Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-05
THORNTON HAMS
DESCRIBES CRIME
CONTINUED from Page One,

cupled with the conclusion of the
cross examination of Gen. Peter C.
Hams, who declared that the mental
condition of Capt. Hams showed i'm
provement from May 81 to August II,
when he was served with his wife's
cross bill to the suit for divorce.
The general declared that the cross
bill contained such charges against
Capt. Hams that his mind was again
shocked and there was a recurrence of
his mental weakness.
Mental Condition Better
Gen. Hams declared he believed his
sons mental condition showed constant
improvement from the time of the con-
fossiOn up to August II, when he was
served with the cross bill in answer
to his suit for divorce.
Gen. Hams introduced a letter which
he saw in the possession of Capt. Hams
on June /. The letter was from Claudia
Hams and was written a few hours
after the confession.
Gen. Hams was permitted to state
his knowledge of the contents of the
letter. He said:
LAS I recall it, the letter, which was
addressed to William Annis, read:
Dear Billy: Do not come down,
Billy. It's all over between Peter and
me. He found out everything.
He says for you to pay me the
money from the police court, as he does
not want any transactions with you.
I am going to Boston and will send
you my address. want to see you. ]
am almost crazy. Good-by.
"'CLAUDIE.'
Mr.. Mcintyre read the letter to the
jury.
General Hams said he understood
Claudia gave Thornton Hams the let
ter to mail and that Captain Hams
seized the letter and read it. General
Hams was excused and Mr.. Mcintyre
called on Thornton Hams.
The defendant left his seat at coun-
sells table and walked quickly to the
witness stand.
Hams said he was born in Washing
ton, where he lived the major part of
his time.
The defendant said:
I'm June, 1907 1 was living at Bay
Ridge, near Fort Hamilton. 1 saw
little of my brother, he being in the
army and 1 a sailor. A year ago last
October he sailed for the Philippines.
I did not see him again until May 81,
1908.
Il was awakened by a crash on the
door, continued Thornton Hams ''My
brother rushed into the room crying, I
apologize, I have broken your door,
I said to him: What brings you
head, he cried: Claudia has told me
everything. You must help me-
''He talked incoherently. All at once
he jumped up and cried: It's all right,
come on We went to Fort Hamilton,
where L tried to get him to eat some
thing We walked to the fort in or
der to quiet his nerves. sent for DR..
fort and made a superficial eXamina-
ton and prescribed for him. l admin
istered bromide Of potassium to my
brother"
Thornton Hams said that Sunday
afternoon his father asked him to get
a lawyer, as Claudia Hams had made
a second confession to her husband.
''Mr. Bennett, the lawyer, came, -
said the defendant, land we all went
into the house Mrs. Claudia Hams
came down stairs and General Hams
Captain Hams and myself sat around
a table. Mrs. Hams sat on a piano
stool Mr.. Bennett told Mrs. Hams
that he was present to interrogate her
with regard to statements she had
made in the morning"
The defendant related in detail the
conversations that took place between
Mrs. Hams and Mr.. Bennett The wit
ness said these statements of Mrs.
Hams were incorporated in a confess
sion which has already been put into
| the defense.
The defendant said with much
dramatic emphasis. his face drawn and
his voice pitched high and trembling
| while the interview was in session
my brother cried: NV God! What
shall 1 do? This is awful!'"
Describing his brothers explanations
Of grief and suffering, Thornton Hams
frequently raised his voice to a high
pitch and simulated all dramatic eff
| feet the expressions used by Captain
Hams would bear.