The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-16
EPITOMIzATION OF STATEMENTS
OF CLARA SMITH HAMCN, In HER
BEHALF AT TUESDAYS SESSION

when she said that on the morning
after Colonel Hamon was shot he
sent for her 10 come to the hospital
to which he had walked after being
wounded opened his arms TO her,
pulled her down to him, kissed her
and said that he hoped she had not
been badly hurt in the fight and that
1t would not have happened had he
not been drinking.
Widow Faces Witness
Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the widow,
sat few feet away from Clara Hamon
as she testified, intently, watching the
slender womSn as she sat in the wit
ness chair and related the incidents
leading to Mr.. lannon's fatal wound
ing. The face Of the older woman for
the most part was expressionless al
though at one point in Clara Hamon' z
syory she bit her lips and closed her
eyes tightly In an effort to preserve
her self control.
Clara Hamon had just testified In
reply to a question by Prince Freezing.
state attorney general in charge Of
the prosecution, that she supposed Col.
onel lannon's reason for telling hei
inquire regarding the shooting that il
was accidental that at was to protect
me and TO prevent scandal
Illustrates Tragedy
Twice during her stay on the wit
ness stand the young wonan stepped
Gown from the dais and, with the
automatic pistol with which Colonel
Hamon was shot in her hand. walked
before the jury to show in what man
ner ne had been wounded. on cross
examination Attorney General Freeing
d man OF approximately the same
bulk as Harnon, had her point the
weapon at hin, while he assumed
the position she had said Hamon was
IL.
When, on direct examination, she
dropped the pistol to Indicate how II
had fallen from her hand when the
chair hit it, the noise reyerberated
through the packed court room. so
silent and intent on her words had
the spectators become.
A Dramatic Incident
Only a short time before Clara
Ramon went to the witness stand she
most in a condition Of collapse, while
deputy sheriffs and bailiffs ineffectu-
ally sought to clear the court room
OF spectators.
She gave i low voiced no in reply
70 question by cross-examination II
there had been a child born as re-
suit OF her many years association
with Colonel Haufon, and in other
answers said that she did not know
that he mad left u Win, but that he
always had sam he intended for her
to be provided for. and that she had
said that If she dad obtain any money
after Colonel HaInon's death she
wanted to educate her younger brother
Jimmie" and provide for her par
ents.
She said that Colonel Hamon repeat
edly had told her that he Intended to
obtain a divorce and TO marry her
and that she mad waited six years for
that 10 be done.
Should Child be Born
A second contract bearing the sigma
lures of Clara Hamon and Jake l.;
Hamon was read into the record. It
set forth that the two had entered an
agreement whereby Clara Hamon was
10 receive s35 q week as an employe
Of the Colonel, subject 10 termina-
tfon upon TWO weeks notice, and that
should a child be born to them. S35
week should be set aside for the
child during its life time, that Colonel
Hamon agreed to acknowledge it a.
legal issue and that, upon the Colonels
death the child should share in his
estate.
Mrs. V. B. Walling, sister of the de-.
fendant, had testified that for a long
while she had not known OF the Illicit
relations between her sister and Colone.
Hamon, but that when der father. j..
l. Smith of FL Paso, Texas, learned Of
them, he came to Ardmore TO kill
Hamon and was disarmed by the
sheriff, State objected and was sus-
tanned, and W. p. Mclean vt Fort
Worth. of counsel for the defense, in
sisted that the question was proper
AM that how the entire family ac-
cepted the matter should be brought
out
Il. II, Brown, special prosecutor, in
terjected uhat the state was willing
for the jury TO know how they took
il, the old woman and all"
Mr.. Mclean was on his feet Instant
~ and asserted that Mrs. Smith, who
had been referred 20 as "the old wo-
man, was the equal. in his estimation.
Uf the mother Of any lawyer in the
trial"
A roar of hand clspping greeted his
words and the court was thrown into
furor as the presfiing judge pound
ell his gavel and directed deputy sher-
ifs and baihtfs TO clear the court
ROOM
Because of the outbreak court was
recessed FOR one hour and the spec
tators warned the case would be
tried without their presence should
another demonstration occur.
Defendant on Verge Of Collapse
Clara Smith Harmon. described by
her counsel as already on the verge
of a nervous breakdown. wept bitterly
aS she commented on the remark d.
rected at Ms Smith.
IL don't care what they do with
me. but they must let my poor old
mother alone she said.
Mrs. walling. and her l4-yoar old
daughter. Phyllis, testified uaat on