Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-05-12
HAMS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGH.
TER

HAMS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGH.
TER.
Capt. Peter Conover Hams, jr, was
found guilty Of mauslaughter in the first
degree yesterday afternoon by the jury
which tried him for the killing of Will.
liam E. Annis, a publisher, at the Bay
side Yacht Club, Flushing, n. Y, Au-
gust Is, 1908.
The verdict was influenced by the In
structions Of Judge Garrison, who pre-
sided a. the trial in Flushing, aud who
charged the jury that they could, il they
so desired, find the accused guilty 10 a
degree CT manslaughter. The jury was
out three hours.
The maximum penalty for msnslaught-
er 10 the first degree is twenty. years
imprisonment.
The prisoner was Immediately re-
manded to the custody of the sheriff
until next Monday, when sentence will
be imposed. Capt. Hams showed no
emotion when, on command TO rise and
face thu jury, be heard the verdict
against him. His face wore the dull
aud uncomprehending look which has
been noted during the trial.
In striking contrast to the demeanor
of the prisoner was the grief OF his aged
father Gen. Peter O. Hams, aud his
brother, Msj. John Powell Hams. For
moment they sat as If dszed, then
broke down and wept.
Mrs. Haus, the mother, was not in
the courtroom when the verdict was
rendered, having returned to Manhsl-
tan to await the jury'S finding with
her son, Thornton, at the Hotel Aston.
She was in her apartment at the hoIel
and had not heard the news until a re-
porter gave her the irst intimation OF
the verdict,
Mrs Hams was all unnerved by the
news, and rocked to aud fro, moaning
pitifnlly, at can't be truel 1t can't be
trutW
Around her we're gathered the three
little children of Capt. Hams. Their
cries joined hers as they saw their
grandmother in anguish.
Gathering them in her arms, Mrs.
Hams cried again, "Oh, it can't be
true"
81 can say nothing" she at last man.
aged to say. "There is nothing / can
say. am heartbroken."
New York May l2--His conviction
of msnsIaugbter in first degree has not
altered the spathetic attitude of Ospt.
Hams, and he spent as quiet and restful
a night last pight as be has since he
entered the Queens county Jail eight
months ego. de expressed no concern
TODAY as to the verdict. John F. Nc
Intyre aud Daniel o. Reilly, of counsel
for Ospt Hams, are a. work preparing
the motion for q new trial, which will be
made before Judge Glrretson on Mon
day.
Both say they are confident that they
will be able to set aside the mauslaugh-
leT seIulct'
The announcement Of foreman 5und-
ling OF the jury that he and bis fellow
jurors had Ionnd the captain guilty OF
msnslaugbter was totally unexpected to
everyone connected with the case. The
worst that the defendant looked for wss
an insanity scquitial. 1t developes that
when the men lett the court room to
consider the verdict SIX men stood out
for conviction and six voted for scquittsl.
A compromise on the forth ballot result
ed in the msnslsughter verdict. Mrs.
Wiliap E. Annis expressed herself IS
vel satisfied with the verdict. "We do
not ask for or claim the life of Ospi.
Hams, "she said today-"All We wanted
was justice and believe abe verdict is
convincing proof of the great wrong
Captain Hams did me, when be robbed
me Of my husband and my children Of
their father The case vas tried on its
merits aud Captain Baius Was fortunate
net to have a moro serious verdict found
against him."