gun upon himself.
Moss, who seems to be recovering
from his wound, does not know ot
his victim's death.,
Mr. Lcntoti i a Union Pacific
3witchmanand has two small child
ren who are now in the custody of
Mrs. Lenton's parents, 'who came
here from Colorado a few davs airo.
iMoss was an employe of the tele
phone company.
j
5 Omaha Rum Prisoners '
Freed Under New Ruling
Five federal prisoners were re
leased Wednesday from the Douglas
county jail under the recent ruling
of the circuit court of appeals at St.
Louis that declared tie internal rev
enue liquor laws invalid. They were
Leo Sokol, James McKenna, Frank
t..i... ti . . .
iaiimti, juiui inoiupsuii ana ' ji
Murray, ' ,
Thirteen other prisoners in j.iil
throughout Nebraska under siiniUr
convictions will bt released, but im
mediately rearrested for alleged vio
lation of the Volstead act, accord
ing to Lloyd A. Magncy, assistant
United States district attorney.
Federal - Judge T. ('. Muuger-' in
Lincoln gave the order to release thlBK
prisoners. .;
ifatnburg Coffee Importers
' Boycott French Merchant
Berlin, March 10. (By The As.-o-
dated Press.) The executive com
mittee of the Association of Coffer
Importers of Hamburg has recom
mended that the members of the as
sociation make no purchases from
England or France while the gov
ernments of those countries continue
"their policy of oppression." says a
Hamburg dispatch to the Vossischc
Zeitung today.
.The committee is making efforts
to induce similar association in Ber
lin, Cologne and Bremen to join the
boycott, the dispatch aJTls.
Panama Refuses to Use
While Award for Peace
Washington, March 10. Panama
refuses to accept the White award
as a basis of praec with Costa Ricii''
it informs the Americau government
in a note made public today by the
State department. 1
DR. BURHORN -414-26
SmrltlM BMt.
Car. I6tk It Farnam
Douglas 5347
Dr. Burhorn's
! llll Ill I II ! I I II I
dhiropractic Health Service:
Health i invaluable. Every one wants
to b well and rigorous. Our buiineti is,
to get sick people well. Corne (ous today
for free consultation. If we cannot ielp
you we will not accept your case. '
Our X-Rny analysis of your spina will show ttia
txact location of tbe misplacement that Is produo.
Inf the pressure on the nerves which causes your
trouble.
Office adjustments are 12 for $10 or
30 for $25.00.
- Office hours 9 a. m. to 8 p. m. Lady:
attendants Private adjusting rooms.
4 See Our Show Windows
i . a.
nill,ll,iliL.i;i:M!llillPilllllill'l,.,llil,!l!
Not a Shirt Sale But a Shirt Sacrifice!
Sale Begins 9 O'clock, Saturday
4
SKirts of All Sizes, All Colors, All Kinds
i And at One Price
r
St." Louis, Mo., March 8.
Brandeis Stores,
Omaha.
Shipping today one sblid carload dress shirts. Will give
Omaha men best shirt values iu history of Nebraska. Please
make arrangements for extra salespeople, window space, cashiers
and wrapping stations. - :fg&f T. W.'MACKEY, '
Buver.
This great sale will take place'on main floor of our Men's, Store Satur
day, beginning at 9 o'clock. . , -
3N
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