The Washington times., 1920-12-04
WEALTH
AIDS SLAYER
Prosecutor in Hamon Death
Mystery Scouts Scheme to
Protect Guilty.

! ARDMORE, Okla, Dec. 4.-Wealth
and power are secretly but desper-
ately fighting the law to prevent the
capture Of Mrs. Clara Barton Smith
Hamon, alleged slayer Of Jake l..
Hamon, multi-millionaire Oklahoma
"oi king" it was charged here to-
day bv County Prosecutor Russell
Brown.
INFLUENCE FEARED.
Fear that the arrest of the missing
woman might rip the lid" from "A
dozen other checkered careers living
behind the lights o. nights" in Ok
lahoma oil fields. il was said gave
momentum to the movement to help
lannon's so-called affinity" to cs-
| cape the clutches of the law.
No names were mentioned by the
prosecutor. who previously had de-
clared that IL he could get evidence
against any person. regardless or
power or position. he would prose-
cute them as accessories after the
fact.
1t IL known that at least three
wealthy friends OF the dead "oil
kins have made mysterious trips to
Texas. obviously going into Mexico"
on business.
One Of these men. nationally known
for his political activities. was a
bosom friend of Hamon The man
left Ardmore in the midst Of Ilamon's =
funeral after getting mysterious
telegram from the South. Newspa-
permen were told he had gone Ia at
tend Obrcgon's inauguration at Mex
leo city. fic has not returned.
The search for Mrs. iIamon. mean
while. has ccntered along the inter
national border near ri Paso, with
army officials. Department % JusiiC"
agents. shcriffs, and police strctch-
ing a huge net hundreds of miles
! lCng. Due to lack of deilnit. infor-
nation that the woman IL in Mexico.
authorities here are OF the opinion
that the net has turned her back from
! tn. border and that she is hiding
near FL Paso.
WILL DEFEND GIRL.
I James II. Mathers, senior member
of Mathers and Coak"ly. who will
attorney on January !, will not prose
! cute Clara Smith IlamOn.
The incoming county attorneys law
! firm has been retained for the de-
! fcnse since the day after Hamon died.
I II Hamon had lived, this firm would
have been engaged to prosecute him
Oh the charge of living with Clara
Smith Hamon. in violation of law
and defiance of the moral sentiment
of the community. made by the pres
ent county attorneys office.
Mathers will recommend the ap-
pointment of the present county at
torney to prosecute Clara Smith
Hamon in case she is arrested.
- IL
Tiers partner. said:
when Jake L. Hamon died. gentle
men devoted to law and order called
at the office of this firm and request
ed US to defend Clara Smith Hamon
in case she should be apprehended
and prosecuted for the death of Jake
l.. Hamon. This request was accepted
and the firm of Mathers and Coakley
has been from that day, is now and
will continue to be retained to de-
fend Clara Smith Hamon against any
and every accusation or charge that
my be leglly and formally Med
against her"
SEARCH IS CONTINUED.
Coakley further stated that the
defense in the case awaits with ut
most composure any effort that may
be made to convict Clara Smith Ha-
man on the charge Of having killed
without ample justification, Jake l.
Hamon."
The small caliber revolver with
which. 1t is charged. Clara Smith
Hamon. in "A hotel room here on the
night of November II. and the bullet
| pierced clothing worn at the time
by the millionaire oil man and poll
tician, we're ordered brought before
Brown. today for examination in an
effort to solve the mystery or the
shooting.
County authorities today continued
| to direct search throughout the
| Southwest and extending into Mex
| leo. for Miss Smith.