Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-24
Hamon's Mistress Says She
Will Devote Enersies
to Making Amends.
THINKS NOW OF
GRIEVING PARENTS
Has Some Love Left Fer Mesicans
Who Befricnded Her-associated
Press Correspondent Obtains First
Interview Since She Surrendered
to Shsrifi-plans to Return to Mex
ico to Teach Natives Sanitation.
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
Aboard Clara Smiths Train. via
Big Springs. Tex, Dec. 2S.-IDelayedl
-Gonsecration of her future energies
To atoning 70 her family for the sor-
row she has brought it, and deter
minaaoa never again to waste an
other hour of her life. were avowed
tate today by Clara Smith, en- route
, to Ardmore, Okla, to answer a
charge of murder In connection with
the shooting OF Jake L. Hamon.
In an interview with the CORE
spondent of the Associated Press
lasting nearly an hour she spoke
earnestly on religion. philosophy.
psychic research, art fancy work
and most earnestly of all her Inn
pressions Of Mexico. where she stayed
three weeks before giving herself to
the custody of Sheriff Buck Garrett,
of Ardmore. in Juarez, Wednesday
night.
She sedulously avoided discussing
the charge against her and men
toned lannon's name only once, when
she referred to her opposition to his
retii ing from active life.
The Interview took place II, Miss
Smith state room In the presence
of Charles A. Coakley. one Of her at
torneys, and Sheriff Garrett. II was
the frs. interview granted by her
since her surrender.
Love Shifted TO Mexicans.
r have just been reading some OF
the many letters have received 1ron,
my dear sssenls." Miss eSuaxh 1agan.
pointing to package OF eiters 9yins
on the extension table ! efore her
"The sentiments expressed in them
are so sweet and move me so much
that with my present limited strength
I can only read few at time.
II have i,lst been reading some OF
wonderful friends had in, Chihuahua
City. They were deeply religious. tho
not orthodox. They mothered ano
fatherea me as If were child,
They brought me flowers and AVne
toys, and they would tuck me to oe;i.
When sought to thank them as my
benefactors, they protested that there
! was only one bepefactor and what
ever they did was done by him thru
them as friends. 1t was great spir-
Iitual lesson and experience for me-
| that visit to chihuahua City.
"As told them before I left. when
!, I entered Mexico I hated Mexicahs,
but I left 1t loving them. Altho ]
saw much of the beautiful religion J
could not adopt it for myself. They
believe in spirits. Altho do not say
that this belief is wrong, l know
that I need my own level-headed re-
ugion-for ] have one of my own.
am too much afraid of myself 60 Yet
myself dabble in the occult.
when ] get back to Mexlco-and
I intend to go there again to rest-1
shall teach my friends somathin" OF
ventilation and cleanliness and hy-
GENE"
Hopes to Make Amends.
When asked whether she ever ex-
pected to resume her secretarial ca
reer, Miss Smith replied:
.T have no plans. know only that
II shall devote myself to making
amends to my family for the suffer-
ing l have trouf hit on them. shall
never again waste even IN hour OF
the precious time left me. ] do not
believe people Should ever retire fiom
active worK. ! have always opposed
any sug~e~t'on that Mr.. Hamon
should retire"
Ins sts ~,-me is Hamon.
Miss Smiths face still slightly
drawn from the strain CT her recent
experiences, took a now glow Of an
imation as she leaned forward and
ADDED:
II believe that every one must
grow even duri-" old age. When
people don't g"o-~ t is their fault,
Referrine t. the place of women
in American life "hc said:
'T freQnont'v told my Chihuahua
City friends knew I never could
make a A.oz can man happy: they
take their wives too much for grant
ed and they do not believe that wo,n-
en- should have a will CT their own"
Miss Smith informed the CORE
spondent that she had learned how
to draw Mexican dra wnwo-k and
showed him a lacy specimen Of her
first eort 1t looked like a good spe-
cimen.
"I would much prefer to read a
sood book to doing this sort Of thing.
After it's done I ask myself whether
it's worth while after ALL
During the course of the interview
|'she insisted her name was Mrs.
Hamon, not Miss Smith.