Imperial Valley press., 1921-03-10
GIRL.
Placed ON
TRIAL FOR
MURDER
Woman Who Shot Oklahoma
Oil Millionaire Commences
Battle for Life in One of
Nations Most Sensational
Cases.
(By United PreSs)


ARDM0RE, Okla, March 1O.-The
romance of an Empire builder" and
a shopgirl which ended with the death
of the former and wherein the latter
found little other than sorrow at the
end of her "Bluebird trail" was to be
unforded in the trial of Clara Smith
Hamon which began here today.
Formal legal information merely
charged that CLARA Smith" murdered
Jake l.. Hamon by inflicting wound
with small calibre pistol that caused
his death. But out from the case-a
drama of "the other woman of the
eternal triangle" faced with parting of
the ways, of mighty politics, railroad
building and industrial pioneering,
vast oil fields and fortunes, all CON
celved by one-time penniless adven-
turer-stand allegations that have
gripped the interest of nation.
Famous characters of the South
west, who have been subpoenaed as
witnesses by the prosecution and de-
fense, will add color to the setting.
The witnesses for the defense includes
Sheriff "Buck" Garrett, Frank L..
ketch, administrator of the Harmon
estate, will be the principal witness
for the state, it is understood. Ketch
was confidential adviser to Hamon
Judge Thomas Champion, who is
but just judge. He is AZ years old.
When Judge Champion called the
case to trial, facing him was his twin
brother, j. B. Champion, Ardmore at
torney, who has been engaged by the
defense. The defense also includes
Attorneys James Mathews and A. L.
Coakly of Forth Worth, Tex. Math-
ews is regarded as one of the best
criminal lawyers in the Southwest. He
has been practicing for more than so
years.
Attorney General Prince freezing of
Oklahoma and Fl. H. Brown, Ardmore,
represent the state. Brown is cou-
sin of Russell Brown, former county
attorney, who filed the original in
formation against Miss Smith.
Clara Smith Hamon, known public
ly as secretary for Hamon, and di-
vorced wife of his nephew, is alleged
to have fatally wounded the multi
and republican national
committeeman from Oklahoma, during
a quarrel at an Ardmore hotel after
the two were reported to have decided
to part because of a reconciliation be-
tween Hamon and his wife. Hamon
had reached the zenith of his power
politically, and had made name al
most unequaled in this history of de-
velopment of the new Southwest.
Charges that Hamon at the beginning
of the alleged romance paid his
nephew to marry the girl so she might
carry the name of Hamon were denied
by the nephew.
The alleged shooting occurred the
evening of November 21-Sunday.
Hamon walked into the lobby of the
hotel and announced that he had ac-
cidentally shot himself while cleaning
pistol he had intended to take with
him on a hunting trip to West Texas
and Montana. He walked unaided to
Hardy Sanitarium and afterwards
Frank Ketch, his business manager
and chief lieutenant, issued a formal
statement saying the wound was ac-
cidentally self inflicted.
Late the next day Russell Brown,
county attorney of Carter county, is
sued a warrant charging Clara Smith
Hamon with assault with intent to
kill Hamon and the woman fled. She
was traced to Chihuahua City, Old
Mexico.
From there she conducted negotia
tions with relatives, who, in the ad-
vice of attorneys. arranged for her
surrender. She surrendered to Sheriff
Buck Garrett of Carter county, Okla
homa, few days before Christmas.
She was released on bail.
Her attorneys announced soon after
she returned that she would plead self
defense.