The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-03-15
CLARA SMITH HAMON
TELLS OF SHOOTING
WOMAN CHARGED WITH SHOOT
ING JAKE HAMON AND WID-
OW OF DEAD MAN TESTIFY.


Ardmore, Oklahoma-(By A. P.)-
Clara Smith Hamon, charged with
the murder of Jake L. Hamon, took
the witness stand in her trial here to-
day and told her story of the Incl
dents of the day and night of Novem-
Der 21, when Hamon was shot.
She spoke coolly, in a low-pitched
voice, hesitating only when she told
how Hamon had cursed her. When
she reached the actual shooting scene
she left the witness stand, took the
pistol with which Hamon was shot,
and illustrated how she had fired.
II Didn't Go to Do It."
81 didn't go to do it," she said.
s'The pistol went off when he struck
it or | pulled the trigger or some
thing; know not what"
Spectators Applaud
The court room was thrown into an
wild hand-clapping and the defend
ant broke into tears and was lead
from the room when Defense Council
Mclean replied heatedly to Prosecu-
tor Browns reference to the defend
ants mother as "Old Woman"
When the defendant tried to tell
how Hamon had said: II am hit'
and showed her blood spots forming
on his shirt, she sobbed into her
handkerchief.
lannon's Widow Testifies
Mrs Jake L. Hamon, clad in full
mourning, testified that on two oc-
casions she had visited the suite oc-
cupied by her husband and the de-
fendant.
Speaking in a we'll modulated voice
and plainly making struggle to re-
tain her self control, Mrs. Hamon
said that on one occasion she had
been in the rooms when Clara came
in, tossed her gloves and hat on the
bed, and on seeing Mrs. HamOn ran
xout.
On the other occasion, the widow
said, she took a small pistol from
sClara's room. At that time, she
testified, her husband sent her back
to Chicago within one hour and a
half after she had been to the suite.
While Mrs. Jake Hamon was testi-
flying, Clara Hamon watched her
closely and listened intently. At only
one point did the witness voice quiz
yer. That was when she began tell
ing of the lingerie and other apparel
she found in Clara's room.
j. H. Edwards of Topeka, Kansas,
president of the Kansas Life Insur-
ance company, identified life in
surance application from Clara Ham
on, signed "Clara Smith," in Janu-
ary, 1917, in which she said she had
been born October 22, 1891. That
point was brought out, according to
states counsel, to prove Clara Ham
began her association with Hamon.
The state today attempted through
Frank L. Ketch, former business
manager for Hamon and now admin
istrator of his estate, and Errett
Dunlap, also business associate, to
clinch its presentations of alleged
dying statements from Hamon that
the defendant shot him as he lay on
the bed in his room.
Testimony for Defense
The first defense witness was Rus
sell B. Brown, former county attor-
ney, who filed the murder charge |
against Clara Hamon. Mr.. Brown
said Mr. Ketch had informed him
that the underclothing and shirt worn
by Hamon and recently produced in
court, had been burned. Mr.. Ketch
a few minutes previously had denied
he had made that statement.
Sheriff Buck Garrett and deputy
DuO DdltCW, CCSC1lICu tlidI III LID
last remarks to them, Hamon had told
them he shot himself s3fooling with
an automatic" and that DR.. Hardy,
who previously had testified Mr.
Hamon told him Clara shot him, also
had "held out to the very last it was
an accident"
t Sheriff Garrett said Hamon told
him the day before he died that he
had heard rumors that Clara Hamon
would be prosecuted and that the
dying man said he did not want that
and again said he had shot himself
accidently.
In it's announced effort to refu.e
testims ny that Hamon had made
dying statement, the defense called
the two nurses who attended Hamon.
Both Clara B. Homer of Warren,
Pennsylvania, and Rosa Cannon of
Ardmore, said that they, in turn,
were not away from his side more
than five minutes or ten minutes and {
that they had not heard the wounded !
he believed he was dying or that
Clara Hamon shot him.
Miss Homer testified that Hamon
used very profane language" ;;
Miss Cannon testified that she tele- /, !,
phoned Clara Hamon on the morn :
ing after her arrival at the hospital.
She said Clara came Immediately. :
She said that Hamon took Clara in r
1is arms and kissed her. 9
She testified that no dying state i
nent had been made to Rev. T. G. a
Harm and neither Hamon nor the s
Minister prayed. The preacher pre-
7iously had testified he had prayed
IL 714L L