The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-12-20
Coming Back to Face
Jury on Murder Charge
Clara Smith Hamon Admits
Firing Bullet That Caused
Death of Oil Man.
ADVISED TO DO DEED
Slain Man Forgave Her on His
Deathbed and Promised to
Tell He Shot Himself.
Nsy SAM BLAIR, STAFF Correspondent Mt
Universal ServIcel

"Ie. Sopyrl9ht. 1920, BY Chicago
Herald and Examiner Cory.
right, 1920, BY Sam 6lalr.)
El Paso. Tex. nec. 20.--Clara Smith
Hamon is on her way back to Adrmore
Okla. to face jury on charge OF
Staying Jake L.. Hamon, multimillion-
aire oil magnate and republican ma
tional committeeman. from Oklahoma.
She will tell the Ardmore jury the
story she told me last night in the
public park at Chihauhad. Mexico.
the story rushed to a climax with
the account OF the last meeting OF
Hamon and Clara in the Ardmore hos
pital after the shooting.
1t closed with a benediction on the
soul of the man that is as strong as
the conflict OF emotions which now
seethe in the heart of the woman ac-
cused.
He was always cruel and snarling
with me-" she said, and lifted my
fingers to her hair so that | might feel
the furrowed scar-result of one OF his
manX blows. she said. Then she cried :
That bullet which killed him should
have been fired ten years ago.
L was advised to kill him-yes by
severai OF the plggest men in Okla
But | loved him, still love hAn.
He made his peace with God He
told me so that morning in the hospital
after he had said he was dying and
that | should go away and he would
tell the world he had shot himself. He's
made his peace with God and God and
l forgave him on that day. He told me
he would meet me in Heaven-and III
meet him there.
But, oh, If I only had shown to the
Ardmore people the black marks of his
thumbs on my throat. the torn skin on
my hands, the battered face of me.
after that night the bullet was fired.
Had | shown these every one would
have believed my story. viii they be-
ieve, now that my bruises are almost
healed?
II want to tell you of that day and
night-of that night he was shot. For
ten years-you know--We had been
he had dominated me: ! hated him
and vet | loved him. That day of Nov.
Fl we were to part for good.
ut was my decision and his. His
wife was returning to him from Chi
cago. He had grown to be a power In
money and politics. I had made him
what he was, but I had no desire to
remain with him and share in his
glorM
"That day was to have been our
last together. We had made up our
minds.
I'VE had promised each other that
not thing should happen to mar the
sanctity of the time. 1t was sacred
for me BECAUSE he was the only man
in my life.
The day passed. Instead four be-
forced to run constantly to his office.
+ Each time heyeafne, back to me he had
more drink than before.
"Aalways in the past he had been
able. to achieve what you call carry
ing his liquor But, as this day wore
on, and I got fitful .glimpses of him I
became convinced that he was going |
crazy.
81 went to my room--No. 2s. His
room was No. 20. i locked the COM
the partition. He evidently was more
angry than ever before:
81 telephoned for some food. The |
negro porter-Bill-cam In with the
food. At his heels rushed Mr.. Hamon.
l could not put him out.
81 got rid Of the porter. I knew
another terrible scene was coming.
"Mr, Hamon flung himself down on
my bed. He was disgustinglv intoxi-
Gated. He called me-he called me
a terrible name. He wanted to know
who I had been riding with:
He knew-he knew-oh, how well,
that never in ten years-since / was
eyes at another man. And yet on that
last day he chose to pretend he was
doubling me.
"His knife-Mr. lannon's knife-fell
out OF his pocket as he lay on the bed.
I don't know why-it must have been
providence picked 1t up and con-
cealed it on the table under a news
paper.
went deep into my throat. l could
nj
"He laughed that harsh, snarly
laugh OF his which he was careful not
to give in pubic-but Il was q laugh
I knew well. lie wa watchea na.,', me
sneer on his lips He lighted cigar
81 would as easily slit your throat
as I draw on this cigar. he felt for
and AZ hidden under the paper Then he
reached for his watch chain. Last
Christmas I had given him gold
chain with a knife attached.
"This knife was gone. He leered at
me foolishly for a moment. Then his
face set in a way that's horrible to
remember. He started to lunge toward
me across the floor His arms were
outstretched and his fingers clutched
the air SaS'ss ETo'tesqqey or nstHsyfy tbs Widow
sill I felt my handbag. It was open;
Inside my hands searched and found
my gun. ,,,,
HE had ,ans given me TIL" Is%1,aS sT1 Sfmsss tSIt
gun our at his head I cried for him to
stop There was chair close
10 his left hand. He lifted his right
hand suddenly and switched off the
light. 1T. ,os
7 could see the movements family
from the light reflected from the
street arc. He rushed at me with the
chair up. He struck down savagely
at me. =, ,t A
n came down the gun went OFT It's
true had II in my hand and had II
pointed at him. ! swear TO God dldnt
null the trigger.