The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-12-12
DENIES HIS GUILT
MOST EMPHATICALLY
Annis Was at Baysde on the Day
Of the Shootng-Had Saved Annis
from Death Before.
Hearst News Service.

%NN" ~ NV A-' MI hNOAA
Jenkins Hams, novelist, whose name
appears on the covers of many blood
thirsty stories of crime and carnage
and sudden death, will himself soon
be called to face judge and jury in a
trial for his life. Indicted with his
brother, Captain Peter c. Hams, Jr.,
for the murder of William E. Annis,
the novelist is to appear in the Queens
county supreme court at Flushing on
Monday to answer for the crime. Dis
tinguished attorneys will conduct his
defense, and may attempt to secure
delay in the trial of the case. Gen
real Peter c. Hams, father of the ac-
cused man, has rallied to his aid
hundreds of his army friends, and
there will be no lack of money to fight
the case to the end, if necessary.
For months District Attorney Oar
rim has been collecting evidence to be
used in the prosecution of the Hams
brothers, and it is promised that rev.
Citations will be made which will far
surpass, in sensation, those Of the
Thaw trial. The term of Mr.. Darrin
expires at the end of the year, and
he will fight any attempt to secure
further delay in the trial of the case.
1t is stated that Mrs. Peter Hams,
whose alleged confession of intimacy
with Annis drove her husband mad
and led to the Staying of the wrecker
of his home, will not attend the trial
and will not be called as a witness.
In interviews given out, she has ex-
pressed great bitterness against T.
Jenkins Hams, and has charged him
with responsibility of the crime.
Thornton Hams was present at the
time of the shooting and is charged
with having assisted his brother in the
commission of the crime by holding
off at the point of a revolver members
OF the Bayside Yacht Club, who had
attempted to go to the assistance of
Annis. Both brothers are under in
dictment for murder in the first de-
gree.
Thornton Hams denies that he had
any knowledge of the presence of
Annis at Bayside on the day of the
tragedy or that he interferred in any
way to prevent others assisting Annis.
On the contrary, he alleges that he
watched his brother constantly in an
endeavor to prevent him from doing
any rash deed. The defense which
will be offered is indicated in the fol-
lowing authentic interview with
Thornton Hams:
ION the day of the shooting. I
imagined Annis to be in Mount Yer
non Neither Peter nor had any
idea that we could run across him at
Bayside. Ever since the terrible night
when my brothers wife admitted her
wrongdoing with Annis, 1 had been
Peters constant companion. Gener.
al Hams feared that Peter would kill
himself so he gave him over into
my keeping. took him with me to
live in order to take his mind off his
trouble, took him out with me whole
days at a time, cruising in little
motor boat I had"
Thornton Hams then told OF his
plan to buy a site along the water
! somewhere and this led him to Bay
side.
"They have made much of the fact
that we went armed" he continued.
"As far as Peter is concerned did not
know he had gun with him. 1t was
not until after he had used it on An
mis- that realized the situation. AS
for me, the gun l had with me is the
same carried for fourteen years.
Most Of my life has been spent at
sea, where primitive passions rule and
where men in their cups need more