Evening star., 1921-03-17
ISFORCED
TOPLEAD FOR GIRL
Court overruies Effort to
Rest Case Of Clara
Smith Hanion.
b. he As.ec,iated pre.s.

ARDMORE, Okla, March 17.-An
effort Of the defense to waive its
right Of argument and havs the case
OF Clara Smith Hamon, on trial
|Gfsafssd WIN fhss murder at sJake l..
Hamon, go Immediately to the jury
was ruled ont by Judge Thomas w.
Champion this morning and defeuse
counsel began its plea for acqutttal
Of the defendant.
Hay Go u ypry This Aftersssn.
& with the announced plans of both
IIsfate and defense. 1t appeared that
most OF the day would be taken UP
with arguments and the case be given
to the jury late in the afternoon.
When efforts of the defense to
waive arguments were held up yes
tQrday afternoon, w: p. Mclean, chief
eSunsel for Clara Hamon. and s. p.
Neeling, states attorney general, In
charge OF the prosecution, said II
they spoke they probably would go
deeply into the evidence adduced at
the. jury In detail.
James H Mathers. county attorney
for Carter county, who was retained
for Clara Hamon before he assumed
Office. was to follow Mr.. Champion
and Mr.. Mclean was to make the de-
fense's closing argument. after which
up for the state. -
The attorneys spoke without time
limit. agreement to five hours for each
side having been abrogated-
Champion Opens for Defense.
Joe Ben Champion, twin brother Of
the Judge, opened for the defense. Mr..
Champion in opening said the case
had been delayed by the state, and re-
ferred to the speech of H. H. Brown,
special prosecutor as not having
touched on the evidence.
He referred to the participation in
the case of Attorney General Freel-
ing as "a high state Official sent down
here to, prosecute a poor. innocent
country girl for shooting million
aire"
Clara lannon's eyes filed with tears
at this reference and she sat with
downcast face.
"When Jake Hamon met her. Cham
pion said. ''she was a brown-cyed
girl; when he lured, coaxed. wooed
and won, he was a powerful lawyer Of
forty years. a master mind.
He took her. an innocent country
girl, educated her, sent her to col
lege, not that she might serve him as
stenographer, but that finally in the
end she might yield to his brutal pas
sions."
Tries to Stop Speaker.
l. C. Mullen, friend of Jack
Hamon, who sat near Champion, lean
ed over and. taking the attorneys
arm, tried to stop him when he re-
ferred to J. S. Mullen. his brother. as
having been one who "countenanced
ten years OF open and notorious adul-
terry in the life of Jake Hamon."
Sheriff Buck Garrett, sitting imme-
diately behind Mr.. Mullen, touched
Mullen on the shoulder. and told him
to remain quiet.
Walter scott Of Fort Worth, Tex,
OF defense counsel, Ntook a seat be-
tween Mr.. Mullen and Mr.. Champion,
| who strode UP and down gesturinE
THE people may not Question: his
right to send the attorney general
here" Mr.. Champion said. referrin0.
to Gov. J. B. A. Robertson, "'but they
will question his judgment"
Mr.. Champion said: HE was i'm
keep their clutches in the Hamon mil
lions"
Enacts the Tragedy. 80.
Champion called Mr.. Mathers be-
fore the jury. laid him on table and
! used law book for a pillow.
Jim, you are Jake and I'm Clara, :"
he said to Mathers: you've been
drunk all day" ss9ss
| He took the pistol and illustrated
his idea Of the shooting as gained
from state testimony. and which he
said was impossible
| Clara and her mother cried when
Mr.. Champion paid tribute to his
associate, Mr.. Mclean. for having re-
buked an attorney for the prosecu-
tion who referred to the mother as
| IAN old woman"
"If the grave could open up and the
dead man have a reproach of con.
! science. he would tell you that he is
| the one most to blame" Champion
| sh outed. =
Girls like this have ever been &C.
quilted; girls like this ever will be
acquitted so long as the spirit Of God
lasts" Champion said in closing, aft,
er having. asked difS'Breathed II the -
lContinued ON Page q C,olun,