The evening world., 1921-03-10
.HAMON TRIAL OPENS
WIDOW Of THE SLAIN
MAN NOT IN COURT
Room Is CroWded-Jurv |,
Selected in Remarkably
Quick Time.

ARDMOlIE, Okla, March 10.-Mrs.
/ Clara Smith Hamen, charged with the
murder of Jake L. Hamon, oil million
aire and former Oklahoma National
Committeeman went to trial this
morning in the States most cele-
brated murder case. Judge Thomas
w Champion presided.
The court room. which virtually had
been empty until a few minutes be-
fore the trial opened, nled with a
rush just before court convened and
when the trial started every seat was
filled and persons were lining the
walls on all sides.
Mrs. Clara Smith Hamon accom-
panied by her mother and sister, en-
tered the court room promptly at 9
o'clock and all three took seats be
hind these reserved for her counsel.
Several friends came up'to where she
sat and shook hands with her.
Mrs Jake L. Hamon wsLs not in the
court room.
Under the Oklahoma law the names
OF twelve men were drawn from a box
containing the names Of thlrty-five
left from 400 summoned at the open
ing. Of this court session, and the
twelve filed into the jury box for
examination
The first venireman. T.. n. O'Bren,
cotton gin worker, was asked whether
he would be influenced by the fact
that the defendant was a woman
and if he was against capital punish
mont for murder. He was tcnta-
lively accepted by the STATE.
Examination proceeded rapidly. S.
J Freezing. state Attorney General,
in charge Of the prosecution, occa-
slonally challenging for cause Sew
eral Veniremcn said they had fixed
opinions and were excused. In Qucs-
tioning r. L. Pollock a retired far
mer Mr.. Freeing asked If II would
influence verdict If il were proven
Mr. Hamon was man OF the gray
est faults and had not been loyal to
his family"
with the examination # twenty
one men, twelve who had not dis
qualified themselves on either State
or defense examination were i'm the
jury box. IT was apparent tnat much
surprised was caused by upidity Of
the selection. Each side had left nine
peremptory challenges.
A new oil gusher brought in west
of ArdmOre created a division Of in
tereSt. a half hour before the trial
opened fewer than fifty persons be
ing present in the court room. The
streets and hotel lobbies were com
parativcly deserted
While sentiment here has changed
70 a degree, there are few persons
willing 10 predict that Clara smith
Hamun will be convicted. After the
shooting Of Hamon there was no de-
mand that Clara Smith Hamon be
returned and tried. Even close
friends or Hamon wanted the affair
forgotten. But a persistent search
for the young woman was instituted
and she surrendered. Since then the
States Attorney General, AT tine in
stance Of the Governor, has stepped
IN and will direct the prosecution
Clara Smith lannon's defense un-
douhtedly will be combination Of
justification and self-defense. She
will tell Of the years the two were
associated how she helped him in
his rise to wealth and recount al
legged abuses she was forced 10 un-
dcrgo in that time The state. il is
known, will attempt to prove an en-
tirely different version Of what Oc-
CURED on lne tragic Sunday after
noon 10 the little hotel where Hamon
and the woman for years occupied
adjoining rooms.
The vital part OF the States case
will be based on a diving verbal dec
laration the prosecution charges was
made by Hamon in the presence Of
six or sexen friends, physicians and
hospital attendants II is asserted
that Hamon, when he realized than
he was going to die, admitted 10
those at his bedside that Clara smith
Homan shot him while he was lying
on the bed
Hamon, until the time of his al
I eyed dying declaration steadfastlN
nairtQ 'nCd tNgt h- aCc'1cntaIl. shot
himsehn a written declaration was
neverT taken