Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-05-07

Flushing. N. Y, May General
Peter c.. Hams. retired. the aged ia
Their Of Peter G., Hams, ir.. who is on
trial for the murder of william f..
Annis. was the first witness for the de-,
Tense today.
While his father was testifying the
prisoner sat with his face toward the
Jury n paid no attention to him.
General Haines testified that he dis
covered early in h captains life that
the boy was suffering from excessive
nervousness. He said that he graduated
at the naval academy at Annapolis in
1898, but did not enter the naval serv-
ice on account OF defective eyesight.
he described the ConduCt OF Claudia
Hains toward her husband, the captain,
during their early marriage as that Of
a loving wife" He said that they
were very happy until 1908.
Queer" in Campaign.
During the Porto Rican campaign.
h captain, her a lieutenant of artil-
lery, was a member Of his command.
the general said. and they all suffered
excessively from the sultry and bad
climate Of the islands.
Describe your sons conduct at the
battle OK G~uayama," said Mr.. McIn-
tyre.S
He was always getting in my way
on the firing line" replied the witness.
and when [ old him To get away he
said / had no right to wear that big
white helmet on the firing line. Then
! told him | would have TO put him in
the ranks If he did not stop bothering
me-"
Reverting to the cartier years Of the
defendants life the general said he
would fly into a passion when contra
dlcted and was subject to violent night
mares. He fell into the hatchway Of
the steamer Pharos when he was u
years old. striking on his head, and for
4 long time afterwards suffered from
nervous excitement and depressing
headaches. Slight noises always ex-
cited the boy and made him turn pale,
the father said. At 4 years of age he
suffered and stammered very badly.
This lasted for 10 years, when he finally
recovered from the affiction.
Conduct Was Loving.
General Hams said the conduct of
h captain and his wife toward each
other prior to September Z. 1907. was
loving and exemplary.
General Hams said that his son on
the iatter's return from the Philippines
asked hin If he (the father believed
the reports about the captains wife.
4 kDbu Ah"l oliS hdd btVh d" dN lpI
a week ard nobody, not even the serv-
ants knew where she was. and when
she returned said she was in bed a week.
The captain Censured me for not let
ting him know about these things and
said he wanted men to help him inves-
tigate and settle it. We can go to
the country where Claudia said she had
been II find out II it was true said
the captain"
The general said his son was greatly
excited ut that time, but would not
say his condition was irrational.
District Attorney Dewitt objected to
the examination of General Hams in
regard to the alleged intidelity of the.
captains wife, and Judge Garretson
ruled that the wife's infdelity could
not be proved until the evidence of
prior insanity in the defendants case
had beer established. After getting
General Hams to say his father died
from 'seniie insanity Mr.. Mcintyre
excused the witness.
Genera Hams testified that he told
Claudia Hams. after she made the con-
fcssion that she would have to go to
her mother II asked Claudia why she
had done This thing. and she said she
did not know. unless it was that she
loved Annis and he loved her"