The Washington herald., 1909-05-05
MOTHER Or HAMS
PLEADS WITH TEARS
Dramatic Scene When Aged
Woman Takes Stand.
EYES OF JURORS ARE MOIST
several Times the Witness Breaks
DOun-JEdge Frequently Forced to
InStruct Her TO CO1fiRe Testimony
To Fsets-She Tells How Her son
WoaId s5a1e on The Vampire"

New Te19 Nay 4-ln voice that
irsmaied the emotion Of mother love
ard Fa coursiHs aown her wan
face. -slrs. Virginia JeIlkiAs Hams told
her story on the witness stand this az
ternoon IN the supreme Court, Slushing
AZ the trial OF her son. Capt. Peter G.
Hains, for the murder Of William r. An
MS.
The ordeal was a JTyiRg one fOr the
aged woman. even filed with greater
difficulty than that which size was forced
20 undergo when shs appeared as a Wit
ness IN the same court room only q short
time ago at the trial Of her ether son,
thornton. for conpiicity in the slaying.
The appearance Of Mrs. Hams on the
witness stand was by far the most dra-
matte incident thai has marked the pres
ent trial As she related the incidents
thai preceded the tragedy. unfolding the
narrative in her own way, and showing
almost a total ignorance Of court pro
-cedure. the jurors leaned forward n their
seats and displayed the keenest interest.
Several OF them appeared 70 De affected
deeply and their eyes we're moist.
Aged Woman Breaks DOVE.
Several times the aged woman broke
down completely. and was forced 70 GIs-
continue her testimony for a moment
while she controlled her grief Frequent
ly she was checked by District Attorney
Dewitt as she described events that iadi-
~-reT ,4os- ~
anced- Judge GarretsCn was forced on
these occasions 20 instruct her 70 condne
herself 10 the proper line OF testimony.
Referring 10 these evidences Of his IN
sound mental condition, Mrs. Hams said
the captain would sing airs from la
TrovatOre." and would frequently hum q
ballad entitled It's Happy 10 Be Mar
ried." Then. she asserted, he would re-
mark: 'Oh. let's forget t." and would
slt down and stare vacantly for a long
time
The story of Capt. Hams application
OF Rudyard KipIing's famous poem, The
Vampire" 70 his own case formed a
dramatic part OF the aged wonlan's test
mony. Mrs. Hams said her son gazed
upon q reproduction Of the Burne-Jones
painting. upon which the sentiment in the
poem was based, and would repeat TO
himself the first verse rs he did SO. Mrs.
Hams herself recited the opening lines
CT the staRza, reading. "A fool there
was" &c
The witness then told or her meeting
with her son after he returned from the
Philippines ana had learned OF his wffe's
alleged wroagioings
Felt KeenIy His Disgrace.
"He locked haggard and worn" she
said, "and seemed to be 6szed. He did
not seem to know what he was doing.
went to him AID threw my arms around
him. He did net nstice me- He just said.
isn't II. awful? Ny home is all brozen
up. Ny wife is disgraced Ny CHILDREN
are disgrsced. Ny God; my God; I can't
stand it"
Mrs Hams made a pathetic figure as
she related this. Attired in black dress
and with q black bonnet surrlounting her
gray hair. she broke out soo5ing:
~He talked continually Of his poor little
children he said he y1Ould see them
dead before he would lei his wife have
them He wanted Us TO break I'D our
home and travel round the the world
with him When I told him that We
could not do that ne became excited"
The court told Mrs Hams that she
must net give her impressions
"Yeu must not characterize, said
Judge CsTTafson-
Your honor" appealed Airs. Hams.
cant tel 1t ali? I an so anxious TO
tell ali / know.
Mr- Dewitt here moved t8 have stricken
from the record the statement made By
the witness 10 the effect that her son
had insane IDEAS
'Rs did have them, started in Mrs.
f5ainzi but she vas halted by the court.
VINO said n a rather firm voicei
Stop right there's yeu must do as yeu
are tod"
But, ysar homer, the district attorney
Is continually interruPting ne"
Ar. Dewitt again interrupted vita es-