New-York tribune., 1921-03-12
Pledge Not to Tell Physi-
clan Gave Dying Man Is
Lifted at Trial of Wom-
an Accused of Murder
Defendant Weeps
AT Side of Widow
Self-Defense Plea Sc, Up;
State Holds Victim Was
Shot as He Lay i'm Bed
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

portion of Ardmore's population that
gained admittance to the court room
to-day saw two women. Clara Smith
Hamon, on trial accused of murder, and
Jake l.. lannon's widow weep over the
display of the dead mans clothes be-
tore the jury. Sitting less than four
feet apart the two sobbed. So over
come was the widow that her son led
her from the room and accompanied
her home
While the status of one was that Of
wife and the other of young woman
who had lived with the man she is
charged with killing, they appeared to
have common grief.
The state dealt its first material
blow at Clara Smith Hamon late in
the afternoon, when DIR. Walter Hardy.
attending physician to Hamon, was
called. Through his testimony Clara
Smith Hamon directly was accused of
firing the shot that brought death to
the former Republican national COM
mitteeman for Oklahoma, millionaire
OF! man and railroad builder
Physician Says Hamon Told
Dr.. Hardy testified that Jake Hamon
told him that Clara Smith Hamon, who
is the divorced wife of lannon's
nephew, shot him, and pledged the ply
sician not to reveal his admission ex-
cept in open court.
The afternoon session found attor
neys for the defendant getting con-
tentious and fighting almost every foot
of legal ground gained by the state.
Through William Mclean, Of counsel,
objections repeatedly were made to
questions put by states attorneys and
testimony given in answer.
On cross-examination Of Mr.. Hardy
the defense scored several times and
in degree weakened the testimony Of
the witness. The physicians statement
that Hamon told him that Clara Smith
Hamon shot him, however, was not
altered by cross-eXamination.
In the course of the cross-examina-
tion the defense through questions put
bore out the generally accepted belief
that Clara Smith Hamon will rely al
most entirely on a self-defense plea.
"He told me that he was shot and
that Clara did it," testified DR.. Hardy
in relating the arrival and subsequent
statement Of Hamon in the Hardy SAM
tarium, to which the wounded man
walked after receiving his mortal
wound.
"When he entered the hallway I
looked at him, realized something was
wrong, and l asked him what was the
matter. He put his arms around me
and kissed me on the cheek, and then
told me that he was shot," added the
physician.
Shot While in Bed, He Said
DR.. Hardy also quoted Hamon as
saying he had been shot while lying in
bed. The physician asserted that the
bullet struck lannon's chest between
the eighth and ninth ribs and passed
downward through the liver
Under cross-examinaton Hr Hardy
testified that Mr.. Hamon was found to
have been suffering from cirrhosis of
the liver when he was operated on for
the bullet wound, and could not have
lived two years longer.
Part of the clothing worn by Hamon
before he was undressed and placed in
room at the hospital was identified by
DR.. Hardy. 1t consisted of shirt and
underclothng. The defense charged
that the states only purpose in intro
ducing the wearing apparel was to
prejudice the jury.
1t was while the twelve men were
examining and passing the clothing
from one to the other that the two
women showed their first outward emo
ton. Clara Smith Hamon lowered her
head to her hands and covered her eyes
with handkerchief. The widow put
her head on the shoulder of her son
Jake Hamon jr., and her sobs could
plainly be heard.
Widow Taken from Room
The curious strained forward tc
catch a glimpse of the women. A re-
cess was ordered, and it was then the
widow was assisted from the court
room.
In the course of his testimony DR.
Hardy related that Clara Smith Hamor
called and was permitted to see Hamon
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