Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-18

b. +. T.. Laughrldge, 73 year O
was taken, a secret one, confir
Clara Hamon obtained the informa-
ton fully seven minutes before the
verdict was rendered in open court
and sat, surrounded by members of her
family, half smiling, half afraid to be-
leve the mods Of assurance that were
bent toward her.
Eyes Riveted On Baitiff.
When Judge Thomas w. Champion
mounted the bench and received an af-
firmative response to this question:
Gentlemen, have you reached a YER
dict?" her eyes followed intently the
motions of the ,bailiff as he received
the verdict from Mr.. Laughridge, walk
ed across the courtroom and handed it
to the clerk, who read it in a nervous,
falsetto voice.
Clara Hamon gasped audibly in the
tensely silent courtroom, dropped for
ward in her seat, only to be seized
from behind by her younger brother,
Jimmie" squeezed violently and kiss
D ed on the left cheek. Tears came to
her eyes and the other members of her
family cried with her as she crossed
to the jurors and halting1y thanked
them for their verdict.
She came to the press room to thank
the newspaper workers, clinging to the
arms of her brother and mother and
with tears streaming down her face
said:
"Happiest Woman In the World"
'I-am the happiest woman in the
world"
She took a secret passage from the
court room to escape the crowds which
threatened to overwhelm her and went
~ - Io,ro. fJoor of Tho county huildinr
where she sat for some time receiving
congratulations.
Thursday night her plans for the
future were incomplete. she and mem
bers of her counsel of six attorneys
said. She is considering number OF
business propositions. according to
Walter Scott of Fort Worth. Tex. one
Of her counsel. but what she shall do
in the immediate future is undeter-
mined.
She probably will remain in Ardmore
a day or two at the home she leased
to be here for the trial, and then prob
ably will 20 to Wilson. 18 miles west
Of .here. to stay with her sister for a
few days. Her father, J. L. Smith. is
seriously i'll at FL Paso, Tex. and it
was said she might return there to be
with him in the last days Of what IS
termed an illness which may be fatal.
Widow is Absent.
None of the members of the family
of Jake L. Hamon was in the court
room when the jury returned its YER
dict. Mrs. Hamon, the widow, and her
son. Jake T.. Jr., left when the case
! was placed in the jury's hands. Mrs:
! Hamon at that time was in tears. and
had wept violently as Attorney General
S. p. Freezing, in charge of the pros.
ccution. had referred to he: several
times in his plea to tho Jury as neg,
lected wife ami honorable mother, ana
IN Young Jake as 4 noble boy. and TO
11-year-o Olive Belle as sweet lit
tie girl =,
Olive Belle was IN court only on the
o,enina day while Mrs Hamon attend
ed all sessions. morning and afternoon,
except two, clad in deep mourning and
sitting directly opposite Clara Ham6n,
30 inches away.
Not once during the trial. which be-
gan a week ago Thursday. did the two
women appear to become conscious OF
each other except on the days they
testified, when each regarded tie other
closely.
Not Told Verdict.
Thursday night at the home here Of
Mrs. Jake l.. HaInon. it was said that
SuG Hdd uoL DSSu COIu " eu0 fvSini.e
and that she would not be until Fri
day, because Of her physical and men
tai condition. Jake J.. Jr., said that if
his mother was given the information
of the acquittal after such brief consid-
Grafton by the jury it ''would tend to
throw her into n collapse on the verge
of which she is right now"
Younk Jake made no comment. in
quiring. however, as tot the details of
the courtroom scene when the verdict
was returned and as to how Clara
HamQn had accepted the acquittal.
Mr.. Hamon was shot on the night of
November q last as the elimination of
what was brought out in evidence in
troduced at the trial as being vicious
fight with the young defendant. He |
died five days later.
Story of Flight. i
Clara Hamon Immediately left Ard |
more, departing on November % and, it |
was established during the trial, upon
instructions of Mr.. Hamon as he lay !
upon a hospital cot, and Frank T..
Ketch. former business manager for
Mr.. Hamon and now administrator for
the Hamon estate. and upon 5000
furnished her by Mr.. Hamon through
Mr. Ketch. She went to Chihuahua
City, Mexico, travelling part way across
Oklahoma and Texas by automobile.
She surrendered to the Carter county
sheriff at Ell Paso and returned to
Ardmore IN Christmas day.
VA The trial has been remarkable by
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