The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-16
DID NOT INTEND ID KILL RAMON,
 GIRL MAINTAINS
Re- e-enacts Scenes In Death Chamber, Declaring Gun Went Off as Man Was
 About to Strike Her
By Associated Press

on the witness stand re-enacted the scene when she shot Hamon, who, she swore, had beaten and cursed her. and at the moment of the shooting was threatening to strike her with a chair.
 She maintained, toe, under cross-exam- nation, that she had not intended to kill Hamon. Her testimony was the last of the day, and the defense announced that except for the matter of the admissibility as evidence of letters from Clara to Hamon, it rested it's case.
 Both in her direct testimony and on cross-examination, she maintained she could not tell just how the pistol was discharged, but that it was discharged as she was attempting to unlock the door of her room to escape Hamon, who, she said, was threatening to strike her with a chair.
 At one point in her direct testimony she illustrated to the jury the arrange ment of her room. and how her view Of Hamon was cut off for moment as she reached the door.
 At the request of Attorney General Freeling, who is directing the prosecu- tion, the defendant pointed the pistol at him as she said she did at Hamon.
 SHOT NOT INTENDED
 T might have pulled the trigger she testified, but don't remember l did not intend to shoot him, but my hand might have relaxed"
 To many questions by Attorney Gen eral Freeling. Clara said, with a shrug of her shoulders, T am sure, general, l can't remember
 She reiterated she could not tell just when the pistol was discharged, that she did not know whether the pistol fired as it left her hand or when the chair hit her.
 Clara said she had pawned her dia- monds presented by Hamon to pay the expenses of her trial.
 She said that at the hospital Hamon said he was going to die, that he was worse than the doctors said.
 q don't just remember what else he said" she replied to the question.
 Attorney. General Freeling questioned Clara Hamon regarding alleged state ments by her to the reporters. Frequent ly she denied the accuracy of details of the printed story, saying, T just can't re- member" or that the reporter had mis- understood or misquoted her. She said the story of the killing reported by Sam Blair, Chicago newspaper man, was ac- eurate.
 OlaTd Sdiu tIldL Oit lnt lfdiu liOfI A<A Paso to Ardmore she had signed a state ment saying Blairs interview was over drawn.
 BREAKS INTO TEARS
 Three times during her testimony she broke into tears ands wept silently into her handkerchief. Speaking of the in- ception of the fight she said that Ha- mon, having snatched her into a chair beside him, accused her of having been automobile riding with someone.
 With the words, Clara. you've hit me-" which she said he exclaimed when she shot him, the young woman came nearest to a breakdown. She said that Hamon threw back his vest and shove her a widening spot of blood on his right chest.
 She said that on the morning after Hamon was shot he sent for her to come to the hospital to which he walked after being wounded On her arrival there, she said he kissed her and said he hoped she had not been hurt during the fight and that 1t would not have hap pened had he not been drinking.
 Twice during the day on the witness stand the young woman stepped down t,om the dias and, with the automatic pistol with which Hamon was shot in her hand walked before the jury to show in what manner he had been wounded. On cross-examination, Attor- ney General Freeing, man of approx'- mately the same bulk of Hamon, had her point the wapeon at him while he as- sumed the position she said Hamon was in.
 When. on direct examination, she dropped the pistol to indicate how il had fallen from her hand when the chair hit it. the noise reverperated through the hacked courtroom so silent and intent on her words had the spectators be- come.
 Only a short time before Clara Hamon went to the witness stand, she had been led from the courtroom almost in con- dition of collapse.
 SISTER ON STAND Mrs. V. B. Walling, sister of the de- fendant. had testified that for long while she had not known of the iilicit relations between her sister ana Hamoh but that when her father, J. l.. Smith oi El Paso Tex. learned of them he came to Ardmore to kill Hamon and was dis armed bv the sheriff The state objected and was sustained and w. F. MLean of Fort Worth, Tex. leading counsel foi the defense. insisted the question was nroner and that how the entire family accented the matter should be brought out
 Fl H. Brown, special prosecutor, in- terjected that the state was "iiiins for the jury to know no" .hey 'ooA " the old woman and all
 Mr Mclean was on his feet instantly and asserted that Mrs. Smith, who had been referred to as the oio woman, was the equal, in his estimation, of the mother of any lawyer in the trial. A roar of handclapping greeted his words. The court was thrown into fu- rore, and was adjourned one hour The spectators were warned the case would be tried without their presence snouio another demonstration take piace. | Clara Hamon said:
 .I don't care what they do with me, but they must let my poor old mother alone"
 BEGINNING OF FLIGHT Mrs Walling and her H-year-old dauyhter Phyllis. testified that on the morning after Hamon was shot. Clara Hamon came to their home at Wilson, IS miles west of here to bid them Rood-bye before she left Ardmore. on 1 instrucfions of Hamon and his business manager Frank l.. Ketch and that her throat breast and hands bore bruises l Mrs Smith testified that when her daurhter came to her four days later | at El Paso. Tex, on her flight into Chihuahua. Mex. the bruises still re- mained. Mrs. Smith testified that Clara l is % wears old. as the defendant did a | few minutes later.
 That had been one of the states chief noints of contention, it being sought tc Iorove that she was mature woman Chen she took up her association t wears ago with Colonel Hamon.
 The admissability of the Hamon let, Iters to the defendant will be argued to- morrow morning. after which state coun. iof reh1lffs1u foc