The Washington times., 1908-10-29
LAYS ANNIS' DEATH
ATATTORNEY'S DOOR
I. Jenkins Hams Issues Re
markable Statement De-
tending Self.
BITTERLY ASSAILS
HIS BROTHERS WIFE
Declares That Her Lawyer Caused
the Killing-Draws Dra-
matte Picture.

hsaliC lCluIC.
NEW YORK, Oct st. jenkins
Hams, charged. with his brother, with
the murder OF William r. Annis, has
written and signed a remarkable state
ment defending himself and his brother
The doc. ment was written by him tn
mis- cell n he Queens county jail.
In it. he bitterly assaIs Claudia Z.
Hams, his brothers wife, and defends
himself as 2 man Of whom his family
is proud. With his skill as a trained
writer OF magazine articles and books.
ne dramatically describes how he guard
ed over Captain Hams. doing his duty
as a brother and a faithful son.
Although declaring he has no harsh
word for his brothers wife. he pictures
her as unremOrseful, calm, and dsliber-
ate in confessing her wrOngdoing.
With bold statement, he lays the fate
OF Annis at the door OF the lawyer for
Mrs. Hams. In his attack upon this
man. the attorney who handled Mrs.
Hams defense OF the divorce action
brought against her, the indicted man
displays most pronounced animus.
The story, one OF the most remarkable
ever penned by a man awaiting trial
for his life. follows:
By 7. JENKINS HAMS.
OF course it is useless TO deny that I
am amazed at being in Jail 10 be tried
for murder. I am also surprised at the
wonderful des' ription OF myself given
out by Mrs. Hams attorney. After
living for the most part OF the last
fifteen years in touch with New York.
l ind I am described as a man-eater.
beach-COmbes, and other pretty things,
all instiga ed by this attorney, who Is
the real murderer OF Annis, and who
told me 4 short time back that he
would "wads through blood 20 gain his
ends"
His desperate attempts TO try and
fastsn every crime known 10 criminal
history upon me at first amused me
Then when a grand jury, whose fore
man was a life long friend Of tlie
Annis fami y, came inJo~the game and
indicted ne the affair became serious
indeed, as Il showed plainly what might
be accomplished under the guise OF law
and justice / hnd myself accused Of
the crime OF murder, also I find that 1
am expected TO rant and roar about
like lien in c cage to fulfill my part
of this drama.
Appreciated at Home.
Ny friends are astouished az the turn
Of AFFAIRS. and are lost in wonder at
the depths OF crime that may be COM
mitted by a desperate attorney gnder
the name Of law. I am painted as a
black sheep OF the family. and accused
Of the most impossible things.
IN the first place. my family are Just
a bit proud Of me. / have never done
a single thing IN my entire life they
don't approve Of. / never ran away 10
sea In the romantic manner IL seems
necessary for a sailor and a navigator
70 do in order 70 be like the lads In
the story books.
No; my father placed me in my first
ship, and I followed my calling without
any particular incident, outside Of those
which usually fall TO a sailors lot. Ny
father and 1 have always been the
best of friends, and my dear old mother
has been devoted 10 me, even now tax
ing care of my little orphaned daugh-
ter. / have never been a beach-comber,
and don't AnOW exactly what a beach
cOmber IS, and for the past fifteen
years my life has been so busy I never
have had time to find out.
His Writings.
During those years. have contributed
more to marine and nautical literature
than any other living man II the c0un-
try. and my life has been that Of a
recIuse- Ny numerous works have been
adopted in the public schools OF many
States and most OF them BY the United
States navy as standard works, and
the hundreds OF articles on navigation
and seamanship. together with many
stories to illustrate the mode Of life
at sea, are too well known TO educated
people to call for comment 1 have
written and contributed 10 nearly every
first-class magazine in the United
States and England. and much OF my
work has been translated into French
and German.
Just how a "beach-comber" should
find time TO attend to his work on
the beach" while writing 10 this ex-
tent leave TO the intelligent reader to
guess. I think they viii agree with
me that If this imaginative attorney
would turn his talents into honorable
and decent channels he might do bet
ter.
In regard TO his client, Mrs. Hams. I
have nothing TO say. / never had a
harsh word with her, never saw her
alone twice in the past four years and
her attempts ta drag NE. into a quarrel
description that all her letters are for
geries and distorted.
No. there can be little said in regard
to a woman who * irylng To hang her
husband, the father of her ChiiCFeu-tlIs
poor br0ken-hesTted husband who went
mad and killed her lover
l never charged her with any crime
j never made any accuss tions against
her IL any letter. My attorneys have
the only letter I wrote to Pete while
he was away. and there is no charge
OF any kind in It
OF her crime. she confessed II to Pete
before I even knew he had returned.
Pete came TO my home and tore into
my house like g cyclone the morning
after I don't get lachTymose easily.
but / did cry with the horror OF the
poor soldiers condition
For hours l could get nothing coherent
from him, but finally went with him
back 90 the fort, where General Hams
was waiting. / have already described
the tragic scene that evening. How the
old general took the lamp from the par
lOT table and left the three of us in
darkness. while he went upstairs and
asked Mrs. Hams II she would come
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