The San Francisco call., 1908-08-20

AS HAMS
IS HELD
Spectators Start a DemOnstra.
ton When COrOner's Jury
Returns Verdict
Brothers Charged With Murder
OF Annis Not Popular With
the Public Ia
Counsel Says Witnesses to
Wife's Confession Will Ap-
pear at the Trial
Wife of Captain Eager to Be-
come RecOnciled to the
Father of Her Children
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL


NEW YORK, Aug. 19.-Captain
Peter c. Hams and Thornton Jenkins
Hains were held jointly responsible
for the death of William E. Annis, and
committed to the Queens county Jail
without bail tonight by a coroner's
jury. Spectators who filed the town
hall in Flushing to its capacity started
demonstration, which was taken up
by the crowds outside who had been
unable to get seats in the building.
Handclapping and other expressions
were increasing, when Coroner A. F. :
Amber raped sharply on the bench
and demanded order.
mo applause. gentlemen" he shout
ed, and signaled to a dozen policemen
stationed In the courtroom to enforce
obedience of the order. Captain Hams
heard the verdict with bowed head. He
had not changed his attitude OF dejec-
tion from the time he entered the room.
leaning wearily on his brothers arm OBJ
closing his eyes. His brother was OBJ
viously aroused by the verdict. and be-
fore entering an auto in which the
prisoners were taken to jail said: Il am
guilty of no crime. do not regret the
part took"
CHECKED BY ATTORNEY
DO you mean you would do the same
thing over again under similar circum-
stances?' he was asked He stirred
himself energetically to reply when his
counsel John F. Mcintyre, interposed:
mo, no. not a word, Hains. You mean
that you have done nothing wrong
Only two witnesses were called at
the inquest. They were Charles H.
Roberts of Flushing, who testified that
he was standing on the clubhouse float
when he heard the report OF a pistol
shot and saw Captain Hains in a kneel-
ing position clinging to the dropping
body of Annis as he emptied the con-
tents of his revolver into him. and Cor
oner's Physician Frey. who testified
that Annis came to his death from the
bullet wounds.
CHECKED INTERFERENCE
Roberts said that he would have had
time to interfere had not Thornton
Hains prevented him.
Mcintyre asked him if he had noted
the expression in the eyes OF Thornton
Hams at the moment, but before the
question could be answered District At
torney Daring objected and was sus-
tanned.
Prior to his giving his testimony
Roberts was asked to identify the pris-
oners- When he pointed out Captain
Hams as the slayer the army officer
put his hands over his face and seemed
to be greatly excited. This caused
cornmotion IN the court, for he has
heretofore remained wholly unper-
turbed. apparently.
Before going out one Of the jurymen
demanded that additional witnesses be
called, but the coroner refused to COM
ply.
WITNESSES TO CONFESSION
Before the inquest Mcintyre, chief
counsel for the Hams brothers. made
the following statement:
In answer TO the statement of Mrs
Hams that she was made TO sign
confession under the influence Of drugs.
1 wish to say that my clients and their
there were four witnesses present when
the confession was made. one Of them
being a prominent New York lawyer
These witnesses viii testify at the
trial I am also told that Mrs Hains
talked to several persons regarding the
incidents related in the confession
some time before she made the state
ment. and these persons viii be wit
nesses.
When Captain 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 were
wrong. Later. he said, facts developed
which made him demand the confession
from his wife, and she made It,
Captain Hams denies that he sent
letters TO Annis challenging him TO
duel Stories 70 this effect are absurd.
What unbalanced Captain Hams
mind was the counter charges made BY
Mrs Hains in a suit she filed in answer
to his suit for divorce. Captain Hams
believed the statements made by Mrs
Hams in the counter suit were dictated
by Annis
MAJOR DEFENDS BROTHER
Major John P Hams made a state
ment prior to the inquest He was
asked II he thought his brother was
justified in shooting Annis without Civ
ing him chance 10 protect himself
Il can best answer that question by
recalling an incident that happened TO
me at Fort Riley" he said Il was
about to pun on my boot one morning.
when 1 found snake in it, i quickly
drew my revolver and shot the snake.
It is the same with my brother. I do
not believe he should have given Annis
a chance"
Knowing what you do about the
case would you do the same thing7'
he was asked
I most certainly would" he answered
emphatically-
is it true. as the district attorney