Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-04
BROTHER Of HAMS
ON WITNESS STAND
DEFENSE HAS DECIDED TO CALL
AGED MOTHER OF CAPT. Pc
TER C. HAMS AS ITS LAST WIT
NESS IN GREAT MURDER CASE.

FLUSHING, \. Y, May S.-with Major
John P. Hams, the defendants brother.
on the witness stand, the third week Of
the trial Of Captain Peter c. Hams, Jr.,
for the killing of William E. Annis, open
ed in the supreme court here today.
John F. Mcintyre. chief counsel for
Captain Hams. concluded the direct ex-
animation of the witness by having him
identify the round-trip ticket coupons
which Thornton Hams testified he had
bought for the defendant and himself the
day they visited Bayside and Annis was
shot. The witness said Thornton Hams
had showed them to him several times af-
ter the tragedy.
According to present plans the defense
will call Mrs Virginia Hams. the mother
of the defendant, as their last Witness
She is expected to tell of the eccentricities
Of Captain Hams as a child.
District Attorney Dewitt began his
cross-examination of Major Hams by ask
ing him about the first interview he had
with the defendant after the latter's re-
turn from the Philippine Islands. The
district attorney went into this converse
ton in detail again with the view of
showing that each separate act of the
defendant at that time was not necessar-
fly irrational.
Major Hams was then excused:
Saw Annis Kiss Mrs. Hams
Emma Lavelle, colored domestic
employed in Captain Hams home dur
ing 1907 and 1908, was then called as a
witness by the defense. She first met
Captain Hams with his brother, Thorn
ton. at Fort Hamilton in June, 1908, the
witness saiu.
testified. that it was too bad the cap
taln's home was broken up, and Thorn
ton said, Yes. and l want you to tell
me all you know about it, told Thorn
ton Hams that / saw Mr.. Annis in Cap
tain Hams home with his arms around
Mrs. Hams. and kissing her. and when
Mrs. Hams saw me she said, Emma,
this is my affinity"
The witness testified that Annis made
frequent visits to the captains home
while the captain was in the Philippines.
she said:
The way they carried on was some
thing dreadful. They would stay up all
night and drin6 and act ridiculous"
The witness told of a quarrel between
Mrs. Hams and Annis, during which
Mrs. Hams saiu:
10 - with your wife. Am I not
more to you than she is?" To which
Annis replied, Yes, in a way"
The witness said as she was relating
these things to Captain Hams the mus
cIes in his face were drawn and he
glared and said:
MY God-What am I coming to? This
is enough to drive a man mad. 1 can't
stand it,"
The Mountain Trip
Referring to the trip which Mrs. Hams
took Ito the mountains'' during her hus-
bands absence in the Philippines, the wit
ness said:
.'If one of her children had died we
would not have known where to find the
mother"
On cross-examination. the witness said
that. although the captain frothed at the
mouth and cried out when she was tell
ing him and Thornton about Annis and
Mrs. Hams she did not stop talking
about il. She said the captain kept ask
ing her TO go on.
Major Timothy d. Kelleher. Of the
United States army, now stationed az
Chicago as chief paymaster OF the depart
ment of the west, was the next witness.
While stationed in a similar position at
the army building in New York he said
the defendant on August 5. 1908, came to
him 10 get his salary.
! Captain Was Abnormal
The witness said that Captain Hams
J twice demanded half pay on the same
day. and on being told he would have to
wait few minutes. abruptly left the
building only to return soon afterward
and again demand his check. His conduct
was irrational. the witness said.
Robert c. Sutton. a clerk in the office
of the chief paymaster in the army build
ing in New York, corroborated Major
Kelleher's testimony, and told of other
erasions when he had seen Captain Hams
at the paymaster's office. when he acted
/ irratIonally, IN the opinion Of the wit
ness.