Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-18
dying MANS Statement
Houghton Will Repeat Victims Last
Words on Witness Stand.
MRS. HAMS WANTS CHILDREN
Expected to Take Legal Steps-Hopes
Husband Will Not Hang-Cor-
oner's Inquest to Be Held
Wednesday.

That William E. Annis adj
mitted he was paying with his life
for wrongdoing, justifying Capt.
Peter c. Hains, jr., for ven-
geance taken upon him, in the VIC
TINS dying statement to DIR.
Henry Houghton is intimated by
the physician.
The lawyer of Mrs. Hains is to
institute proceedings to secure
possession of her children for the
woman in the case. Mrs. Hains
hopes her husband will be pun
ished for killing the man she ex-
onerates and hopes to see vindi-
Gated, but does not wish him to be
hanged.
The coroner's inquest into the
Bay Side Yacht Club tragedy will
be held Wednesday night. The
jury will seek only the facts of the
killing, without probing for JUS
tifying motives.
NEW YORK. August 1s.-New light is
expected to be thrown upon the Bay
side Yacht Club tragedy at the inquest to
be held. Wednesday evening. in the town
hall at Flushing. L. l., into the death OF
William e. Annis. who was killed last
Saturday by Capt. Peter c. Hams. jr..
U.S.A.
DR.. Henry Houghton. the physician who
was at the side Of Annis when he lost
consciousness. was quoted today a. in
timating that Annis, IN his last momentss
acknowledged he was paying with his life
| for a wrong he had committed.
"He told certain things to me-" DE-.
HOughton II quoted ~ sayfng, "wh1ch
no one else heard and which i have toIo
to NO ONE. When I nm called On to tes-
tify before the corOner's Jury I Dreb.
ably VIII make It public"
That there was absolutely nothing in
the attitude Of either Of the Hainses to
indicate that they were laboring under
any delusion or any great excitement at
the time of the shooting was asserted by
the doctor.
Doctor Learned Something.
The night Of the shooting a statement
made to DR.. Houghton. in the presence
of others, by Annis. was made public.
This statement was the only one in which
Annis said he knew the reason for the
shooting. but said that he was the
wrong man.
Houghton. Annis talked more or less
freely. What he said DR.. Houghton con-
siders to have been said in professional
| secrecy. and therefore Will not make Ii
public at the present time.
DR.. Houghton said that he should con-
suit a lawyer as to the necessity for his
disclosing what Annis said to him, either
before the coroner or grand jury.
1t was learned today that Frederick l..
Norton of Boston. Mrs. Hams counsel in
the divorcee action brought by her hus-
band wud visit this city today i'm ref
erence to his clients affairs. 1t was un-
derstood that Mrs. Hams intends to take
some action toward compelling the re-
turn Of her children to her.
Wife's Confession"
Interest centers largely in the question
| as to what the nature Of the defense will
be and what evidence the Hainses can pro-
duce to substantiate their side OF the
story. Weldon c. Percy. lawyer for the
defense, admits that the alleged ''confes.
sion'' Of Mrs. Hams. which she has re-
pudiated on the ground that 1t was Sc
cured by force. would be an important
item in the defense This confession ID
now in his hands
Il intend to have T. Jenkins Hams tried
as an accessory before and during the
fact as I believe he is as guilty as his
brother" says District Attorney Darren.
lit was his letter to Capt Hams THAI
made the latter hurry home from the
Philippines and question his wife regard
ing her alleged conduct with Annis, ana
il was T. Jenkins Hams who prevented
any one from preventing Capt. Hains
from shooting Annis.
The district attorney, who Is anxious
to bring the Hams brothers to a speedy
trial. had his detectives out rooay accu-
sented at the trial. The movements or
the Hams brothers and William E. Annis,
the murdered man. for several DAYS De-
fore the shooting are being traced
One of the witnesses who VIII be sum-
moned at the trial is l.. c. Page. pub
Usher of Boston. who, il is alleged. re-
Gently received letter from I. jenkins
Hams in which the latter is said to have
written that his brother was broken
hearted by his home being destroyed by
a magazine writer.
w. c. Percy. counsel for the Hams
brothers today sent the following letter
to the warden of Queens county jail:
please let no one see Capt Hams or
his brother r. Jenkins Hams. except
their father or mother until further no.
tice. have been retained as counsel.
'W. c. PERCY. of counsel"
The warden says he will carry out the
| wishes of the lawyer.
Coroner's Inquest Wednesday.
Coroner Amber has set his inquest for
Wednesday night at 8 o'clock in the town
hall at Flushing He has called as wit
| nesses Harvey G. Rockwell. a friend OF
Annis. who was on the float at the time
of the shooting and took Mrs. Annis to his
home afterward; Charles Roberts. also on
the float: Arthur Andrews. who saw the
tragedy from but a few feet away; c. A
Burch-Field, who charged that 7. Jenkins
Hains leveled a revolver at his breast
when Burch-Field attempted to interfere:
Louis Harway. who was In Annis' half
rater Pam with Annis when the latter was
shot; Supt. Leavitt Of the Bayside Yacht
Club and the club boatman. John Tonning.
1t was OF Tonning that Annfs. lying on
like that In SwedenT' Tonning also IL
prepared to testify that Annis exclaimed
to Capt. Hains. after the shooting. "yea