New-York tribune., 1920-12-24
Lawyer Tells
OF Secret Will
Left by Hanon
Attorney for Clara Smith
Saws Document Gives to
Her One-fourth of Estate
Valued at $4,000. 900
Woman Goes to Ardmore
Governor Says State May
Assist in the Prosecution:
He Charges ''Horse Play"

ARDMORE, Okla., Dec. o3.-James P.
Na.hers. OF counsel for Mrs. Clara
Baton Smith Hamon. who is being
brought back here to answer q murder
charge in connection with the killing
Of Jake L. Hamon, oil promoter and
sepublican National Committeeman
from Oklahoma, said to-day he haG
understood all the time" that there
is in existence will by Mr.. Hamon
that gives the woman one-fourth of
his estate. He added that he did not
believe the Will was in this city. The
Han,on properties are estimated to be
worth $1,000 900.
About zen days ago. Mr.. Mathers
said, Mrs. Smith Hamon wrote him that
ar. Hamon had told her that he had
made will designating her as fourth
party to the estate, and that the will
had been deposited in bank, but she
did not give in her letter the name Of
the bank. Mr. Mathers said ne believed
she would divulge that inform nation
when she reaches Ardmore.
KANSAS CITY. Dec. 23.-Jake L.
Hamon. late Republican National Com
mitteeman from Oklahoma and oil mag
nate, left no will, and reports that there
is document naming Mrs. Clara Smith
Hamon as q beneficiary are erroneous
SO far as he car ascertain, according to
q statement here tonight by Fred
Ellis, of Ardmore, Okla, attorney for
Mr.. lannon's widow.
Mr.. Ellis declared he and others in
.erested had made a thorough search
Of Mr.. lannon's personal effects and
had failed to find a trace OF a will.
""He told me- shortly before he re-
eeived the wound which caused his
death that he had not made will. but
that he expected to make one before
long said Mr.. Ellis.
ABOARD CLARA SMITHS TRAIN
VIA FORT HANCOCK, Tex, Dec. %
(By The Associated Press SIN the Gus
icdy OF Sheriff Buck Garrett, OF Ard
more, Okla, and accompanied by her
attorneys, ". P. Mclean, jr. and
Charles A. Coakley, Mrs. Smith Hamon
tonight was speeding back to Ardmore.
Bond OF $4,000 has been arranged
there for her
The party is expected to reach Ard
more tomorrow afternoon.
FL PASO, Tex, Dec. 23.-Mrs. Smith
Hamon left here at o'clock this morn
ing. She plans to spend the holidays
visiting her sister, Mrs. V. d. Walling.
Of Wilson. Okla, and will return to Ell
Peso to be with her parents until the
trial begins in Ardmore.
Alter kissing their daughter goodby
at the family home, the father and
mother retired to their rooms They
received no guests until nearly noon.
Parents Confident of AcquittaI
"My girl is tired aud sick" said Mrs
J. l. Smith, Clara's mother. $50 she is
coming back TO the sun shine OF FL Paso
to live after she goes to Ardmore, and
We are going to nurse her back to health
and happiness"
The Smiths are confident the girl'wal
be acquitted. Her trip TO Chihuahua,
thev declared, was not an attempt to
escape the law, but an effort 10 get
away from gossip about the shooting.
When Mrs. Smith Hamon left Ell Paso
she bade her family goodby with a
smile.
.-"I1l be back before long" she told
her mother.
Clara Smith is going to fight for
She IS going TO fight for what she be
lIsves 10 be her rights. What there
Is that is hers in the Hamon will and
N the Hamon insurance policies she
vii demand and nothing more"
Father Says Heaven Sent Protector
Discussing his daughters flight to
Chihuahua. NJ. Smith said:
"A man she met on the train from
starez 70 Chihuahua must have been
Heaven-sent. She had never seen him
before. They did not even talk the
ssme language He approached her,
Anowing she was in trouble, and volun-
tered TO shield her. And Clara re-
posed her trust in him. He guarded
nsr az car-fGlly as though she were
Els o~n child believe mats MIR
sce- believe God guided that fr4cad
10 her n her hour Of need. -
Inc friend was Chihuahua Official,
.ae father said, who took Clara TO his
home and his wife became Clara's
companion. The oTiciai policed his es-
4 'a:e with private detectives TO keep her
4 @ie and not even her own brother,