Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-10
IN DEFENSE OF HAMS
Testimony Given in the Hampton
Trial This Morning.
CYCLISTS 1T SPRINGFIELD, MASS
Strange Disappearance Of Miss
Ava in Chicago.
JAPAN AND THE BIG FAIR.
CYCLISTS 1T SPRINGFIELD, MASS
JAPAN AND THE BIG FAIR.
IN HAMS DEFENSE.
Testimony as to Ills Relations With Young
Hannegan.

Testimony as to His Relations With Young
Hanuegan.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
HAMPTON, Va. Sept. l0.--When the trial OF
Thornton J. Hams was resumed in the circuit
court here this morning at $50 o'clock there
were a number of ladies present in the
audience. There were rather more people on
hand than usual, for it was generally UNDER
| stood TINT young Hams would be called to take
the stand in his own defense some time
during the day and there was the greatest
curiosity to hear what story the accused man
would give Of the tragic occurrences CT June
~, when he took the lie OF his friend.
In many ways the most sensational feature OF
tho trial SO fur the introduction OF the
young colored man, Lincoln Smith. as wit
ness yesterday afternoon. Smith Is densely
ignorant nan. but the story he told Of the
shooting was at variance i'll many OF Its es-
sential features with the accounts given at
the trial by Commander Evans. his son frank
and by Col. Bird, the other eye-wituesSes to
the shooting. Smith was the only witness VINO
claimed to have seen u blow struck by Hanne-
gan and to this extent was strong witness Tor
the defense in its plea OF self-defensc as the
motive for the shooting. As an actual witness
TO the shooting lie Was summoned III me nrst
place by the commonwealth, but the latter
closed their case yesterday without putting MN
on the stand, claiming that their case was
already proved and that they could place no
credencc in Smiths story, especially as Smith
had also been named By the defense as one OF
their witnesses.
In the legal sparring that ensued the COM
monwealuh discredited the witness, and when
Smith was placed on the stand and questioned
by Judge Gunter his story was SO full OF mac
curacies and contradictions that whatever effect
it may have had upon the jury it certainly
would not have impressed an ordinary
observer as of particular value when weighed
~ A. Of tha thav
In many of its important details Smith story
Yesterday contradicted his sworn and signed
statement made before the coroners
jury here in June. The defense place u
good deal OF Importance upon smiths
story and 1t certainly did add
an clement Of doubt to the trial, which is
always of the greatest value to the defendant in
a trial OF this sort. 1t was the first suggestion
of any quarrel that may have taken place i'll the
boat between the two young men. and as 1t
would seem from tie testimony that Hannegan
was somewhat larger and stronger than Hams,
the plea OF self-defense Is likely to be used for
ali il is worth in the trial.
IL is rumored today that one Of the men,
bers of the jury is strongly predlsposed in favor
of the defendant and that the commonwealth
knew this when the jury was being made up,
but not having the right of peremptory chal-
lenge in this state they could not shut him out
from serving. There are some who look for a
hung Jury at the least, but it is difficult of
course to say how much truth there may be in
this idea
COL HAMS RESUMES HIS TESTIMONY.
When the case was called for trial this morn
ing Col. Hams was placed on the stand again
and resumed his description OF the canoe in
which the shooting took place. Two very large
oars were in the court room leaning against the
wall and Col. Hains identified them as belong
ing in the canoe. One of them was one oil the
pair of oars used ii the canoe Tor rowing and
the other and much the heavier OF the two Was
the sculling oar that Halns Was using that at
ternoOu-
In answer to a request from Senator Voor-
hees Col Hams measured the rowing oar aid
found it to be ten feet six inches. He said it
was made of ash. while the scul was of oak.
Witness often sailed in the canoe and being
asked by Judge GOode he said il would be i'm
possible for the sal to remain constantly
emidships during calm, when the
boat was being sculled and rowed both. 1t
would flap one why or the other, and If 1t were
directly up and down the boat ii would inter-
fere somewhat with the person rowing and he
would be likely TO push il out of the way. After
Tue occurrence witness went to the boat and
eAperimented with the oar to find how quickly
il could be moved. He was seated on the star
board and with the port oar In his hand 1t took
him from one and q half to two seconds to raise
the oar to a striking position.
Judge GoCde asked if it would be possible for
the oar to remain in the row lock while the
blade WAS Ill the water.
Col. Hams said that if the boat were in mo-
ton the oar would have tendency to work
out of the row lock. though il might have been
kept in by the tide or II might possibly have
caught.
Crosse xamined by Mr.. Montague. Col.
Hams said that Thornton was born in Noyem-
Der, 1850 For the past two years defendant
had not been regularly III business on account
OF his Door health. Had been employ ed In wit
an "A a
draughtsuan, though he had no regular pro-
fesslon.
Judge Goode objected to a question as to
whether the defendant supported himself or
WAS dependent upon his iather Tor u living.
ne question was oyerruled-
Using a chair for the gunwale OF the boat
Col. Hams took the rowing oar in his hands
and showed whal the position OF a man who
was sitting on the starboard side OF Il o boat
would be II the sail was fore and aft; it would
not be possible to raise the oar directly up, but
1t could be moved around under the sail and
then lifted. Col H.Iins showing Practically how
this could be done.
THE oARLoCKs OF THE BOAT.
When further questioned by the defense Col
Hams said there was a locker i'll the boat seven
Teen inches high and that it would he posi-
Bile for a nan on the center seat by Using and
taking a steo forward 10 strike a person who
was OF the iocke 1t was eleven feet from the
beat to the locker
He was asked bv Juror what sort Of row
lcck. the boat had and answered that each
was made simply of pair OF oar pins and that
on the port side of tho canoe the att
Din was partially broken of and con-
siderabIy shorter than the other. This
would facilitate the raising OF the
our by a person in the lower part Of the boat.
The forward end OF the sprlte Is below the
combing. while there is an upward inclination
which would facilitate raising an oar.
In answer to questions from Mr. Llpscomb
Col Hains said tEat the locker upon which the
man sculling would stand was about four feet
long. which would make the distance from the
center seat to the stern Of the canoe about I'LL
teen feet.
HANS AND HASSEaAS on GOOD TERMS.