New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Ha1l1On Widow
WOn'tPrOsecute
Girl as Slayer
Doesn't Believe Miss Smith
Fired Fatal Shot: Would
Be Husbands Successor
on National Committee
Case Is Still a Mystery
Sheriff Denies He Has Bull
let-Picrced Clothing or the
WeaponThatC CausedDcath

ARDMORE. Okla, Dec 4--The mys-
terry surrounding the shooting of Jake
/. Hamon. Republican National Com
mitteeman from Oklahoma and million
sire railroad and oil man, tonight was
no nearer public solution. Three out
standing events marked the resumption
to-day of the Investigation of the death
Of NJ. Hamon. which occurred Novem-
Der 20:
After he was shot. on November 81 .
Russell r. Brown, County Attorney, an
nounced that a warrant would be ia ken
out for any person that evidence
showed was instrumental in the spirtng
from Ardmore of Miss Clara Smith,
against whom q charge Of assault with
intent to kill has been placed; a state
ment b. Mrs. Hamon, the widow, that
she did not believe Miss Smith fired the
bullet which killed Mr. Hamon, and
that she would not prosecute Miss
Smith should she be apprehended and
returned to Ardmore. and another
statement by Mrs. Hamon that she
would gladly become her husbands sue
cessor as national committeeman if
the honor were offered her
The clothing worn by Mr. Hamon
when he was shot and the weapon from
which the bullet was fired had not been
placed in the hands of County Attorney
Brown tonight, following his request
10 Sheriff Back Garrett that these arti-
cles be submitted Tor an examination.
Denies He Had Clothing
Sheriff Garrett was away from Ard
more last night and until this evening
III connection with some minor trouble
IN the oil fields. On his return this
evening he issued a statement denying
that he ever had the clothing or the
pistol IL his possession, and character
ling as "infamous' published state
ments which, the Sheriff said. tended
to indicate chat he purposelv was with
holding the pistol-pierced garments and
the pistol
Sheriff Garrett said he had not had
the articles IN his posses sion. and that
ne had made two attempts to obtain
them from Frank L. ketch. formerly
business manager for Ny. Hamon, but
Mr.. ketch was cut of Ardmore on one
occasion and could not be located on
the other.
County Attorney Brown to-day gave
virtually his entire attention to the
case. He said it was no nearer to So
luton than it had been since the sup
posed trail OF Miss Smith was lost a.
Cisco. Tex, to which place she was
driven IN an automobile from Dallas
Tex. several days ago. and there pur-
chased q ticket TO FL Paso Tex. He ex-
.pressed confidence that the situation
"ou!d ne cleared up ultimately.
Widow Has Faith in Girl
Mr.. BrowH, who retires from office
the first day OF next month, declined to
comment on the repor, he would be re-
taiaed as special prosecuting attorney.
ITO say that | shall become special
prosecutor would be anticipating a
court ORDER he said. "That is a thing
m attorney very seldom does"
In her verbal statement to-day Mrs.
Nan expressed implicit confidence in
Ar. liamon. She expressed herself as
being satisfied by conversation with
him while he lay in the hospital here
That Miss Smith did not shoot him, ana
that the shooting was accidental
Mrs. Hamon, in saying that she would
gladly become the Republican National
Committeeman from Oklahoma should
the place be offered her, remarked on
her keen interest in politics for several
years past and said she would like to
carry on Mr.. lannon's work and to do
the things that she knew he wanted
Done