The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-03-17
CLARA HAM0N'S
A TT0R NEY IN
A FINAL PLEA
Lawyers Unable to Avoid Argu.
ment Begin Final
Speeches
TO TAKE ALL THE DAY
Case Not Likely to Go TO The
Jury Before Night, Under
Plan

-H flan
Ardmore, OkAa., Mar. 17.-An effort
of the. defense to waive their right of
argument and have the case of Clara
Smith Hamon go Immediately to the
jury was ruled out by Judge Thomas
w. Champion and defense counsel be-
gan it's pleas for acquitted of the de-
fendant. &
Joe Ben Champion, twin brother of
the judge, opened for the defense.
With the announced plans of both
state and defense it appeared that the
entire day might be taken up with
argument.
Mr.. Champion referred to the par
ticipation in the case of Attorney
General Frieling as "high state
official sent down here to prosecute a
poor innocent country girl for shoot
ing a millionaire"
Clara lannon's eyes filled with
tears at this reference. g.,
Talks OF Meeting. -,
"When Jake Hamon met her."
Champion said, referring to Clara"
she was q brown-eyed girl When
he wooed and won her he was Il
powerful lawyer of 40 years, a power
full mind. He took her, an innocent
country girl, educated her, sent her
to college, not that she might serve
him as stenaographer but that in the
end she might yield to his brutal pas
sions."
L. C. Mullen, a friend of Jake Ham,
on, who sat within three feet of the
speaking attorney leaned over and
took Mr.. Champions arm and tried
to stop him when he referred to J. J.
Mullen, his brother, as having been
one who "countenanced 10 years of
cpen and notorious adultery in the
life of Jake Hamon."
Sheriff Buck Garrett, sitting i'm
mediately behind Mr. Mullen, reached
over and took him by the shoulder.
Here, here, you rslst cut that out"
the sheriff warned. .g7"
Champion called Mr.. Mathers be-
fore the jury, laid him on a table, and
used law book for a pillow. y
Jim, you rae Jake and I'm Clara"
he siad. you've been drunk all day.
He took a pistol and illustrated
his idea OF the shooting as gianed from
the states testimony and which he
said he was impossible.
Predicts AequittaI
Girls like this have ever been &C.
quilted; girls like this will ever be ac-
quilted as long as the spirit of God
lasts" he said in closing. He spoke
an hour and twenty-minutes.
Mr. Mathers charged the Hamon
millions allied with the millions
Of dollars Of business associates, were
centered on Clara HamOn mad 1T 10
an unequal fight
"They were wondering IL the Ham
on gold has lined the pockets of a jur-
or, Mathers said, regarding the state
my good friend Browns 45.minute
plea yesterday was for hanged jury.
They know they do not deserve a de-
cisiOn.'
Indications shortly before noon
pointed to the case being in the hands
of the jury by 5 p. m. according to
state and defensei counsel.
Paving the way for the closing state
argument and at the same time asking
that the young defendant be convicted
Special Prosecutor H. H, Brown spoke
one hour and fifty minutes.
Frequently he pointed to Mrs. Jake
l.. Hamon as she sat weeping in her
mourning costume and the defendant
and asked that the jurors in their
own minds compare the two, the one
with look of goodness and honesty
in her face and the other painted
faced, we'll tailored, with beautiful
features, prettily coiffuered hair and
who, from this witness stand cOoed
to you live a dove"
Mr.. Brown asserted that Clara Ha-
mons story of the shooting of Mr..
Hamon, uncle of her former hus-
band, and with whom she had lived
eight or nine years, was told from
the witness stand yesterday, in a
schooled, tragic voice.
A contract between Colonel HamOn
and Clara, introduced as evidence
yesterday and in which she came to
work for Colonel HamOn for $35 a
week subject to discontinuance on
two weeks notice, provided that
should child, boy or girl. be born of
their relations such child should re-
ceive $35 a week, also was made much
of by the special prosecutor.
Clara Remains UnmOyed.
His references to her as a woman
who had crept into the Hamon home
and who had sold herself body and
soul brought from the young, defend
and no sign of emotion. Her uncle,
Ben Harrison, of Spokane, Wash,
who sat beside his niece in the court
room for the first time, scowled at
the attorney, and the faces of the
other relatives grouped about showed
signs of marked disapproval as he
referred to the Smith family as hav-
ing profited by the illicit relations
of Clara Hamon with Colonel Hamon.
In opening his address to the jury.
Mr.. Brown made what was interpret
ed in some quarters as an apology for
his remarks yesterday in which he re-
ferred to Mrs J. l.. Smith of Ell Paso,
Texas, mother of Clara as the "old
woman"
Throughout his talk. Mr.. Brown
called in Biblical and historical sinl<
lies in pointing, he said. to duty for
the jurors. =