Evening star., 1909-05-06
SURE OF ACQU|TTAL
Thornton Hains Discusses His
Brothers Case.
PAYS VISIT TO THIS CITY
Comes Here to Escort Little Daugh-
ter to New York.
GIVES DETAILS OF HOMICIDE
Says Trouble Was Result of Charges
Cooked UP" by Annis and
Captains Wife.

| Capt. Peter 4. Hams will never be con.
vctod. The trial will end in few days.
and Capt Hains will come to Washington
Il free man."
| The foregoing is the opinion of Thorn
| ton Jenkins Hams, brother of the man
who is on trial at Flushing, l.. L., for
the shooting of William l.. Annis en-
phatically expressed to Star reporter
at the home Of Gen. Hams, SIS 18th street
northwest. today.
| Thornton Hams arrived here from New
York this morning to get his little daush-
ter Mollic. whom he took to New York
today to undergo an operation al Bellevue
Hospital.
| 81 want to make it clear that only
necessity made me leave Flushing, where
my brothers trial is going on" he re-
marked. Il shall take my little girl with
me today and be at Flushing tomorrow
| perhaps tonight
| Discusses Brothers Case.
Mr.. Hams discussed freely and dis
passionately all the features of his broth
er's trial. and told the reporter many
things concerning the shooting that have
not been and will not be brought out at
the trial That his brother was mentally
| irresponsible for some time before the
shooting, was in that condition when the
shooting occurred and is SO at the present
time is Thornton Hams firm conviction.
ITO try a man for his life when he is
| in the mental and physical condition of
| Capt. Hams at this time is outrageous
the elder of the Hams brothers declared
1 But he will go free and his friends will
see him in Washington very shortly.
The whole trouble came as the result
of charges. the foulest kind of charges.
that Annis and Capt. Hams wife cooked
| up to head off the divorce suit which
| Capt. Hams was about to bring against
his wife. The results showed that the
opposite effect was produced.
Took Charge of Captain.
$50 upset was my brother that Gen.
Hams. our father, asked me to take
| charge of him and be with him all the
| time. Capt. Hams is an experienced,
| trained and capable army officer. If he
| were in a normal condition, why should
| 1t be necessary for any one to look after
him?
I'VE had a motor boat and used to go
out together, but he became so bad
after awhile that I was afraid to go
out with him alone. fearing that he
might attack me and that the life of
one or the other of us would be en-
dangered.
ION the day of the shooting we drop
ped off at Bayside. I had no more
thought Of possible shooting than
you had. My brother and 1 were stand
ing on the float when 1 heard him ask
where Annis was Some one pointed
him. Capt. Hams is a mild man. nat
urally, but that day he looked like
maniac. He was half rattlesnake and
half wildcat. So intent was he on get
ting Annis that he actually crawled
along the float like tiger stalking his
quarry.
Annis Had Pistol in Clothes.
1T is true that Annis was in his b4th-
ing suit. but if he had worn armor plate
the captain would have got him, anyhow.
He had .45-calber machine gun, and no
human agency could have stopped him.
If Annis had been fully dressed it Is prob
able that they would have killed each
other for in his clothes that were hang
ing in a locker in the club was found
a .3O-calber revolver. This is one of the
pieces Of evidence we could not bring out
at the trial. 1t was told me by the men
who went through Annis' clothes after the
shooting.
1.-The story that held Mrs. Annis back
at the point of a revolver is not true. She
| saw the shooting. and SO did I, but she
| was on the dock and l was on the float.
We were nowhere near each other
Not Permanently Insane.
81 hardly think the prosecution will put
either Mrs. Annis or Mrs. Claudia Hams
on the stand. Mrs Annis could not rebut
anything, because there was nothing in
my testimony for her to rebut. If Mrs.
Claudia Hams were to go on the stand IT
would result in doing the prosecution
more harm than good"
Thornton Hams does not believe his
| brother permanently insane. His condi-
| ton, he thinks, is the result of what he
has gone through, and if he is acquitted
| as Mr. Hams is confident he will be, a
good rest in his opinion, will bring him
| around all right.