Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-17
UNWRITTEN LAW INVOKED
Captain Hams Kills W. E. Annis,
Owner Of New York Magazine.
TRAGEDY AT SUMMER RESORT
Army Omcer shoots Alleged Destroyer
Of His Home seven Times In
Front of Crowded Club
Houne Mt Flushing.

BAYsIDE. l. l., Aug. 1~6.-Captain Peter
Conover Hams, jr, u. S. A, son Of Briga-
der General Peter Conover Hams, retired,
fired seven bullets from a revolver into
William f. Annis Of New York, owner and
publisher of Burr-McIntosh's Monthly and
other magazines, last night on the land
irg stage of the Bayside Yacht club. Annis,
whom Captain Hams brother had accused
of being improperly attentive to the cap.
tain's wife, died in the Flushing hospital
a few hours after the shooting.
A crowd of gaily dressed women and
yachtsmen. among whom were Mrs Annis,
witnessed the tragedy. Captain Hams,
accompanied by his brother, Thornton
Jenkins Hams. well known as an author
and amateur va htsmln, walked to the land
ing stage of the club as Annis and a club
member named Harway were disemhark-
ing from a boat and at once opened fire
upon Annis.
Annis attempted to get behind Harway,
but Captain Hams reached under Harway's
arm and emptied his revolver upon his
enemy. Immediately there was a commo-
ton on the club house veranda. Mrs.
Annis tainted and a dozen yachtsmen rushed
to the float to the assistance OF Annis.
Before they could get to the side of the
wounded man T. ]. Hams, the captains
brother. whipped out a revolver and threat
ened to shoot the first man who interfered.
This is an affair between these two,"
he said, calmly.
Captain Hams Surrender.
Annrs had two bullets in his abdomen,
one in his arm and two in his legs. Cap
tain Hams and his brother, neither Of who
appeared in any way disturbed, awaited the
arrival of the police on the club float and
there surrendered themselves.
Captain Hams is attached to Fort Han
cock as quartermaster, having entered the
army at the close of the Spanlsh-American
war with the rank of second lieutenant of
artillery. He is a graduate of the naval
academy IN Annapolis, but left the navy in
1904, shortly after graduation. His father,
Brigadier General Peter Conover Hams. is
a West Point graduate with a distinguished
war record. During the conflict with the
south he was several times breveted for
gallant and meritorious service. Since
then he has achieved prominence as an
engineer, having had charge of the Potomac
flats improvements and numerous works OF
harbor defense. He was made a member
of the board OF ordnance and Notifications
and Of the Nicaragua and Isthmus canal
commission.
In 1898 he was appointed brigadier general
Of volunteers, taking part in both the
Cuban and Porto Rican campaigns. He
attained the rank of brigadier general of
regulars in 1903 and was retired in July 1904.
Hams Applies for Divorce.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16.-Both Captain
and Mrs Hams nave friends in Washington,
who have kept close track of an applica-
! ton for divorce filed by the former last
June, and they recall the fact that, Cap
tain Hams eloped with his wife, a Miss
Claudia Libbey of Winthrop. Mass, in 1900,
when she was a school girl of 16. So far
as is known here. they have lived happily
together until last May. when Captain
Hams returned from a trip to the Pacific
coast on a summons from his brother. The
couple have three children, which are in
the custody of General Hams.