The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-03-20

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who is Undoubtedly a brilliant law
yer, knew II.
She Was Treated ScrcncIy.
Really, the outstanding feature OF
the trial was the kid-gloved manner
everybody employed In dealing with
Clara--that is, everybody except tho
special prosecutor. II. II. Brown,
who brutally assailed her In his ap-
peal TO the jury for a conviction. At
all other times and by all others con-
nected with the case. including ali
OF the states witnesses who had
known her. she was treated with
consideration that sometimes
amounted to Difference.
Ono reason for this seeming tame
ness was the fact that no effort was
made by the prosecution to attack
Clara's character. Only her rela-
tons with Hamon came to the at
tention OF the Jury. This situation
was cheerfuHy admitted by the de-
Tense. so there was no controversy.
Tho state had subpoenaed about so
witnesses, including a number ex-
pocted to testify concerning Clara 3
reputation before she became Ham
on's mistress. But for some reason
not explained by the attorney gem
eral, not one OF these went on the
stand. The defense also had sub
poenacd n large number of charac-
ter witnesses who were to testify TO
Clara's goodness before she met
Hamon. These couldn't be used
however, because her reputation was
presumed by the law to be good un-
I'll attacked by the state, and as Il
never was under fire thero was no
occasion for any defense testimony
along that line, one OF these de-
fensc witnesses was James O'Brien
of Kansas City, n former Lawton
young man and Clara's sweetheart
before Hamon came into her life.
State Proved One Thing.
II was not a very vigorous prose-
cution, though certainly Attorney
General Freezing presented the
states side of IL capably. To an OBJ
server 1t appeared as II only the
surface was touched. In all the sen
years they were together Jake Ham
on and Clara didn't have a fight,
didn't threaten each other--so far
as tho testimony showed. No ami
mostly was brought out. Practical
ly all the states testimony had TO do
with the actual shooting. IL was
confined almost entirely to state
ments Ny friends of Hamon TO whom
he had talked while On his deathbed.
outAide of that the state merely
proved that Clara was known TO
have carried pistol and offered
the service car driver, Sails, who
drove her atross Texas In her flight
and who said she told him she had
shet "A man and hoped he would die;
And the defense was similar. II was
confined to a few attempts to i'm
peach iiamon's so-called dying
statements and to its real reliance
tho defendants own story as told by
Clara on the stand
Before the, opening of the trial It
was reported there was an agree
ment among the attorneys 20 limit
the testimony to the actual shooting.
Clara's flight andsher life with Ham
on back as Ear az 1913. on the night
OF the day the trial opened It was
announced by lawyers on both sides
very Euardedly, of course--that
this agreement was off and that the
bars were down.
There Were Lots Of Tears.
But after it's all over 1t looks very
much like the lawyers got together
after that and made another agree
mont that they didn't let the report
ers get. putting the bars carefully
back in place again.
However, anything lacking in ac-
tion az that trial was made up In at
mosphere. Mrs. Jake l.. Hamon,
the widow, sat opposite from Clara
at the lawyers table and they fur
nished plenty of tears. The crowd
was always so dense that you could
hardly bat your own eye, with just
enough expectation OF trouble to
make IL interesting
The unfortunate head bailiff had
more grief than anybody else. when
Judge Tom Champion would order
him 10 clear the crowded aisles or
make room at the packed doors, he
would glare militantly but helplessly
bout and inform the spectators
that IL they didn't move he'd move
'em, To all OF which nobody paid
any particular attention. Maybe
they would make a pretense of obey
ing, but in five minutes or less they
would be back whore they wers be-
fore. It. was just one continuous
nightmare for\this hapless official.
Claa certainly was well repre-
sented legally. In addition TO the
two brightest stars Of the Ardmore
criminal bar, J. Il. Champion, the
triai judges twin brother and Jimmy