Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-14
HAMS CASE AND
CLEANER PRESS
Archbishop Farley, Banker Jacob
Schiff and Others Start Cam n.
paign for Morality.
PUBLIC COO OPERATION ASKED
No Censorship Desired but That Lib-
,linous Details OF Criminality
Be Suppressed.

New York. Dec. 14.-Witli the start
of tho Hams trial at Flushing, Il. T.,
Today. q campaign for cleaner
York with the hope Of inducing news
papers to eliminate from their columns
anything that might be suggestive or
offensive. The move has been started
BY an open letter of three prominent
men who declared that they have the
support of Archbishop Farley. Bishop
Greer, Jacob Fl, Schif, the bunker, anu
financier; Robert ". De Forest an,i
others. The cooperation of the pub
tic is invited, and while there is no de-
sire. 1t Is said, TO censor the news,
1t is believed that a campaign along
proper lines will be effective. The let
ter is signed by Mornay Williams, u
lawyer identified with church and char
table work and manager of the Evan
gelical Alliance of the United States;
Edward r. Finch, writer, lecturer
and clubman. and Charles r. McKen-
publication of "libidinous details OF
crlminality," with special reference to
the ThaW case, says:
1T is believed by good authorities
that a respectful protest presented ear
ly enough to the press by men of SEE
rious character, representing heavy re-
sponsiblities in the care of their ow,,
children or children conflded to them
by the duties of their positions in life
VIII meet with an immediate and SYM
pathetic response, resulting In sucii
careful editing of this and Simultaneous
matter. that no harm shall be done to
the reading community by indecently
offensive suggestion
CASE CALLED.
Flushing, l.. T., Dec. 14.-The trial
OF Thornton Jenkins Hams, author
and seafarer. charged with being an
accessory to the murder OF William
D. Annis. and editor. who was shot
and killed at the Bayside Yacht club
last summer by Cap. Peter Q, Hams.
Jr. commenced this afternoon before
Justice Crane in the supreme court
The small hotels were filed with
900 talesmen from whom a Jury will
be selected. Gen. Peter C, Hams, e.
2 5. A., retired, father of the brotners
now confined In Long Island TAIL fors
the Annis murder. and his son, Mai.
Hains, came up from New Yerlk City
today to attend the trial.
Justice Crane has Indicated to conn
time to try the case, and it is not
unlikely that night sessions of court
will be held Early courtroom re-
ports had it today that the defendant
would take the witness stand and tell
the story of those occurrences at Fort
Tense alleged caused Capt. Hains to
send his wife away and take the life
of Annts. In this way a foundation for
Capt: Hams defense would be laid
William p, Annis, editor of an out
ing periodical was shot and killed
while stepping from his boat to the
float of the Baysfde Yacht CLUB on
Aug. Is. by Capt. Hams While Capt.
Hams was in the Philippines n year
ago his brother Thornton. wrote him
that his wife was receiving too much
attention from Annis
The absent captain returned to Fort
Hamilton and his Wife denied the
charges Later, Mrs. Hams asserts
Gen. Hams and T. Jenkins Hains
forced a false confession from her. The
couple separa ted and Capt. Hams
brought a divorce suit. He hearing
that Annis WAS still visiting his wife,
Capt. Hnins is said to have become en-
ragged and his counsel declare that
from that time he became temporarily
insane.
In company with his brother Thorn
ton. he went to the Bayside Yacht club
last August and shot Annis five times
while Thornton waived the club meir,=
bers away with a drawn revolver.
When court convened the talesmen
drawn on the first panel which has been
protested By the defense on the ground
that it was improperly drawn. were
sent to q room below the court cham
bers, while the roll of 100 taIesne1
drawn on two subsequent panels were
called.
The rolcall of talesmen disclosed
that Charles w. Rearber, who saw the
shooting and is witness for the de III
tense. had been subpoenaed as tales
man. He was quickly excused. After
the rollcall the court adjourned until
o'clock.
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