Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-28
HAMS ANIL Y
. ARENOW At OUTS
PARDoNED SLAYER OF. ANklS
j. Is CALLED UNGRATEFUL
g 6Y HIS KIN

a rumor current today that Captain p.
G. Hams Jr., pardoned slayer of Will
liam Annis,, is about to remarry
Claudia Libbey Hams, from whom he
obtained a divorce November 20, last,
brought to light the fact that the
former army officer has been re-
pudiated by his brother, Thornton,
who was largely instrumental IN OBJ
tanning his release from Sing Sing
prison last October.
Discussing the rumor last night at his
home, III Eighty-ninth street, Bay
ridge, Thornton Hams declared his
brother ungrateful, that he is through
with Peter for all time, and announced
that it is his Christmas wish that he
might never lay eyes on him again.
The magazine writer's vitriolic at
tack was surprise in view OF past
events. From the moment of his dis
covery that his brothers wife was In
volved in an intrigue with Annis,
Thornton Hains championed his cause.
Following his own acquittal and his
brothers. conviction, he and his father,
the venerable General Peter G. Hams
OF Washington, did all in their power
to obtain the captains release. f. IA
Is, Brothers are Estranged.
!. while do not know whether my
brother has remarked that woman, or
intends to remarry her, presume he
has or will" Thornton said. One
thing IS certain, such a ceremony
could no occur in my house. That
woman married here? Never, sir"
Captain Hams has impoverished
me and now he has thrown me over,
as man will cast dry lemon.
Thornton Hams personal appear.
ance and the conditions surrounding
his home life bore out the statement
he is in financial straits. He had Just
walked up from the dock, where he
keeps small power boat called the
Gugu. and in which he intends to set
out in few days for the Florida reefs
on fishing expedition. His hands
were grimed with oil, he was clad in
an old sweater. patched gray coat and
patched breeches.
Hams explained he earns a living by
writing for magazines and by fishing
when he cannot sell his stories. With
the advent OF winter he was starting
south in order to pay living expenses
by selling the fish he catches.
"You are probably surprised that l
should turn against Pete. but you
wonder If you knew all the
facts" he said.
1--WE kept my peace good while
now. and / believe III. tell few things
the kind public doesn't know.
"I've stood 1t as long as I can and
I'm going to talk little. spent about
$4,000 of my money getting my
brother properly defended in court
and in getting him out of prison after
he was sentenced" Thornton said.
"And what do get for my pains?
Nothing. do not even receive thanks,
which at least one might expect. In
stead I am mistaken by reporters for
a laborer. and that's just what am
2 laborer, Ill clad and horny handed"
He went on to tell how he, with his
father, had engaged Asa Grid Gardiner
to work for the pardon and exhibited
a receipted bill for $1,000 signed by
the lawyer. "a.
Hams told of letters he had written
his brother and showed replies he
had received He said he had urged
Peter to visit him on his boat, but
put him off. In his letters Peter urged
he would run into a 'frame-up." He
never explained just what he meant.
but. according to Thornton, he seemed
to fear coming to New York state"
Getting back to Claudia Hams.
Thornton declared she would be slow
about coming TO this state.
Thinks They Will Finally Marry.
He added his father had stated in a
letter written ten days ago that Peter
was thinking Of going to Arizona, and
Thornton suggested he might have
sent for his former wife and married
her there.
at would be just like him, for. he
never could pull off the marriage In,
Washington. owing to my fathers we'll
known opposition" the writer said.
Claudia has no love for father.
either. since she charged he forced her
to sign a confession of her relations
with Annis. You had better look for ~
in Arizona.
One thing you can't make too
strong. am done with my brother for