The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-12-14
HA|NES TRIAL
FOR THE ANN|S
MURDER BEGUN
Thornton Jenkins Hams Charg-
ed With Being an Access
sorry Faces Jury

STORY Of The REVOLVING
crime AND ITS CAUSES
Trial Promises to Rival in Public In.
terest Any Previous Noted Hur1er
Trial-Three Hundred Talesnen
Have eBen Inpanelod Before Csut
Flushing. N. T.. Dec. 1.-THE trial
Of Thornton jenkins Hains. the an
thor and seafarer. charged with b.
ing an accessory to the murder OF
William E. Annis. the editor. who WAS
shot and killed at the Bay Side
Yacht club last summer by Captain
Potter c. Hams, Jr., commenced this
afternoon before Justice Crane In tho
supreme court. Long before the
court opened there was quite a gath
ering Of people In front Of the town
hall. General P. G. Hams. U. 8. A.,
retired, the father Of the brothers
now confined in the Long Island jail
for the Annis murder, and his son,
Major Hams, came up from New
York city today to attend the trial.
Justice Crane has indicated to coun-
Sci that week should be sufficient
time to try the case and It Is not un-
likely that night sessions Of the court
will be held to expedite It.
Story Of the Crime
combining all the elements Of
modern social tragedy, in which the
characters and situations are devel-
oped In army life, the trial promises
to rival in public interest, many of
the country's noted murder trials.
It will be charged that Thornton
Hams, armed with revolver waved
bask crowd Of club members as
Annis, who was stepping out Of his
cat boat, was fired upon five times.
Counsel for the Hams brothers, who
will set up the defense Of temporary
insanity in the trial of Capt. Hams.
which will follow that of his BROTH
er, have indicated that the defense
of Thornton Hams will be that one
may not be held as an accessory to
the act Of another who Ii temporart-
ly insane. The chief issue IN the csfs-
tain's trial will. therefore it is ex-
pected, be threshed out St the trial
opening today. 3As
Three hundred talesmen have been
impaneled to appear before Judge
Frederick Crane in the supreme court
today. District Attorney Ira Darrin
and special Prosecutor Elmer White
appear for the state and John F. Nc
Intyre former assistant district at
torney of New York county, assisted
by Joseph Shay, represent the de-
fense.
The whole story which led up to
the Staying of Annis will be unfolded
at the coming trial and the defense of
the defendants lawyers will make
the case of peculiar interest. These
attorneys declare that there Is no
case parallel with this one in criminal
Jurisprudence.
Captain Peter Hams. Jr., son Of
General Peter Hams, U. s. A., re-
tired. was sent to the Philippines In
the summer of 1908. His wife, form
erly Miss Claudia Libby of Winthrope,
Mass, remained at Fort Hamilton,
just below New York city, with her
three young children. The defense
alleges that while away, Captain
Hains received word from Thornton
Hams of his wife's conduct toward
William E. Annis, a friend of the
Hams family. Since Hains has been
in prison. a packet of letters alleged
to have been written by Mrs. Hains
to her absent husband, have been
found and these will be read into the
evidence.
The army captain returned and.
according to Mrs. Hams, upbraided
her for acts which she denied. As the
result Of an alleged confession which
Mrs. Hams states was wrung from her
under durress by General Hains, faith
er of the defendant and the husband
and brother-in-law there was sepa-
ration and Mrs. Hains returned to her
home in Massachusetts,. A suit for
divorce was instituted by Captain
Hams In Boston last June.
From statements made after the
killing, it is declared that Captain
Hains became morose and moody be-
cause of the unfortunate end Of his
marital affairs. On August Is last,
Captain Hains and his brother Thorn
ton, appeared at the Bay Side Yacht
club. Inquiry was made for Annis
and when his catboat drew alongside
the club float, Captain Hams walked
up to Annis as he was stepping on
and taking him by the arm, fired flve
shots. Annis fell into the water and
died shortly afterward.
Club members and others, 1t is al
legged, were held back by Thornton
Hains, who had drawn revolver.
The brothers surrendered after the
shooting. Their indictment for MUIR
de rsoon followed.
Since the shooting, counsel for the
defense assert that Captain Hains has
gradually recovered his mental capaci-
ty. The brothers are locked up ia :
Long Island city jail. Whether Thorn
ton Hains will be called as a witness
In his own behalf is not known.
This Is the second time that Thorn
ton Hams has faced jury under
charges Of murder. In 1891 while
canoeing with a boyhood chum, n.
Hannigan, on Fortress Monroe. he bs-
Narno 3nvn0vo6 In q u,ao S-tU..ha-a.