The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-17
CLARA'S
Case IS
NEARING
Finish!
Defense Attorney Scores
MiIIionaire's Record IN
Closing Arguments
by CARL VICTOR LITTLE

by CARL VICTOR LITTLE
COURTHOUSE. ARDMoRE. Okla.
March i7.--ciara Smith Hamon To-
day was pictured as a country girl
on whose breast had been branded
the scarlet letter OF shame bv = rich
and powerful man.
The case was expected to rcacn
the Jury about y. m today.
DRAMATIC PLEAS
FOR DEFENDANT
Jimmy Mafhers and j. p. ChAmr
pion, twin brother OF Judge Cham
pion. made stirring and dramatic
pleas to the jury for Clara's releass
when arguments for the defense
were made
Both men charged that rich and
powerful interests were trying 70
send the defendant TO Jail 70 that
they could get their clutches on ths
Hamon millions.
witnesses who testified for tie
state against the defendant. who -
charged with the murder Of Jake l.
Hamon. were attacked by the attU-
neys as tools OF rich interests. Teso-
mony OF friends OF Hamon. who gave
out statements after Hamon was
wounded. that II WAS the result Of an
accident. was impeachcd and brand
ed as untrue. because. the attorneys
charged. these men had lied abcut
lannon's death and would a. soon
swear 20 Hes"
Governor Robertson. of Oklahoma.
was scored for sending Attorney
General Freeing to promcste Clara,
and Freezing was scored for comtng-
Arguments OF Champion and
Nathers took up the entire morning
session and court was recessed until
1 p. m
Clara wcpt and twitehed nervOus-
| ly as court opened today.
Tho girl. charged with staying
Jake l.. Hamon. broke down on the
day she expected TO learn her fate.
She slipped into court with her
mother, Mrs J. l.. Smith. and jim
my, her brother and pal.
Tears rolled down her cheeks -
she took her seat
The defense was overruled BY
Judge Champion in its efforts TO
send the case to the jury without
making an argument
JUDGES TWIN BEGINS
DEFENSE ARGUMENT
J. II. Champion, twin brother Of
the judge and defense counsel.
opened the argument
In opening. he charged the prose-
cution with kngthening the case by
postponcment. and attacked II. H.
Brown, prosecutor. for his speech Of
yesterday.
This girl is charged with sedue-
ing a 4o-ycar-oid millionaire; its
RIDICULOUS" Champion yelled.
Mrs. Hamon was in court and
heard her husband arraigned as a
rouc and stealer OF virtue. She did
not vince: she was unemotional. g.
when Jake Hamon sent this girl
TO college. she was a browneyed
countrY girl in her teens. He
wooed. coaxed and won. He wouldn't
have taken a crooked girl into his
life and sent her to college. to BE-
come an offio- associate.
''She was a chaste. pure. sweet
girl He knew her in the town
where she lived. He took her be
cause of her clean life.
"Hamon snatched this girl from
the cradle TO debauch her"
Clara wept intermittently during
Champions TRADE against Jake
Hamon.
SAYS KETCH GRIPS
LANNON'S FORTUNE
A sensation was sprung when
Champion charged that Frank
Ketch has his clutches safely fast
encd onto the millions OF the dead
man."
l.. v. Mullen. brother of J. 8.
Mullen, one OF the friends Of Ha-
mon. whom Champion branded az
countenancing adultery. lurched To-
ward Champion.
Sheriff Buck" Garrett grabbed
Mullen and forced him in his chair.
'rhe nation isn't interested In this
case because OF Clara's popularity
she isn't known out OF town-but be-
cause of Jake L. Hamon." Champion
continued.
"The throbbing heart OF this ma
powerful Hamon snatched a girl
from high school. Jake Hamon con-
fessed to the world this girl was
pure and chaste. Hamon was the
only man in her life. 1t was not
a bullet that stole Hamon from his
wife--he stole himself, 10 years ago"