The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-03
Ardmore Prosecutor and HamOn
Manager on Opposite Sides.
Both Hunt for Mystery Woman
for Different Reasons.
TRUNKS FURNISH NO CLEW
Clara Smiths Baggage at X. C..
Searched by POlicS.
Prosecutor Follows Up Story of
Visit to the Hospital.

cials of many cities on the lookout,
Ardmore authorities marked time to-
day and awaited word of the arrest of
Miss CLARA Smith of Ringing. Okla.
sought in connection with the fatal
shooting at a local hotel of Jake L.
Hamon, Republict national commit
teeman of Oklahoma.
Search tor Clara Smith Hamon ap-
parently shifted today to the oil fields
of western Teaxs. The chase. it is be-
lieved, has developed into race be-
tween the forces directed by Russell
Brown, prosecuting attorney of Carter
county, and Frank Ketch. lannon's
business manager.
Woman Remains Hidden.
1t is know that Clara Smith Hamon
has many influential friends in the
Texas oil sections. and the theory to-
day is that she may have gone into
seclusion somewhere in the district
Cisco, where last definite trace of
the fugitive was found, is in the heart
of the territory where Jake Hamon
amassed much of his fortune.
Miss Smith. for whom there Is a
warrant charging assault with intent
to kill disappeared Immediately after
the shooting two weeks ago. and altho
trcs'e of her has been found in several
Texas cities, the authorities have been
unable to bring about her arrest.
Interest Divided Now.
Interest in the case was divided here
today between the search for Miss
Smith and the purpose of a visit to
Texas by Frank L. ketch. business
manager of Hamon. Dispatches from
Fort Worth said Ketch had registered
at a hotel there last night. but that
his whereabouts after that could not
be ascertained. 1t was not known
definitely whether he was still in Fort
Worth
At the time of the shooting Ketch
issued a statement saying the commit
tecman had been injured by the acci-
dental discharge of a revolver he was
cleaning. That explanation was re-
ite1ated by him following lannon's
death several days later. No further
announcement of plans in connection
with the handling of the case should
Miss Smith be arrested was forthcom-
ing early today from Russell r.
known that Mr.. Brown had under
contemplation the changing of the
charge against Miss Smith to murder
as a result of lannon's death.
To Verify Chauffcur's Story.
In some quarters it was said he was
considering what part the sworn state
mcnt of r. w. Sails of Dallas, Tex, a
chauffeur. would play in the case.
Sails in his statement, made at Dali
las "wednesday. declared he drove
a young woman answering Miss
Smiths description from there to
CISCO. Tex. and that the woman told
him she had shot man in hotel at
Ardmore. She did not, according to
the statement, give her own name or
that OF the man she had shot
Another feature attracting attention
was the prosecutors efforts to verify
= !
Hamon at the sanitarium to which he
was taken after being wounded. Mr..
Brown said he had information lead
ing him to believe that such was the
case. on the other hand. nurses and
physicians at the hospital were en-
phatic in their assertions that Miss
Smith had not been there while Ha-
mon was a patient
Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, widow of the
late Republican national committee
man Of Oklahoma, will leave Ardmore
this afternoon on her return to Chi
cago with her two children. Olive Belle
and Jake L., jr., where the children
will resume their studies. Mrs. Hamon
and children were called to Ardmore
when Mr.. Hamon was fatally wounded
in a local hotel the night of Novem-
ber 21.
Trunks Furnish No Clcw.
Kansas City. Dec. 3.-The contents
Of two trunks. said by the police to be
the property of Miss Clara Smith.
sought by the authorities in connec-
tion with the shooting of Jake L.
Hamon, Republican national commit
teeman of Oklahoma, were being held
at police headquarters here today
pending word from the Ardmore.
Okla, officials as to what disposition
shall be made of them.
The trunks which arrived here soon
after the shooting of Hamon. were
opened at the request of Russell r.
Brown, county prosecutor at Ardmore,
IN the hope that something might be
found that would throw light upon
the case. According to the police,
however. the examination revealed
nothing, the contents being made UP
of woman's wearing apparel. a photo
graph of Hamon and one of Miss
Smith, together with a collection of
newspaper clippings and a book of
verse.
No letters or writings of a personal
nature were found, aItho they were
searched for particularly the police
said.
Hunt lannon's Manager.
Fort Worth. Tex. Dec. 3.-Frank G.
Ketch, business manager for the late
Jake L. Hamon. was declared to be in
Fort Worth today but efforts of de-
tectives working on the flight of Clara
Smith. charged with shooting the oil
millionaire, were unable to locate him
for an appointment, they said Ketch
came here from Ardmore late yester-
day, unverified reports connecting his
visit with the shooting.
Hutchinson Boy Killed in Fall.