The Detroit times., 1909-04-13
MRS. HAMS MAY N
GIVE TESTIMONY
Wife of VIM. E. Annis' Slayer Fears
Silence Will Blast Her Reputa-
ton Forever.

NE WYORK, Notwithstanding that
her reputation may be blasted forever
IL she remains silent. Mrs. Claudia
Libby Hams may appear as a witness
against her husband, Capt. Peter c.
Hams. Jr, when he Is placed on trial
before Justice Garretson In the SUI
preme court in Flushing. l.. l.. a week
from yesterday. FOR the killing OF VIII
liam L. Annls at the Bayside Yacht
club on the afternoon OF Aug. Is last.
Distrlct-Attorney Dewitt. Of Queens
county. and petective-Lieut. John A.
Butler went To Boston and had talk
with Mr.. Hams.
With divorce proceedings pending
against her and her three small chill
dren In the custody OF her husbands
parents. II Is argued Mrs. Hams can.
not permit stories about her friendship
for Annis to go unchalleneed. and the
desire 20 clear her name and regain
possession OF her children may bring
her to Queens county when the Cap
tain Is placed on trial.
Before he started for Boston Dis
trict-Attorney Dewitt sent out sum-
monses for ten OF the most important
witnesses for the prosecution 10 meet
him in his Office In Long Island City.
Among those summoned were Mrs.
Helen Annis, widow OF the murdered
man: Charles II. Roberts. Harvey G.
Rockwell, Merle Downs, Edwin An
drews, Herbert Funke, John c. Stew
- a 70
and Frederick Leavitt, all eyewitness
es OF the shooting.
John F Mcintyre, chief counsel for
I. Jenkins Hams when the novelist
was tried, will have full charge OF the
captains case. He will be assisted by
Eugene y. l.. Young, former assist
ant district-attorney OF Queens county
who, aided Mr.. Mcintyre in the first
trial Joseph A. Shay. who figured In
the defense OF T. jenkins, but Is now
under indictment in Manhattan. will
not appear in the case. Daniel O'Reil-
ly has been retained in his staed.
District-Attorney Dewitt intends to
retain a prominent criminal lawyer to
assist him.
IL cost Queens county about $4,000
10 try +. jenkins Hams for alleged
taxpayers are wondering how much Il
Is going to cost them 70 get rid OF the
captain. II the testimony OF those who
daily come in contact with Captain
Hams counts. il will be hard task to
prove he is In a normal frame OF mind
Jailors and keepers assert his mental
condition is worse now that II was
when he was arrested. Men who come
T. "a ha n
have TO watch him continually and
never feel safew it'll him.
Justice Garretson will preside at the
trial. Judged by his rulings in other
cases. II is not deemed likely ne VIII
take kindly to either the 'unwritten
law" or to the plea that the defendant
was insane at the time Of the commits
sion OF the crime and that he has
since regained his normal mental ba.-
ance. The getting oil a jury Is one Of
the hardest tasks confronting both
sides. Unpleasant notoriety still at
taches 10 the members OF the jury
which acquitted T. jenkins Hams. Be-
sides II would lie hard TO find man
in Queens county who mas not dis
cussed the tragedy In all Its phases.
II was regatta day at Bayside Yacht
club in Queens on Aug. 10 last, when
Capt. Hams and his brothered went t.
that place ostensibly to find real es-
tate agent. They say 1t was their In
curry for him that led them to the
Yacht CLUB. OF which Annis was a mem
Der. Anuis was nearing he float on
his sallboat Pam, when Capt. Hams
stepped forward on the noat and
opened fire with an automatic maga-
zine revolver. The lower part OF An
mis- body was riddled, and he died
soon afterward in the Flushing hospi-
tai. Mrs. Annis, who stood near the
float saw her husband killed.
The Hams brothers were indicted
for murder In the first degree, and I.
eJnkins was placed on trial In Deem
Der last The trial extended over into
January, when he was acquitted.