New-York tribune., 1908-11-08
HAMS ~DOPED" BROTHER
TRIED TO SAVE 4NNIS.
Thornton Says He Would Haze
PreDented Killing By Captain.

-no-n+on Jenkins Hams. in his cell in the queens
County jail yesterday. made statement in winch
Re gave additional details Of the circumstances
Immediately preceding and leading up to the Kill
.1r OF William 2 Annis by his brother. Captain
Peter c Hams. jr- al Bayside, Long lstaIlo say
ing that on the night that Mrs Hams confessed
20 tne captain her alleged relations with Ahnis
he gave his brother chloral and put him 10 sleep
for tvsenty-four hours The captain olo MOI
.~aken until after Annis had been at the f"rt
This he did Hains said 10 keep his brother from
shooting Aunis as the captain knew Of the IN
,-nde5 visit and had expressed n desire % see
Annis-
Tho-n+or Hams was present IT the time ct the
-. - Tss,-si7e and Is charged with having
,x.ss-,f +:s brother in the commission Of the
crime by holding of at the point OF reN7Ne'
members Of the Bayside Yacht Cirn VINO hao d.
,.-nn;ed 10 60 10 the assistance OF Annls- bo'h
,o,he-s are under Indictment for murder in the
first degree
while Thornton Hains. unshaven- conariess and
With q strand Of rope about his waist doing duty
so- : belt vas relating his grim story. the Cap
tain sauat and unBernpt. stood less than ten feet
susv his long rlonkish bathrobe trailing the floor
his ewes staring hxedly at the white walls OF his
r-ison He took part in the conversation
There have been many untruths circulated
concerning Peter and myself, said Thornton
rlains that ask to be set right in the eyes
ef the world I am not a desperate and neither
Is Peter
.-on the day OF the shooting imagined Annis 10
he IN Mount Vernon. Neither Peter nor had any
idea that we would run across him at Bayside
Ever since the terrible night when my brothers
wife admitted her wrongdoing with Annis. had
been Peters constant companion General Hams
feared that Peter would kill himself and so ne
gave him over into my keeping. I took him with
me 20 live and in order 10 take his mind on MS
troubles took him out with whole days at a
time cruising in & little motor boat had
Thornton Hairs then told OF his plan 70 buy q
site along the water son1e-here and this led him
For5 g--a7 coins
boat he said but at the last moment he found
that MS sasolene supply was short and ne ana ms
brother went by train
They have made much Of the fact that went
armed he continued '.As far Peter is con-
cerued I did not know he had gun with him 1t
was not until after he had used it on AnTis that 1
realized the situation As for me, the gun had
s-th me IS the same carried for fourteen years
Most Of ny life has been spent al sea, where priH-
tive passions rule where in their cups need
more than words 10 subdue them
They have also said that when arrived at the
YACHT club our first move was TO ask where Annis
was There vas never anything said farther from
he truth We had not been the ground long.
however before the name OF Annis came 10 our
ears That was the first linking had that Annis
might be there and not al Mount Vernon, where
believed him 70 be 7 Immediately began TO urge
Peter 70 come away He could not be persuaded
however and after while gave up trying. Had
known shat Peter was armed and that he con-
re-1pIzted killing Annis would have been more in
sistent- and could. perhaps, have prevented the
tragedy.
1t vas SO unexpected however, and If all hap
rened SO quickly that povverIess TO interfere
As soon as Anns came Up 10 the float Peter opened
fire L was over N a second. a dozen men made
z rush for him. and 7 the big Swede boatr1an
grab him by throat and swing his fist 70 strike
hin L was then pulled my gun
u certainly had feelings Of affection or re
gard for Anuis. but I had saved him from being
shot by Peter once before, and would have done
sc again had had the chance
The night that Peters wife made the written
acknowledgements Of her misconduct with Annis she
asked that get wcrd 70 Annis Of what had hap
pened. Annis vas expected at the fort the next
She wrote the letter and gave it 10 me to mail.
Peter had seen her give the letter, however,
and guessed 70 whom il was addressed Before
c5uid rernorstrate with him he had torn It open
and read its contents II said All is between
Peter and ne He knows everything Don't come
Tomorrow Peter put the letter II his pocket and
said. 7 want him 10 come I have something TO
say 70 him From MS tone 7 knew that he meant
- shoot Aunis on sight
r determined that the only way TO prevent
meeting between the two TO drug Peter.
vent 70 D. Wilson. The post surgeon and got him
70 give ne q double dose OF choral. When got
back 70 the house : persuaded Peter TO take It.
keeping him IN ignorance OF what IL was When
Auuis cane the next day Peter still under the
influence OF 5he oriate. Annis Peters wife
and left again for New York Twenty minutes
after ne had gone Peter awoke-"