Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-21
To TRY HAMS
BROTHERS

Garretson presiding, to facilitate the
trial OF the Hams brothers for the
murder OF William E. Annis. Attor-
neys for Captain Peter and T. Jen-
klns Hams VIII likely attempt to
delay the trial as long as possible
and 4 is unlikely that the brothers
viii face judge and jury before next
month or November. The special
term CT court was ord cred by Cover
nor Hughes IN order that the Hams
brothers might be tried without un-
necessary delay.
Justice Garrctson. who will pre-
side at the Hams trial bears the rep
utation of having been the first
Judge to decide that both men and
women are to be judged by single
standard OF morality and that a
mans good name IS just as precious
as a woman's.
This decision was made I'm De-
cember, 1899, when he found that
Richard Able could collect $4,000
libel from his brother Max for con-
nect.ng his name with n woman not
his wife.
Judge Garretson has a clean and
fearless record. Last winter he
summoned the grand jury to probe
the Kissena Park scandals. In 1898
he blocked the attempt OF Mayor
Van Wyck TO use the East River
Bridge board for "spoils' and de-
cided that the removal of the MEM
order TO put friends in their places
was Illegal. 1t was also he who,
in 1903, inc:ted the hostility of the
saloonkeepers by asserting a sand
witch was not meal, but merely a
subterfuge to set by the letter of
the law.
He has had no large criminal
cases. The only matrimonial cas-
of importance that he has tried
was the sensational William Lawson
divorce suit in 1906.
The justice is a fine type OF the
conservative, sturdy Dutch stock
from which he comes.
With the possible exception of
the Thaw trial, the prosecution OF
the Hams brothers will doubtless
develop more sensations than any
case tried in New York courts in
years. The prosecution hints at rev.
elat ons that will shock the nation
by throwing the light of publicity
upoa tn alleged depravity existing
in army circles. Numerous detect
ives are bus.ly engaged IN unearth-
the Hams brothers attorneys also
promise many sensations.
District Attorney Darrln is pre-
pairing to combat the evidence
which the alienists for the defense
VIII produce to show that Captain
Hams was not in his right mind
when he did the shooting. There
will be four experts for the prose-
cution and an equal force for the
defense. The testimony along this
line will be strictly confined to Cap
tain Hams. Thornton Hams, 1t will
be conceded, was in full control oi
his senses on the day of the shoot
ing.
Mr.. Darrin holds to the conten
ton that Thornton Hams is the mar
behind this tragedy. He goes bach
TO the time when Captain Hams was
first notified of the alleged intrigue
between Captain Hams and Anns
Thornton Hams was the man whc
told his brother about it, Mr.. Oar
rim has followed out Thorton Hain'f
movements since the time that his
brother arrived from the West and
accused his wife. He will be prepar-
ed to show upon the trial that Capt
Hams was willing to forgive his
wife. but that Thorton Hams, acting
as the little bad man" OF the trag-
edy. urged his brother not to be-
l!eve her denials and to seek re-
venge. He will have a witness upon
the stand who will say that Thorn
ton Hams remarked after the shoot
ing, "He did just as / would have
done"
The District-Attorney is sure he
will send both men to the electric
chair. He fails to see what can saw
them. Mr.. DaTrin considers it an
easy matter to upset the evidence
the defense will bring He counts
upon Mrs. Hams to bolster up his
case. He has already communicated
with her lawyers and has their as
surance that she is willing, even
anxious, to help the prosecution.
She cares not what becomes OF her
husband, and, as for Thorton Hams,
she Is determined that he shall suf-
fer the extreme penalty OF the law
II her evidence will help toward
that end.