Evening star., 1921-03-10
RUSH FILLS COURT
AT HAMON TRIAL
Clara Smith Meets Charge of
Killing Oklahoma
Millionaire.

BY the Associated Press.
ARDMORE. Okla. March lo.-Mrs
Clara Smith Hamon, charged with the
murder of Jake l.. -Hamon. OIL mil
iionaire and former republican ma
tionaI commi tteeman from Oklahoma
went to trial this morning in the
states most celebrated murder case
Judge Thomas w. Champion presided;
The courtroom, which virtually had
been empty until a few minutes pc
fore the trial opened, hiled WIN
rush Just before court convened. ana
when the trial started every seat was
filed and persons were Lining the
walls on all sides.
Mrs. Clara Smith Hamon. accompa-
MED by her mother and sister. entered
the courtroom promptly at oeIock
and all three took seats behind those
reserved for her counsel. Several
friends came up to where she sat and
shook hands with her. Mrs. Jake l..
HaJaon was not in the courtroom.
A. new oil gusher' brougnt IN tn
terest, half hour before the trihI
opened fewer than nifty persons peihs
present in the courtroom
Twelve Left I'm Jury Box.
Under the Oklahoma law. the names
of twelve men were drawn from the
iurv box and they flied into the jury
box for examination as prospective
Jurors. II. II. Brown. special prose
cutor, examined the ven1reme" io' ing
safe. c.,-
I.ac first vcnireman, J. u. OBrien,
cotton gan man. was asked whether
he would be Influenced by thf iact
that the defendant is a woman ana III
he was against capital punishment
Isad
rarily by the state, subject 10 later
examination by uefense and peremptory
challenge by either side.
Examination proceeded rapidly. 5. L.
Freezing. state attorney general IN
charge Of the prosecution. occasion
ally challenging for cause. Several
v.niremen said they had fixed an
opinion and were excused. In ques-
tioning T. j. Pollock, Il retired farmer,
Mr.. Freezing asked If it would infiu-
enc. d verdict if it were proven Mr..
Hamon was man of the gravest
faults and had not been loyal TO MS
family
with the examination, of twenty
one men. twelve men who had not
disqualified themselves on either state
or defense examination We're in the
jury box. E.ach side had left nine
peremptory challenges.
Peeking Through keyhole.
Spectators who were. denied ad-
r:itt..nce after the, doorsf of the court
room had been closed. hilled around
in the lobbIes' and on the stairs lead
ing to the coartEoom on the third
floor. They kept up continual buzz
of conversation. Eyes and ears
sought out every available keyhoie
ana crack in the entrances to the
court chamber. some on their knees.
and others bending in all conceiv-
able positions in their attempts to
gain a glimpse of the interior.
Friendly exchanges and polite
system OF rotation was. adopted by
spectator would take his turn at
keyhole or crack and then pass on
to permit another to view
Tactics In Examining.
Counsel for both sides agreed that the
length of the trial depended upon the
tactics adopted in examining veniremen
tor jury service. Both defense and
tent with handling the case on it's
merits as a murder case without ire
sorting to grandstanding."
Speaking for the state. Mr.. Freezing
said that an effort would be made to
have the court rule that no evidence
might be introduced regarding the al
legged relations between Hamon and the
defendant farther back than twenty
minutes before the shooting occurred,
and in another statement. William =.
Mclean and Walter Scott of counsel
for the defense. expressed similar views
MIR. Freezing said the state examina-
tion of veniremen would require only
that a man affirm he had not formed an
opinion which evidence could not change.
Defense counsel indicated their eX-
animation would be somewhat more in
yolved. although. they would not say
what mode OF examination would be
adopted.
Mrs. lannon's Regret.
Mrs. Hamon, widow Of the oil mag
nate, has announced her intention of
appearing as a witness for the state
| and attending all sessions of the trial
| and a seat was provided for her
In final statement before the trial
| today. Mrs. Hamon said she regretted
she had not taken action years ago,
while Clara Smith Hamon was still
! Clara Smith. to end her association
with Hamon. Clara Smith obtained
| the name. Hamon by marriage to
Frank Hamon, nephew of the man she
| is accused of killing.
In a statement made in the presence
| of her father. her nineteen-year old
son Jake. jr:: Fred Ellis. former law
! Continued on Page 2. Column p