The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-17
DRAMATIC PLEA
FOR CLARASMITH
IS MADE TO JURY
"AccuSed Woman Was Ruined
by Powerful Wealth."
Defense Forced to Argue Testi-
mony by Judge Champion.
Lawyers for the Defendant
Looking for Quick Decision.
Record for Speed in Sensational
Cases Is Made.

Cases Is Made.
Court House, Ardmore, Okla,
March 17.-Clara Smith Hamon to-
day was pictured as q country girl on
whose breast had been branded the
scarlet letter of shame by a rich and
powerful man.
Jimmie Mathers, county prosecutors
and J. B. Champion, twin brother OF
Judge Champion, made stirring and
| dramatic pleas to the jury for Clara's
| release when arguments for the de-
/, fense were made.
| Both men charged that the rich and
! powerful interests were trying to send
! the defendant to Jail SO that they could
! get their clutches on the Hamon mil
| lions.
| Witnesses Are Attacked.
| Witnesses who testified for the state
against the defendant, who is charged
with the murder of Jake Hamon.
were attacked by the attorneys as
| tools of rich interests. Testimony OF
/ friends of Hamon who gave out. state
ments after Hamon was wounded that
! it was the result of an accident, was
| impeached and branded as untrue be-
cause, the attorneys charged, these
men had lied about lannon's death
and would as soon swear to lies.
Governor Robertson of Oklahoma
was scored for sending Attorney Cen
eral freezing here to prosecute Clara
and Freezing was scored for coming.
Arguments of Champion and Mathers
took up the entire morning session and
court was recessed until 1 p. m.
| The arguments of the defense at
| torneys before the jury were forced
when court opened this morning by
Judge Tom Champion who ruled that
i they could not be dispensed with
j The defense late yesterday wanted to
throw the case in the hands of the
jury when H. H. Brown finished his
appeal for the states case. Attorney
I General Freezing late today will close
the case with arguments for the state.
/ Perjury Is Charged.
4 Mathers ridiculed the witnesses of
the state and their testimony. He at
tack Kelly Roach, DIR. Walter Hardy.
y Bill Nichols and others. He said all OF
lannon's friends lied when they gave
out statements that Hamon shot him.
self accidentally.
They would as soon swear to lie
as tell one" he shouted, jerking off
his coat. 1t was charged by Mathers
that DR.. Hardy was recalled to the
stand five times by the state because
"he was called when they wanted some
good lying done"
who is to blame?" cried Mathers.
''is it the man who was SO powerful
he could make presidents and dig
twenty millions out of the earth. or
rs i. sti.s I'M Ii, L. -, III dea,I,
was the lust execution of the sentence
of God.
81 like Attorney General Freezing.
: but I do not want him to walk into
| the governors chair thru the tears of
this little girl. 1f there is still justice
in America, then TINS jury In ten min.
utes VIII flash verdlct OF not guilty
to the civilized world" Mathers said.
wild BIZ Mclean Jumped to his
Of fIA off
session and started to harangue the
jury ir Clara's defense. He launched
into the alleged dying declaration of
. Hamon that Clara had shot him in
cold blood.
"A great many people think a man
will not lie before he dies, but the
law books do not say that" he shouted
clara smith Hamon wept and
.u,,,ohad nav,,ous,y nc court onarea
To-Day
! The girl, charged with Staying Jake
III. Hamon. broke down on the day she
-
expected TO learn her tate.
| Calm and confident thruout the or
deal of the trial. Clara, broke on what
nj, X,art. .ha ,.s+ a.,
va.
She shpped into court with her
mother. Mrs. ]. l.. Smith, and Jimmie.
her pal and brother.
: Iarqa tears rolled down her cbaeks
e s,,a .ook ber .e.. r,.ra w.s 81,
: -, -
1 ias' iiie". anu s'ep' 'u' ii''ie'
e friends said.
f,harpes prosccut;op DeIaxs
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