Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-08-26
ANNIs INQUEST AT FLUSHING.
rhe Coroner's jury Holds Hams Bro
theirs Responsible.

lHdC WIN. II. AnnlS, who was killed
last Saturday at Bayside, Long Is
land, came to his death as the result
.? pistol shot wounds inflicted by
Capt. Peter G. Hams, Jr., U. S. A.,
aided and abetted by Thornton Jenk-
ins Hams, his literary brother.
Ihere was greater crowd than
the little court room in the Town
Hall at Flushing could hold when the
inquest began, and hundreds of men
and women awaited the verdict out
side, although the defense and pro-
secution did not consider the inquest
Of much Importance, since Capt.
Hams admits the shooting, and as
there were many, witnesses to it.
When the jurymen filed into the
room and the foreman announced
the verdict there was demonstra-
ton. Major John Powell Hains. who
came here from Chicago to stand by
his brothers, and who was sitting
beside Capt. Hams, gripped his bro
ther by the arm and whispered words
OF encouragement, assuring him that
the inquest would have but little
bearing on the case.
In the excitement crowd gath
cred around Capt. Thornton Jenkins
Hams and began to question him as
to the tragedy in which he played
such an important part. He was
asked If he felt justified in holding
a crowd at bay with revolver while
his brother shot down Annis. Be-
fore Hams could reply John F.. Nc
lntyre, chief counsel for the broth
ers, rushed to his side and shouted:
No, no, don't answer that question"
In his effort to prevent Hains from
ancworinp a no 10 ~, HI
hands over his clients mouth and
was probably just in time to prevent
the prisoner from committing him
self.
Nine Shots were Fired.
Only two witnesses were called.
They were Charles H. Robert, of
Flushing, who testified that he was
standing on the club house float
when he heard the report of pis-
tol shot and saw Capt. Hains in a
kneeling position, clinging to the
dropping body of Annis as he emp,
tied the contents Of his revolver into
1T, and Physician Walter G. Prayer,
who testified that Annis came to his
death from the bullet wounds. DR..
Prayer said that there were nine in
itial wounds, which would indicate
that the Captain fired nine shots.
In cross-examining Mr.. Robert,
Lawyer Mcintyre asked him If Capt.
Hams had finished shooting when he
tried to go to his aid and was stop
ped by Thornton Hains, who held a
revolver in his face. The witness
ceased, and that he would have had
time to interfere had not Thornton
Hams prevented him.
Prior tO giving his taStimnny Mr.
Robert was asked to identify the
prisoners. When he pointed to Capt.
Hams as the slayer, the Captain put
his hands over his face and seemed
to be greatly excited.
Mr.. McIntyre's Statement.
Before the inquest John F. McIn-
tyre, chef counsel for the Hains
brothers, made the following state
ment to the Associated Press repre-
Sentative:
I'm answer to the statement made
by Mrs. Hams that she was made to
sign a confession while under the in
fiuence Of drugs, | wish to say that
my clients and their distinguished
father have told me that there were
four witnesses present when the con
fession was made, one of them beirS
a prominent New York lawyer. These
witnesses will testify at the trial. I
am also told that Mrs. Hains talked
to several persons regarding the in
ctdents related in the confession
some time before she made it, and
these persons will also be witnesses.
When Capt. Hams was called
back from the Philippines he ques-
toned his wife regarding rumors he
had heard about her, and he became
convinced that his suspicious about
her were wrong. Later, he said,
facts developed which made him de-
mand the confession from his wife,
and she made it.
Capt. Hams denies that he sent
letters to Annis challenging him to a
duel. Stories to this effect are alb
surd.
What unbalanced Capt Hains's
mind We're the counter-charges made
by Mrs. Hains in a suit she filed in
answer to his suit for divorce. Capt.
Hams believed the statements made
by Mrs. Hams in the counter suit
were dictated by Annis.
Statement by Major Hains.
Major John Powell Hains also
made statement to the Associated
Press before the inquest. He was
asked If he thought his brother was
justified in shooting Annis without
giving him a chance to protect him
self.
81 can best answer that question
by recalling an incident that happen
ed to me at Fort Riley" he said. 81
was about 70 put on my boot one
morning when | found q snake in 1t.
] quickly drew my revolver and shot
the snake. 1t is the same with my
brother, l don't believe he should
have given Annis chance"
Knowing what you do of the case,
would you do the same thing?" he