The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-01-03
Recital Will Be Made of Events
In Family History
DIFFICULT TASK AHEAD
Letters of Mrs. Claudia Hams to Her
Husband Have Not Been Admitted
as Evidence and the De-
Tense Will Suffer.
BY JAMES FRENCH TORRANCE.

New York, January -(Special.)-When
the Annis murder trial is resumed Mon
DAY morning Thornton Jenkins Hams will
take the witness stand in his own behalf.
His story will start just previous to his
brothers return from the Philippines. lie
win tell the jury that he knew nothing
of any scandal between his sister-in-laW
and Annis and he will deny positively
that he wrote any letters to the captain
which prompted his return The state has
been trying ever since the defense en-
tered to prove such a letter.
The second chapter of Thornton Hams
testimony will be his recital of what his
brother told him of the scandal and his
account of the scene in the parlor of the
captains quarters at Fort Hamilton dur
ing which Mrs Claudia Hams signed an
alleged confession.
Then will come his description of the
captains appearance and behavior after
the confession. All this will have most
direct bearing on the insanity plea whidl
will be entered direct when Captain Hams
goes on trial in the next few weeks and
which is entered now by proxy for Thorn
ton. The prisoner will tell how he was
forced to restrain the captain when they
met Annis in New York face to face be-
fore the tragic visit to Bayside.
Difficult Task.
But before Thornton Hams takes the
stand the defense has one difficult task
to perform. The letters which Mrs.
Claudia Hams wrote to her husband and
which he found to the number of several
dozen at San Francisco when he arrived
on the United States transport Crook,
from the Philippines, have been marked
for identification, but they have not yet
been admitted as evidence.
There is no question of the Importance
of these letters and it will be a sad
blow to the defense if they are offered in
evidence. Nearly all the witnesses for
the defense who know the captain, includ-
ing the three members of his immediate
family who have been on the stand, de-
clared that it was Claudia Hams own
letters that brought the captain post
haste from San Francisco, leaving the
important matter of securing his official
leave from army service to his brother
officers. They are replete with army
post gossip of sort that would Ger
tainly trouble many persons who have
not even an indirect connection with
the trial
Letters Are Quoted.
Here are some quotations from the let
tiers:
Thursday third, (month not given.
at have been up town with the G.
cumming We went to supper and went
in the Fifth avenue for drink and met
Billy Annis in there with bunch II
men. We kidnapped him and took him
along with us. Mrs. G. is crazy about
him. I am afraid she has cut me out.
She is very attractive, but she can pun
ish BOOZE
"wednesday, fourth.
81 have been to church this evening
with my affinity. NJ Paint it awful for
your wife to go to church twice
week? y"
Thursday, fifth.
II went over to H and stayed until 3
o'clock did not drink any booze so am
simply tired Captain G. had been up
town to see Major A. off and had fine
edge; in fact he was piffled. Mrs H.
was drinking nothing but gin.
Monday, 9th.
at forgot to say yesterday that Tony
CThornton Hains) was here and took your
story and said he would get what he
could for it. He has shaved his beard and
looks a lot better.
Tuesday. 18th.
st am about to retire after turning
few somersauts in the kitchen for Min
ME"
That Mrs Hams was not In high favor
with the pos authorities is limited at In
another letter.
Colonel J.. came and looked over my
house today and would not put any re-
pairs on it except to paper the hall and
paint the woodwork. I think he is a little
tight-chested. They are having beautiful
paper on their house"
Nearly all the letters began, my Dear
est Husband and closed with, Your
Loving Wife Claudia"
The state will make hard fight to keep
out the letters.
1t is difficult to see just how they can
be connected with the defense of Thorn
ton Hams, but his attorneys declare that
they have found a way that cannot fail.