The Washington herald., 1909-01-07

New York, Jan. s-when Justice Crane
adjourned the trial OF Thornton Hams
at Flushing to-day. Darrin. the special
prosecu<or. had made it one OF greater
disaster 10 the prisoner than on the first
day OF his cross-examination. He caused
Hams 10 rehearse the story Of the shoot
ing OF William z. Annis a. the Bayside
Yacht Club, by Capt Peter c. Hams. and
drew him deeper and deeper into the mire
Of contradictions as the mercilsss in
QUESTION progressed.
Particularly did Hams stumble IN TX
ing the lapse Of time between the warn
ing that Annis vas on the boat approach
ing the float and his effort 70 get Peter
Hams away This he fixed all the way
from less than twenty minutes down 10
only a few moments. Again he con
founded himself by saying he feared
Roberts with the captains gun, because
he had heard only six shots when ne
knew an automatic gun contained seven,
but he had failed 10 identity the cap
tain's automatic and had sworn that he
did not know he had gun
Father Almost COIIapses.
As Thornton Hams foundered and
sguirmed under his tormentors lash. his
aged parents. Gen. and Ms. Peter c.
Hams. 81, sat in the court room. As
contradiction followed contradiction, the
distress Of the old fighter was reflected
IN his face Suddenly there was a slight
commouon, and court halted while the
wife helped him from The room. in 3
state bordering on collapse Physicians
attended him in q room IN the court
house and he was then taken 70 his
boarding place in Flushing.
Thornton became white with anger et
one tine when Mr. Darrin questioned
him as 20 whether he had ever made
advances 10 Mrs Claudia Hams. he sp-
pealed 20 the judge, and his counsel said
hat because Of these questions he
would insist that their client De dis
charged e Mrs. Hams were not called
by the prosecution
The witness denied he had ever threat
ene5 Aunis because he kept his stories
out OF magazines, saying i ne killed
eaery nan who refused to print his
stories re would have 10 have a private
graveyard
Thornton described his brothers &C
tons on the way 10 Bayside on the day
of the tragedy, saying his eyes were ike
those OF q snake
COutradicts Witnesses.
lie conuadicted the testimony of FL
Iison. a waiter. that he had asked II
Annis vas al the club. He could not re-
member what Ellison said and Mr. Darrin
read from his previous statement that
Ellison had described a man who was
in the real estate business The witness
memory failed him and ne replied with
caution TO questions about his ride tn
Martin SkUTa's surrey.
Mrs Annis in coming Into the court
room at the afternoon session was com
PEELED to walk between Gen and Mrs
Peter c Hams. the parents Of the de-
fendant. She brushed by them without
looking a. either and made her way TO q
front seat.
She sat through the session. with her
eyes fixed on the prisoner, now and then
smiling as the prosecutor elected a dam
aging admission. With Darrin were q
number Of men who had not been n
court before. They are TO be called as
witnesses in Tebuttal
Arrival on Dock.
Darrin led Hains I'D to the arrival NJ
the two brothers or the dock at the Bay
side Yacht Club, when Annis' boat was
returning 10 the float
How long had you been on the dock
at the time' Mr.. Birchfeld spoke TO Mrs.
AnnisZ-
About FIVE minutes"
What was the next spoken worde"
= stood still about a half minute LOOK
ing at that boat Then saw her round
up toward the dock, and 1 said to my
brother, Nj Jesperson's not here, let's
go home
What was his replyZ'
He made none Then I repeated the
statement, let's go home very de-
clsively"
What next?"
4 took him BY the arm He was fac
ing the water He threw my hand of.
and 1 started toward the clubhouse"
How far did you go?"
Thirty or forty feet
What next?'
7 started back 10 look for my brother.
When I got 10 the head OF the run
way-gOt started down q couple Of steps
I heard shots"
The defendant was asked TO clap hts
hands again 10 illustrate the speed with
which the shots were fired. He cIapped
his hands six times in about two seconds. /
The firing stopped about the time
reached the float the witness vent on in
response 70 Mr.. Darrin's queries. 7
then saw my brother rise 6p from
beneath the SAIL
Saw TOnninE and Roberts.
As your brother rose Up did you see
any one else?''
Yes. at that moment I saw a big
man-John Tonning. as have since
learned-run across the float from near
the bow OF Annis' boat and spring at
my brother. He hit my brother. causing
Peter to drop his gun and as he raised
his right hand 70 hit Peter again I got
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