The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-05
AGED MOTHER Of
HAMS ON STAND
Tells of Prenatal Influences
That May Have Tended to
Produce Insanity.
OVERCOME AT TIMES
BY TERRIBLE STRAIN
Declares Sons Actions We're
Irrational Previous to His
Shooting of Annis.

fLUSillNG. II. j., May 9.-MrS- v IT.
ginia IIains, the aged mother of Capt
Peter c, Hains. IL. came to Flushing
today to testify in her sons behalf at
Capt. Hains's S trial here for the killing
Of William f. Annis Mrs. IIains is in
feeble health
Effort to show that Capt. Hains had,
prior to the shooting of Annis, acted
jrrationally was continued by the de-
feuse at today session. DR.. Hugh ~
Rodden. formerly connected with the
Queens county hospital. said that he
considered The captain S manner and
speech at times irrational.
Mrs. Hams, appearing quite feeble,
was assisted finally to the witness stand
She glanced at Capt. Hams as she
passed by him i'll the courtroom. but
there was no sign of recognition in the
defendant S face. Mrs Hams S hair is
almost white. She spoke distinctly, but
appeared a little nervous when she be.
gan her testimony.
Pre- Natal Influence.
Mrs. Hains said she had been subject
to dizzy spells for several years
previous to her son birth She told
how Capt Hams suffered from night
mare when he was and 3 years old.
lie would spring up in bed and Cry out,
she said He suffered and stammered
in his speech until he was 10 years old,
she said.
Mrs Hams related the story of the
accident, when her son. at the age of
years. fell down the hatchway of
the lighthouse tender Pbaros. She said
her son suffered from severe headaches
for long time afterward.
The mother s voice trembled and
tears came into her eyes as she spoke
looked at Justice Garretson.
"6ou are doing very well,' he said,
reassuringly.
Coming down to June, 1905, Mr.. Nc
Iptvre asked the witness 10 tell the
jury how her son looked and acted when
he visited her home in Washington,
Mothers Memory Fails.
"I cannot You must know T have
had an awful shock, and / cannot re-
member anything as III other days, -
replied Mrs. Hains.
The court encouraged her to do her
best, and sobbing quietly, she said;
''He looked SO worn and tired aud
haegard when he first came into the
house, and dazed. as if he did not know
where he was He did not pay any at
tenticn to me until ] threw my arms
around his neck Then he said: Ism t
it awful wife and home and my little
children are all ruined. -;
HWhat else did your son say at that
timc9" asked Mr.. Mcintyre.
'sHe had some insane idea of US
breaking up our home and caring for
his children. He said we could board
with them, and when [ told him we
were TOO old TO break up our home, and
did not have money enough to board,
he shouted, Stop that, stop that, stop
that -
Mrs Hans persisted in injecting ir
relevant impressions into her testimony,
and Judge Garretson cautioned her not
to do so. Turning to him, she said:
"'Oh, can't I do that?"
Under cross examination by Mr.. De
witt, Mrs. Hams broke down complete
lv, and had to be excused from the
stand She was led sobbing from the
courtroom as Justice Garretson ordered
short recess. after which Mrs Hnins
again took the stand.
Midnight Escapade.
Emile Hess, an automobile salesman,
who formerly had garage III Brooklyn,
testified that Capt, Hains was at hls
garage in juno last, and asked him
what he knew about Mrs. Hams aud
Annis. The witness said be told the
captain that Mrs. llains had called UP
the garage one morning at ! o'clock
and asked him to come TO Nineteenth
street and Fourth avepnc, Brooklyn.
With her ear He found her there with
Annis, took them back TO the garage
and offered TO take Mrs. Haius to her
home mt Fort Hamilton. Mrs. Hams is
alleged TO have said:
EEYou don t think | am fool enough
TO go home at this hour in the morning.
do vou,' and she and Annis left the
garage together. the witness said. Hess
said he told Capt Hains that Apnis
and Claudia Hams had left the garage
in the Haips ear on several different
occasions. The captain acted IRA
tonalJy while he was relating these
things to him. the witness said.
Mother Is Overcome.
In the history of how Peter would
walk about tho bouse recting the
first verse Of Kipling's Vampire,
and then suddenly break out singing |
and CRYING alternately, Justice Garrett I
state merely her own impressions, and |
ordered some Of her testimony stricken |
out
This was too much for Mrs. Haius. |
aud she broke down and sobbed for sew
cral minutes. Some of the jurors I
seemed much aecied
Mrs, Hams, later. said she was not |
positive Peter was insane when he was
in Washington. aud again at Fort Ham
ilton, where she had many conversations
with him.
The witness broke down again and
court was ad iourned until tomorrow.