The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-10
CLARA SMITH
STARTS FIGHT
FOR HER LIFE
Scandal of Southwest Uncorked
in Ardmore Today.
Four Hundred "Murder Fans"
Crowd Court R0Om..
PICK JURY IN HURRY
Tentative Panel of Twelve in
Box by Noon.
Self Defense Plea Indicated by
Accused WOman's Attorneys.

Accused WOman's Attorneys.
| Court House. Ardmore. Okla.
March 10.-Speedy justice will be
meted out to Clara Smith Hamon. n
was assured today when a tentative
jury had been selected within three
hours after her murder trial started.
| This will not be a long drawn out
trial. Judging from the speed in
picking the tentative jury stand. both
| the defense and the prosecution are
determined to get it over brislkly.
| 1t is certain that the final jury will
be selected today and the taking OF
testimony will begin tomorrow. All
challenges for cause have been made.
All that is left is peremptory chal-
ienges-nine chances for each side to
arbitrarily excuse jurors without
I cause.
] Among the tentative twelve were
! seven farmers two factory workers
and three business men. d. F. C.
Lausridge' 7s. and James Avery. rs.
We're the Oldest men chosen. They
| could have been exempted from Jury
service because they were above 60
years of age but did not ask it.
VIII Plead Self Defense.
j. B. Champion. twin brother of the
Judge, who is a counsel for the de-
tense, Immediately started to exarn-
Inc the twelve tentatively approved bv
the state. Self defense will be Clara's
| pea, IL was assured when Attorney
champion in his examination asked
each If he believed in the right of ey-
cry one to defend oneself in case of
attack.
After grilling of the defense. the
Jury remained as completed by the
state. with exception of one Juror who
was excused and another put in hi.
chair All of these tentative Jurors
! are married men with families. Thir-
ty-six is the youngest age and seventy
4 elsht the oldest. A total of twenty
one nave peen examined. Both sides
tnen continued to grill the tentative
slate.
State Hurried Examination.
1t took the state but one hour and
twenty minutes to select twelve tental-
tive jurors. The state examined twen-
said they were impartial.
freeing, while questioning Jurors,
asked each one as follows:
IF you know that Jake Hamon was
, ndd man nan and disloyal to his family.
the tate of the defendant?"
Scandal of Southwest.
The scandal of the southwest was
uncorked-Clara Smith Hamon went
on trial for murder today.
The girl started the fight for her
life when her trial for Staying Jake
l.. Hamon, millionaire and political
power, opened in the Carter county
court house.
The sing-song words "Order in the
5 court" uttered by BaiIiff ]. ID. Payne
topend the school for scandal.
cara Hamon sat there with a quiz
zeal and strange look. The events OF
: the day she has been praying for
puzzled her. She cast side glances at
occasionally her eyes stole toward
} those who came to hear the intimate
details of her life. She was dressed
in simple blue tailored suit and wore
, sailor hat and satin pumps.
Big Legal Array.
5 An array of expensive legal talent
: surrounded the prett.' 27-year-old de-
fendant Walter Scott and Billy Nc
Lean, two members of the firm of Nc
. Lean. Scott & Mclean. of Fort Worth.
2 Tex, were there. One day Jake Ha-
mon said to Clara, 'If you ever need
Z good lawyers call on Mclean, Scott &c
{ Mclean. She did so after she had
been accused of staying him.
The defense also included Charles
Z A. Coakely and Jimmie Mathers of
Ardmore and Joe b. Champion. twin
5 brother of Judge Champion.
White-haired Price Freezing. attor-
ney general of Oklahoma. assisted by
H. H. Brown. Ardmore, represented
pointed by the governor because Jim
mie Mathers, the county prosecuting
| attorney, and now counsel for the de-
fense. had been hired to represent
Clara before he took office January 1.
i Two little blocks of seat in differ
eLt parts of the court were empty.
] They were reser ed for the relatives
Y of Jake Hamon and Clara. Sheriff.
Buck Garrett saw to that 81 guess
3 they're entitled to little considera-
2 ton" he said.
2 These relatives of Clara were ex-
:, pected to attend the trial: Jimmie
, Smith, her brother, and pal; her par
3 ents, Mr.. and Mrs. James Smith of Ell
T Paso: Claude Smith, another brother;
and Uncle Ben Harrison. from The
Pine country Of the Idahos"
Widow Is VeangefuI.
Mrs. Jake L. Hamon who demands
a Clara Hamon's life for the life of her
: slain husband; Jake L. Hamon. Jr..
the 20-year-o1ds son and Olivebeil
Hamon. the 11-year-old talented
daughter, were to attend.
Ropes" O'Brien, Chicago lawyer,
hired to represent Mrs lannon's inter-
S ests was there, wearing the red tie
he always does at murder trials.
Whether or not Freezing win allow
e him to take leading role in the
3 prosecution has not been decided.
r Four hundred murder fans were
: jammed in the court room. The aisles
t between the pews were filled with
r extra chairs. Among them were
b many wealthy oil men, or bitter. ene-
mics of Jake l. Hamon. These million-
0 aires bumped shoulders with women.
d cowboys and Indians.