Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-10
Three Main Points viii
Feature Prosecution in
Oklahoma Murder Trial

ARDMORE, Okla.-The prosecu-
ton has succeeded in keeping a
mystery the principal points on
which it. will try to send Clara
Smith Hamon to the penitentiary
for the murder of Jake Hamon.
But three features are expected to
develop at the trial. starting March
10, of the young woman who shot
and killed the multi-millionaire oil
man and politician after associating
openly with him for ten years. They
are:
First: That Hamon was being
blackmailed on the da. he was shot,
Sunday, Nov. Fl.
Second: That Hamon, after CIV
Ing the world his word that the
Third: That Clara Hamon, only
two weeks before the shooting,
bought the fatal revolver in Okla
On these points, it is expected,
rely to prove that the killing was
done with deliberate generalization.
- Black1nau Charge
The story common in Ardmore is
that during the afternoon preceding
the evening of the shooting, Hamon
tel Rahdol, where he and Clara
Hamon were living.
Friends were with him, and fire.
quently he was called to the tele-
phone. The conversation indicated
that several of these calls came from
Hamon.. Once Hamon is said to have
shouted:
You damned blackmailer,. L know
why you are in town"
@. Then he slammed the receiver on
the hook in great anger
possible identity of the telephone
caller, but it is believed the state
may attempt to show that Clara
Hamon, facing parting forever
back to his. wife and children, might
have been inspired by this mysteri-
Gus caller to shoot Hamon.
After the shooting, Hamon walk
ed the several blocks intervening be-
tween the Randol hotel and the
Hardy sanitarium, where he died.
"I'm Going to Die"
AS he entered the. hospital, he
said to his old friend, Dr.. Walter
Hardy, Doc, TIM going to die"
ho InG To and was given put s. hs
friends who called Oh hin li there s,H in :
Guiding Frank Ketch, his general
manager, that Hamon said he had
shot himself accidentally.
But Clara Hamon since then has
admitted she shot Hamon claiming
1t was in self-defense.
To this day, however, no formal
declaration has been made by any of
the physicians who attended Hamon,
or the friends who called on him,
that he changed his story.
But when, DR.. Hardy, Ketch, KEEL
ley Roach, W.. B. Nichols and 9TH
the five days he lay dying, take the
stand, what will they say?
: This is the outstanding question
as the trial date draws near
Even should they, say Hamon pri-
vately told them Clara Hamon shot
cumstances as the state charges, yet
there is doubt whether their testi-
mony would be admissible, for it
would have to be made legally plain
that Hamon knew he was dying
when he made any such statement.
It is generally believed that the
men named will relate a hitherto
unhe'ard account Of lannon's version
of the shooting, and that this YER
sion will not accord with that of
self-defense told by the accused
woman.
more imam IOrty-elSnC- hours elapS-
ed from the time. Hamon entered
the hospital until his condition be-
came critical. His temperature in
the meantime was nearly normal and
he was able to converse deliberately
and at length. ;.
During this time Ketch had much
to talk over with Hamon. He knew
every detail of lannon's oil and rail-
way business and was familiar with
his innermost private affairs.
Ketch Keeps Silence
Since the hour of the shooting
Ketch has kept silent, except to give
out lannon's message "for publica-
ton that the shooting was acct
dental. t.
But that Ketch's story under oath
will be something entirely different
is looked for, and numerous other
friends of Hamon who talked with
him while he lay on his deathbed
are expected to corroborate the story
Ketch will tell.
Clara Hamon, in an interview CIV
en- while she was in Mexico. was
quoted as saying that the gun with
which she shot Jake Hamon had
been given to her by Hamon him
self.
That the prosecution will seek to
prove that Clara, not Hamon, bought
the gun in an Oklahoma City hard
ware store is one probable angle of
the forthcoming trial.
The Oklahoma law requires that