The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-18
WE, THE JURY, FIND DEFEND
Ant NOT GUILTY AS CHARGED
IN INFORMATION" WAS VERDICT

4 IN INFORMATION" WAS VERDICT
CONTINUED From Page Ore)
fairs, men with families, men who
We're the fathers, themselves, of baby
girls.
I'm the HappieSt Woman"
I'm the Aappiest person in the
world Clara said to those who be-
sieged her as she gave them both
hands.
Her brother Jimmie" was in tears
as his sister received the congratula-
tons of those who swarmed about her.
AS they passed out the jurors said
only one ballot was taken, secret
one confirmed by a rising vote.
1T was the only thing We could do"
one juror said as he left the court
room.
None Of the family of Jake L. Ha-
mon was in the court room when the
verdict was rendered.
Neither was S. p. Freezing. state
attorney general, who made a COM
pelling plea for conviction 40 minutes
before the jury arrived at its de-
cision.
Mrs. Hamon, the widow, her son
Jake, Jr., and her daughter, Olive Belle
retired TO the seclusion Of their home
just before the jury left its box.
Il am - years old and Clara is
only 29,' she told me just before she
left the courtroom. Clara has been
able to appeal to the jury through her
more youthful and more beautiful ap-
perance The only possibility for
justice that l can see is a disagree
ment among the jurors"
There was no disagreement, how.
ever even though one juror, w. A.
Jolly, did cast guilty" ballot at the
first voting 1t was explained. though.
that Mr.. Jolly merely did this by way
Of inviting an explanation on one point
OF evidence upon which he was not
clear. The second ballot, which came
after Mr.. Jolly had been satisfied,
registered a unanimity of opinion.
Expressed Opinion of Jury
rhe only thing we've got against
Clara Smith" stated one of the iur-
ors who served during the case of
the state of Oklahoma VS.. the woman
rs the fact that she did not kill Ha-
mon ten years ago"
I'VE believe, although it has not
been brought out directly Cbut was
proved by various bits of testimony
that the relations existed between Ha-
mon and the girl when she was but
16 years old. 1t does not take much
use of seductive power on the part of
a man so much older than the girl.
when he builds for her a promise of
brilliant future.
There is no doubt but that Clara
Smith Hamon killed Hamon. But she
cid it in self-defense. She was in
danger Her story concerning the at
tempted attack upon her in the room
at the Randol hotel with the chair.
we believed true.
The manner in which the prusecu-
tion attempted to describe the killing
we did not believe. For an investiga-
ton of the description of the killing
as described by the prosecution. and
then application of the description as
to arrangements in the rooms OF the |
hotel in which the couple were living |
at the time of the killing, practically |
proves that it was impossible for the
girl to have laid her hand upon
lannon's head, and then fired the bull
let into mis- body"
This juror further went on to state
that a great deal of sympathy was
directed towards the defendant by the
jury, and simultaneously against the
prosecution at the time one Of the
attorneys for the state slurred the
names Of the relatives Of the defend
ant, and attempted TO besmirch their
characters and the characters of the
other witnesses in the case at various
times.
Such action in the part Of the pro-
secution," he stated lis old-fashioned
narrow-mindedness In the early days
Of the settlement Of this country,
preachers would ascend their pulpits
and laud the religion which they rep.
resented by condemning the religion
OF others. But those days are over
Preachers now express the greatness
of their religion by lauding IT'S bene.
ficial points. Just so, there vas alb.
soldtely no reason whatever COR the
prosecution in ths case Of the State
CT Oklahoa VS.. Clara Smith Hamon
to condemn and attempt 10 bring into
disgrace the character Of witnesses"
This juror states that it was he who
had voted guilty" during the taking
OF the first ballot but said that he
did this because he desired sew.
eral minor points in the case. which
were not clear to him be explained