The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-11
Ardmore WOman's Life With
G.. O. P. Chief Laid Bare.
Prosecution in HamOn Murder
Case Begins Today.
L0vE HOVEL" is EXHIBIT
Long List of Witnesses To Be
Called at ArdmOre.
Practically All of Jury Are Mar.
ried Men.

Court House, Ardmore, Oda.,
March 11.-Clara Smith Hamon heard
herself branded as a rich mans chat
tel and cold blooded murderess, and
did not vince today.
The pretty defendant, charged with
slayiEg Jake Hamon, the miracle man
of the southwest, went under fire
when Prince Freezing told the jury
what the state expected to prove.
He charged that she followed
Hamon to Ardmore in 1913 from the
little town of Lawton, Okla. For a
time she acted as stenographer and
they Immediately began living to-
gether, Mrs. Jake Hamon and Jake,
Jr-, remaining at Lawton. Their life
then became one of open and notor1-
Gus adultry," he said.
Had Many QuarreIs.
The attorney general referred to
Hamon and Clara occupied. and as
serted Hamon sent his wife away and
continued to live with Clara.
He referred to many trips Clara
and Hamon took, and to Hamon hav-
ing sent his protegee to schools in
Texas and Missouri.
He spoke of frequent quarrels and
said that at one time Hamon called
an officer to force Clara to give him
papers and that at that time Clara
attempted to obtain a pistol nearby.
Court was to open in Jake Hamon's S
murder suite" in the second rate
Rando1 hotel. Attorneys for both
sides wanted the jury to see lhe
scene where a bullet ended the career
of the powerful Jake Hamon. ~
Jury Visits Love Howell"
Clara Hamon went back to the scene
of Jake lannon's fatal shooting today.
The millionaire's love hovel-connect-
ing rooms % and 20 at the Randol
hotel-was visited by twelve silent
Lawyers wanted the jurymen to
see the arrangement of the muir
der suite" Clara was in the custody
of Sheriff Buck Garrett. The trip to
the Randol was made after court was
resumed for the afternoon session.
The curious who jerked open the
door this morning saw that the wall
paper was dirty and split. The
scanty furniture was rickety, made
of cheap maple. Dirt spotted
the worn and fringy carpet; it was
faded. Sunlight crept thru the. grimy
little windows and penetrated the
cracks in the green blinds. There were
no chandeliers in the rooms. Electric
light bulbs swung carelessly from the
low ceiling. A gloom.- faded and
moth-eaten spread was draped over
the beds.
1n1S was the love mover Wnere the
millionaire Jake Hamon elected to
spend the best years of his life with
his pretty protegee. Here is where the
Repu blican national committeeman,
who was slated for big job in Wash
ington, spent most of his time.
1t was just about as he and Clara
left it.
The jury, chosen late yesterday
just before the end of the first day
of the trial. was to go back to the
visits to rooms % and %.
Long Witness List.
Frank L. Ketch. the administrator
of the Hamon estate who has an in
come of $1,000 a day is slated to tes-
tify first for the prosecution. He will
probably testify TO what Hamon told
him the night he was shot. Ketch is
also expected to explain why he issued
signed statement after Hamon was
in the hospital that the wounded man
injured himself accidentally
Doctor Walter Hardy will bare Jake
lannon's last words.
Other prosecution witnesses who
may testify today follow:
E. w. Sails. chauffeur who drove
Clara Hamon from Dallas in her mad
flight to Mexico after Hamon was
shot.
State Senator John H. Carlock who
met Hamon limping to the hospital
with a bullet in his body.
w. S. Myers. Oklahoma City. hard
ware man, who will testify that Clara
Hamon bought the gun that killed
Hamon a few days before the shooting.