Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-01

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testimony. Justice Crane excused the
jury for brief recess and Frederick
D. Dewitt, the newly elected district
attorney, appeared before justice
Crane and said that his term OF ONCE
began at midnight District Attorney
Darrin has repeatedly said during the
last two weeks that he would not con-
tinue in the case after his term OF Of
fee had expired. Justice Crane SAID
that Mr.. Darrn was familiar with the
| case and that if he withdrew the case
would come to an end. He therefore
directed him to continue.
The iuryfnen then were returned to
their seats and Mrs. Peter G. Hams,
| mother of the defendant, took the
| stand.
| Dressed in deep black. which con-
trasted sharply with her almost snow
white hair, she was led to the witness
stand by Major Hams In a voice al
most inaudible, she told of the child
hood days of Captain Peter c. Hams.
Putting her handkerchief to her face,
she wept for several minutes.
| Mrs Hams said that Peter was a
delicate child and there was little
| thought that he would live. The child,
she said, had ear and eye trouble and
when about two years of age, fell on
his head.
her son in June he seemed worn and
haggard. Mrs. Hams said:
INV boy put his arms around me
and cried, my poor mother. what have
1 done that she should have disgraced
me?'
again he would read Kipling's
vampire" and made comparisons with
the woman in the poem and his wife.
He read the poem often and sometimes
he sang an air from I'll Trovatore' and
vaudeville songs"
Mrs. Hams said that her son visited
her for week in Washington and all
during the visit she noticed the strange
signs in Connie pet name for Cap
tain Hams.
.When Connie was in Washington.
| what did you tell Thornton to do?' Il
told Thornton to take care of Connie
and stand by him"
From your sons acts and what he
has said. do you consider him ration
al or lrrational?" Il consider him ira
tional," said Mrs. Hams.
District Attorney Darrin said there
was no cross-eNamination and the
mother left the stand. General Peter
C. Hams, father Of the defendant, fol-
lowed his wife on the witness stand.
He said he had graduated from West
Point in 1851 and had served in the
Civil and Spanish American Wars.
General Hams said he had been
member of the Nicaragua canal com
mission and isthmian canal commits
sion. He is s. years old.
"Do You know of what your father
died?" yes He died of insanity in
1891 or 1892
General Hams said that a year be-
fore his father died his speech was in
cohe rent Replying to Justice Crane,
General Hams said his father was
about "A years old when he died. JUS
tice Crane ruled that he would not per
nit further testimony on this line until
the experts showed that the tendencies
testified to could be transmitted. Mr..
Mcintyre claimed that Mrs. Hams suf-
fercd from hysteria and nervousness
but the court held there was nothing
to snow that the trouble was trans
mittable.
-
for recess. Mr.. Mcintyre then protest
ed against a Saturday session. saying
he was utterly worn out. He said he
could finish his case by Wednesday.
Mr. Darrin said he would take only
another day.
Justice Crane said the case must be
finished next week and lie would adj
iourn court tonight until Monday.
1p
of the afternoon session that he would
not permit testimony showing mental
conditions Of ancestors unless 1t was
shown that it was transmittable.
General Hams said his wife was
nervous and excitable and that this
condition began in her early life.
II noticed that she had hysterical
fits and fell down." said General Hams,
land in our early married life this was
frequent She would fling her arms
around in the air and cry out. The
arms were sometimes rigid. She would
laugh and cry alternately"
General Hams said that his son told
him that he had returAui on account Of
the letters and that he was much trou-
bled over them. The gen ral said that he
told his son that he be,i 'vtd his wife nm
true and the captain replied: you don't
think so. Why did you not tell me-"
General Hams testifi,i' n said to Con-
ME, when chided yo',r wife for going 10
Boston you wrote me to nos Glide her as
you did not believe there was anything
wrong told him his wife hal been alb
sent a week in Aor,l and left no adj
dress"
General Hams cor.nbora:et' his wifc's
testimony regarding tie physical condi-
ton of Captain Hams in his boyhood. He
related an acciden- in which Connie"
fell down hatch~ay of a schooner and
injured his head. General TT"ins SAID h"
met Capt. Hams in New York on May
81 last and that he Showed him pack
age of letters which were marked for
identification. The letters have feen pre-
viously made public ana in them Mrs.
Hains relates Of certa'1 social meetings
at Fort Hancock AMI o;h-r places where
she and her friends partn"k of liquor to
a more or less extaIt. ana there were
three children left in tho house.
~ told him that had visited Fort
Hamilton and that the statements Of his
son Peter and the cook convinced me