The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-27
DR.. WEiTH TALKS
OF CLARA SMITH"
At TPRESBYT
CHURCH ON SUNDAY
Eminent ArdmOre Divine
DevOtes Hour of Evening
Discourse to Warning
Parents and Girls
BRlEFEST REFERENCE
TO THE DEAD MAN
"HlS BONES AXE DUST, HIS GOOD
SWORD RUST; HIS SOUL Is
WITH HIS GODAWE
TRUST

AS had been announced, DR.. c.. G.
Weith. pastor Of First Presbyterian
church, talked last night at the even
ing service on "Clara Smith" The
church was crowded to its capacity
by an interested group Of men and
women.
On opening his sermon DR.. Weith
stated that IL any We're there expect
Ing to hear review OF the tragedy
or n discussion from the sensational
standpoint they would be disappo!n =
ed. He dwelt particularly upon tho
Influence OF the publicity Of the nat.
ter, with regard TO the young men
and women Of the nation and de-
plored in general this fact
stenographic repor: Of his SER
mon. taken by II. II. Cason, of the
Hamon office, follows:
''ln selecting this subject do not
desire TO be sensational and those
who have come here expecting. a sem
sational sermon will be disappointed.
AS regards to the late Jake L..
Hamon, | am going 10 say nothing.
His body ia in the grave and his soul
has gone TO God. During his sick
ness ] had only one brief interview
with him. AS I stated at the funeral
saw him once only after he was
shot, and that for few brief me-
mcnts. but I shall never forget that
interview. AS / entered the room his
face showed intense physical suf-
fering, bu. this seemed to clear for a
few moments and n look Of mystery
overspread his features. It seemed
TO me that his soul was trying 10
fathom the infinite, and | shall never
forget that look OF yearnlng depicted
on his face. He had gone TO God who
is lust and merciful.
About Clara Smith. personally
shall say nothing. She has been In
the limelight enough Especially as
TO traversing the history of the last
few days I would be committing n
great wrong TO my county were / to
be the means OF intensifying the al
ready exis ing prejudice.
I'm early manhood went West
and lived in Kansas, during the times
OF the bitter county-seat. fights In
tho western counties. About the
year 1889, or 1890. btu fight was
On In one Of those counties between
the towns OF Hugoton and Woods
dale. Hugoton. was the county.seat
and Woodsdale was n rival town try
ing to wres. II from them. 1t had
been organized by man named Sam
Wood One day Wood was coming
from the courthouse at Hugoton, and
was met by an assassin with q gun.
Woods was absolutely deienseless
and tried to escape by running, but
his assailant followed him and killed
him.
"The feeling in the county was in
tense, all the citizens were arrayed
81 her for Woodsdale or Hggoton, 50
that the news spread Ike wlld-fre
and within three days every man in
the county qualified 10 sit as Juror,
knew the facts and circumstances and
had formed an opinion. II was i'm
possible to try the assassin In tina,
county. as no man was competent 10
sit on tho jury.
after several abortivc attempts al
trial he authorities had to release
brennan. for II was impossible &c
bring him to justice. I saw him
somc years aftcrword In northern
oklahoma whore he had homcsteadcd
a claim.
"a similar case occurred IN my
own county, A young man had com
nitted crime against n young wo.
man flo was tried and convict d
hut the supreme court reversed nc
decision aud rcmnndcd the case foi
rc-,rial. At tho second trial the en-
tire county was summonscd for tho
purpose of selecting a Jury and the
judge, who was personal friend
said that he had doubts OF tho legal
ity OF some OF the Jurors. but IL was
the best that he could do. The youns
man was again sentenced 10 IL years
IN tho pcnltentiary but Tho case wa!
reversed because Of tho prcjudlc'
existing In the minds OF some mem
bcrs Of tho jury. These two eases
viii explain my reason FOR not ira
yerslng the history OF Clara Smith
as do not want 10 ilsaualify anJ
possible Jurors In our ely or county
from sitting on this case, hence what
I say about her will be only bJ
.n..,t,u.t an, Dav. Txal