The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-03-20

w. -. Mclean and Walter Scott Of
Mclean. Scott and Mclean OF Fort
Worth.
Mclean Was the Real star.
McLoar. sffcctionately known as
wild Biz among his friends, car
riod the burden OF handling the case
for the defense. Though he un-
qncstionably knew at the outset that
tho outcome was douhie-leaded
cinch--that is after the states case
had been outlined by the attorney
gcncral--hc conducted the actual
trial of the case ia such heady and
Aggressive manner that 1t attracted
wide attention.
a typical illustration Of McLcan's
quickncss in taking advantage of
every opening came wednesday
when Special Prosecutor Brown In
questioning witness inadvertently
roforred TO ClarH's mother as the
old woman"
Mclean was Instantly on his feet,
with the statement that that old
woman IL as good "A woman as ever
gave birth to any lawyer In this
courtroom" Judge, sheriff, bailiff
and others were equally unable to
check the outburst of applause that
followed, and court had to be ad-
Journed for an hour. This IL just
an example. Mclean took advan-
tagc OF every chance To get a Aug-
gostion 10 the jury
How Mclean Got the Case.
The firm Of Mclean. Scott and
Mclean had greatness thrust upon
II in the IIamon case. Walter Scott
tells OF how they chnnced TO defend
Clara virtually ms follows:
ffnN -
Mexico, Bon r. Harrison OF Spokane.
her uncle. was on his way to the
border TO see her. He stopped one
night In Fort Worth changing
trains. Not acqOainted In the town.
he spent the night nj second or
third-ratc rooming house near the
depot. The next morning he paid
his bill and started to leave. Half
way down the stairs. he turned and
called 10 the landlady, an old wom-
an 10y the name of Jackson for
whom we'd handled n minor case a
short time before. asking her to give
him the name of "A, good cr!mina
law firm. She told him to sec Me-
Lean, Scott and Mclean. That's
how we happened to be in the case.
IL she had told him to see Smith
ana Jones or Brown and Green we
probably would never have heard
OF IL except as any other outsider"
Harding TO Carc-for Jakc's Friends.
Politics didn't play the part in the
trial that had been expec.cd. The
only mention of politics in the testi-
mony was when W. II. Nichols said
on the witness sand hat liamon
told him ito 20 stra,gh. 10 Warren
Harding" OFF the stand Nichols
said he hadn't been to Harding yet,
but was going, and added that he
know the president was going TO
take fcare OF Jake Hamon's friends.
There was one other mention OF
politics. but along an entirely dif-
forent line. This was when the de-
fcnse lawyers accused Attorney-Gen-
eral Freezing OF basing campaign
for governor on his prosecution of
Clara Smith Hamon.
The attorney general enjoyed n
hearty laugh at this thrust later. He
added that the more he saw of the
treatment accorded officials the less
he wanted TO stay In public service.
He did not fatty deny that he might
make the race for governor. but GER
tainly he was justified In denying
that he sought to fureher his candi-
dacy by the Hamon case.
Nine OF Jury Were Democrats.
There was one little political
angle that escaped general atten-
ton. 1t was the complexion of the
jury. politically speaking. u. T.. G.
Loughridge, the 70-year-old fore
man OF the jury. and who has sew
eral times been chairman OF the
Carter county republican central
committee: w. A, Jolly, the lone
member OF the jury who voted for
guilty on the first ballot, and one
other member, were republicans.
The other nine were democrats.
Perhaps at first glance, ont might
think the trial resulted in nothing
but the lifting of the murder charge
against Clara. But something else
was accomplished. something mighty
important to the Hamon estate. II
was established beyond doubt that
Jake Hamon did not shoot himself,
and this makes possible the collec-
tion without further difficulty Of
500 900 Of life lnsirance taken out
by Hamon just before he was shot
and made payable TO the estate.
With the manner of death establish
ed officially, handling OF the great
estate will be much simplified.
Clara Nav Make "a star.
Now that it's all over, Clara wants
W w inlo lHt MOVIES. Sne SANE
sho would consider making only ONE
picture-a portrayal Of the story OF
her life. But some people have a
sneaking opinion that IL she made a
success in this It might be possible
to persuade her to make other pic
lures.
Even Mrs. Jake l.. Hamon, the
widow and the really pathetic figure
of the trial, says she has received an
offer to go on the screen. She said
in the same statement that she had
rejected II.
The small army OF newspaper men
and women invading Ardmore for
the trial carried away from there
only the happiest memories. Judge
Champion, Sheriff Buck Garrett and
all other officials connected with the
case We're more than kind. But II
didn't stop there. The chamber OF
commerce gave banquet for the
press; the Rotary and other civic
clubs invited all the visiting writer's
TO attend their dinners; the Elks
club threw its doors open to the
scribes. and a number OF private
citizens were hosts at gay parties
for the writing people.
Ardmore appeared TO be lust far
6Oough south for southern hospital
ity to be at its best, yet enough OF
a bustling Oklahoma town fof the
40 la 4.