Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-16
VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY
FOR THORNTON HAMS.
Jury Out Y HourS..-TakeS IS Ba||otS...Not Ex'
pected That Capt. Peter Hams Will Ever Be
Tried for Shooting VIM. {. AnniS.

hotel. while throng of townspeoplc
gave him continuous greeting or
route. Later he took q motor car with
his counsel for Long Island City jai
to see his brother.
Mr.. Mcintyre said: Il never WORKED
harder for a client in my life and an
Just about knocked out. They had tc
find Thornton innocent. When Thorn
ton says he is the happiest man on
earth, / am the second happiest."
Jurors said that the first ballot stood
s to for acquittal and early this
morning the ballot showed a gain Of
one for acquittal. Jurors Hecker
Johnson, Richmond and Boenig voted
for conviction of murder. Juror Boenig
held out until the final ballot was TAX
en- just after Justice Crane had sent
for the jurors. and then changed his
vote to acuuittal.
Officials of the district attorneys Of
flee in Queens county are quoted to-
night as saying that the verdict PROB
ably means that Capt. Hams will never
be brought to trial and that he will be
surrendered to the care Of his family
or to the federal government.
Flushing. N. r.. Jan. 15.--The jury
in the trial of Thornton Jenkins
Hams, charged as principal with his
brother, Captain Peter G. Hams, Jr.
in the killing of William f.. Annis
afte" deiberating all night without
reaching a verdict, went to breakfast
at 40 o'clock this morning, having
been out since five o'clock yesterday
rJc hanvI
eyed and exhausted, many or the jurors
fell asleep in their chairs, while their
more wakeful associates debated the
conflicting points of testimony.
shortly after o'clock this morning
the jury of the Bayside Yacht Club
house il,ar which was sent them by
Ju>t;c, Crane. An unusual feature OF
the jury's deliberations was the fact
that not one single intimation came
from the jury room during the night as
to the progress made toward a verdict
The jury went to breakfast AT a no.
tel near the courthouse.
Justice Crane waited In his chamber
all night ready to receive verdict
DR. Hicks was in constant attendance
at the court during the night, ready
to. minister to Juror John Walsh, injur-
ed in street car accident, whose
heart action, the physician states. has
been affected by shock of the accident
and the excitement of the case. Pat
rick Ahearn. another juror. is suffer
ing from heavy cold. Because of the
PHYSICAL condition of these two jurors
Justice Crane held open court all night
in order that he might receive the YER
dict as soon as it was reached.
Thornton Hams slept through the
carly hours of the morning on a table
IN the sherffs office. while his brother
Major John Hams. wrapped his army
lCDat about him and stretched out on
Il courtroom bench. In the corners OF
the court chamber, where long, hard
benches lined the wall. John +. Nc
Intyre, chief of Hams counsel. and his
associates. stretched themselves OH
and slept for a couple of hours. while
District Attorney Darrin. after short
nap in a chair, went home to rest.
During the night General Hams and
his wife, who went TO New York al
a late hour. called up frequently OF
the telephone to learn il verdict ha,
been reached
Shortly after s o'clock the jury sem
word to Justice Crane that they would
like to have read to them the testi
mony of John Tierney, the ash col
lector, DR.. Mcbride, member Of the
Eayside Yacht Club, and Captain
Clark, the Negro boatman, who was OF
his boat near the float when the shoot
ing occurred. Or. Mcbride was on the
float and Tierney was the defence.
eye witness to the shooting.
t Justice Crane sent for counsel OF
10th sides and Thornton Hams, VIII,
! lad shortly before been taken to {
nearby hotel and put to bed. Justice
have to be read in court and it nigh
be necessary to read all of it. In tina
! event most Of the day would be con
sumed in going over the testimony
/ though Justice Crane hoped that onl!
a part of it would have to be read.
/ Justice Crane said he would not dis
miss the jury for a failure to agre
until "a hours had elapsed from tn
tine the jury went out.
Justice Crane convened court at "a
o. clock and after Thornton Hams wa
brought into court, sent for the jury
The defendant seemed in better spirit
than at any time in the last tw
weeks.
i, The jurors filed into the court. a
apparently weary from their all night
:leliberation. Foreman Hill, address
ing the court, said:
I'VE desire to have read to us tn
i, testimony of Captain John A. Clarl
. DIR. Mcbride and John Tierney"
"Well. gentlemen, it must be rea
in open court" said Justice Cram
, land both the direct and cross-e1
animation must be read
1--WE want it ALL" observed job
| Renham, the fifth juror.