Evening star., 1909-04-28
TELL OF THE TRAGEDY
Witnesses Describe Shooting
of William E. Annis.
"DELIBERATE AND BRUTAL"
Attorney for Prosecution Charges
Willful Murder.
DEFENDANT Is INDIFFERENT
Makes No Response to Fathers At
fectionate Greeting-Bystanders
Tell of Scene on Float.
AND BRUTAL"
DEFENDANT IS INDIFFERENT

FLUSHING. n. Y. April 2s.-The open
ing address of the prosecution in the trial
of Capt. Peter c. Hams, jr. charged with
the murder of William f. Annis, was
made today by George A. Gregg, former
| ly district attorney of Queens county. Mr..
Gregg is now associate counsel with Dis
trict Attorney Dewitt
Before Mr.. Gregg began his presenta-
tion of the states case Justice Garretson
ruled that witnesses of state and defense
| should be excluded from the courtroom
except when testifying. District Attorney
Dewitt requested that Gen. p. C. Hains,
father of the accused, be also excluded.
but the defense objected and the court
permitted the general to remain.
Gen. Hams greeted his son with affec-
ton this morning, but the captain made
no response.
Deliberate and Brutal Murder.
| Mr.. Gregg began his opening address
| to the jury by referring to the shooting
of Annis as a deliberate and brutal muir
der in the first degree, committed with
! cold design.
| When. in describing the shooting, Mr..
1
| Thornton Hams. John F. Mcintyre, chief
counsel for the defense, objected and was
sustained by the court.
Mr.. Gregg spoke about twenty minutes
and then called George Y. Skinner civil
engineer of Flushing, as the first witness
The engineer identified some plans of the
scene of the shooting which he had pre-
pared.
Frederick G. Leavitt. a member of the
Bayside Yacht Club. testified that the
plans drawn by Mr.. Skinner were correct.
Harvey G. Rockwell, another member OF
the club, testified that he was with Annis
when the latter died.
Physician Describes Wounds.
DR. Leopold Schmuck. house physician
at the Flushing Hospital, described the
wounds in Annis' body. and his death.
The doctor said there were seven wounds,
and that each bullet went through the
body. Five bullets entered the chest and
abdomen. and two splintered the right
knee cap.
Charles H. Birchfield. the next witness,
ton j. Hams at the clubhouse prior to the
shooting. He was not allowed to relate
the conversation Oh objection by Mr.. Nc
Intyre.
Birchfeld was nearby when the shoot
ing occurred, he said, and turned in time
to see Annis fall from his boat into the
water. He saw Capt Hains. after the
shooting standing quietly on the float be-
side his brother. On crOss-examination
the witness said he did not notice the de-
| fendants appearance closely after the
shooting but he, the witness. had shouted,
For Gods sake, he is crazy
Describes Scene on Float.
Herbert Funke, who knew Annis well.
testified that he saw Capt. Hams stand
ing on the float with his arms folded and
when Annis' boat came up the captain
exclaimed:
"Annis, Annis." drew a revolver and
| mast to the float
Funke was in his boat alongside the
float, he said and when he attempted to
step ashore a revolver was pointed at
him.
Wait minute Mr.. Mcintyre direct
ed. 1.-The witness cannot state anything
about a revolver being pointed at him
| unless it was in the hands of Capt.
Hans.''
THAT is correct" Justice Garretson
ruled
After Annis was taken out of the water
and lay on the float mortally wounded,
Funke testified. he heard Annis say: ooh.
captain. you have made awful mis-
AXE. and that Capt. Hams replied;
! Maybe | have. but ! don't think So
Hams Presents His Card
The witness said Mr.. Downs. another
member of the yacht club. approached
Capt. Hains after the shooting and asked
him who he was. Capt. Hains promptly
handed a card to Mr.. Downs, saying:
| Here is my card" the witness testified
On cross-examnation Mr. Mcintyre
asked Funhe If he noticed Capt. Hams
appearance just after the shooting
Did you notice that the captains
face was pale, his eyes bulging and his
mouth twisting" Mr.. Mcintyre asked.
No: did not" the witness replied.
Funke testified that he saw the captain
standing calmly on the float with his
arms folded. watching the boats just be-
fore Annis boat came in.
Club Member Tells of Tragedy.
Edwin Andrews. jr., member of the
BaSside Yacht Club. who was in a boat
near the landing when the shooting oc-
CURED. described the tragedy.
Justice Garretson ruled that the witness
should refrain from repeating anything
, that he heard Thornton j. Hains say
Mr.. Andrews testified on cross-examina-
tion that Capt. Hams paced rapidly up
and down the feat after the shooting and
remained there for three quarters of an
hour. until the police came. He did not
hear the captain S exclamation to which
the other witnesses testified and heard no
one OH the float remark that Capt Hains
was crazy. lie said he saw Thornton
Hains take hold of his brothers wrist
as he walked back and forth as if feeling
for his pulse
Mr. Andrews was on the stand when
| the court took the usual midday re-
cess.