The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-05
Face to Face With Possibility
Of Death
WAS SLIGHTLY NERVOUS
It Was Evident That He Had Beer
Well Rehearsed in His Part--Told
Of His Actions in the Minutest
Detail.

Flushing. L. T., Jan. 5.-Thornton J.
Hams told his own story yesterday
Face to face with the possibility OF
death in the electric chair for completely
in the killing Of William i. Anuis, he
sat in the witness chair and testified
as calmly as ii he were merely telling
story to crowd Of friends instead
Of twelve iurymen who held his fate IN
tho balance. A slight trace of nervous
ness, apparent when he first arose from
the sea beside his counsel to walk u
the witness chair, son wore off and be-
fore he had spoken half dozen words
he was the same cool, calm Thornton
Hams as he has been ON every day save
one--the day when the widow OF the
slain man testified against him. He
assumed an easy attitude in the chair
and swept the court room with a glance
OF easy assurance. Then he plunged into
his story. From the first e was very
evident that il had been well rehearsed
His lawyers were with him in the jail
until late hour Sunday night, instruct
ing him how 10 meet the ordeal Of yes
terday. He was ready with his re-
sponses and exact in even the minutest
details.
There was no lack Of cheeTfulness in
Thornton Hains'g demeanor when he en-
tered court yesterday Perhaps it was
the knowledge that his trial was soon to
be over--perhaps il was the fact that he
realized the strength of his own story,
Whatever the cause, he smiled aeontinu-
ously during the morning and laughingly
promised newspaper man TO testify
slowly and distinctly
The old gcneral--father of the defend
ant---preceded him on the stand. As lie
finished his testimony and stepped aside,
John r. McIntyre, chief Of the attorneys
for the defense. said; ''Ill now call
Thornton j, Hains.D
Thornton Hams arose. and with y
rather quickly, slightly nervous stride,
passed behind the row Of press seats
and Jury box to the vacant chair beside
Justice Cranes bench. AS he went UP
his father passed him and gave him a
look Of encouragement.
The court room was crowded There
were many women present. As the de-
PENDANT was sworn, silence reigned.
The defendant was dressed in black
sack suit, striped shirt and bow tic.
1t was the attire he has worn every day
since the commencement Of the trial.
AS he settled himself in the chair aud
crossed his legs in the manner Of man
who says, Now, I'LL tell sou a story,
the light Of the great window at his
back fell foil upon him.
The court room saw q man Of stocky
build, broad across the shoulders. OF
rather short stature, with thick brown
hair carefully parted and brushed back
from broad forehead, and wearing d
short brown mustaohe His hands were
long and tapering, like those Of wo-
man. and Ifs voice rather belied his
sturdy appearance, for ii had soft,
rather efIeminate sound
In June, l00S, he said, II was living
at Bay Ridge, near Fort Hamilton.
saw little of my brother he being in
the army and sailor. A year ago
last October he sailed for the Philip
pines. I did not see him again until
May 81. 1908 / was awakamed by d
crash on the door, continued Thornton
Hams, My brother rushed into the
room, crying, i apologize. ] have brok-
en- your door, | said to him, What
brings Won heree' aud raising his hands
above his head, he cried. Claudia has
told me everything. You must help me.
THO captain kept saying that his wife
had been with Annis, and put his head
in his hands
Recess was taken ait this point.