The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-28
HAMON'S AMBITION
TO GAIN CABINET
COST HIS LIFE
Woman Who Would Not Be
SheIVed Fired Fatal
Bullet,

By United Press
OKLAHOMA CITY, April 2s.-Jake
lannon's ambition to be a Cabinet
member. brought to the fore once
again by the son of Gen. Leonard
Wood. cost Hamon his life.
Believing high official position was
coming to him in the Harding Ad-
nninistration. Hamon suddenly sought
respectabiIty-and got a bullet for
his pains.
He died of a shot fired from a little
pearl-handled "22" held by the wom-
an who had done more than any other
person in the world 20 make Hamon
rich and powerful; VINO saw him grow.
Through many hardships. from cheap
local politician to a position close to
The Republican throne-the woman
who refused to be shelved-
The son Of General Wood tells how
Hamon offered to deliver delegates to
Wood in the 1920 convention If Wood
would promise to make Hamon Secre-
tary of the Interior in event Of woods
7uornination and election.
General Wood refused to promise,
according to his son.
Riding on Crest
However, that may be. when the
Harding wave started Jake Hamon
was riding the crest. And when it
zanded he was high in the councils of
the mighty.
From his ample bankron he had
put up the cash with which to pay
Ter the Harding convention head
quarters. He was a buddy of Harry
N. Daugherty, then the master-mind
of the Harding organization.
Then, during the fall campaign of
1920. Hamon staged the spectacular
Harding speaking trip into Oklahoma,
5iefraying personally much of the ex-
pense, and turning into the Repub-
lican camp a State that had always
been a part Of the solid South.
BY election time lannon's power
with the administration that was to
be, was unquestioned. He expected
10 be made Secretary Of the Interior
and so told his friends.
Reputation Only Barrier
The only barrier was lannon's
personal reputation. And nobody
realized that barrier any more than
zHamon himself. A hard drinker, a
hard gambler, and an ardent and un-
secretive chaser after women, he was
not ideally fitted TO assume an office
spf great dignity and supposedly SNUG
l.espectability.
Clara Smith had been lannon's sec
sretary. She had been his political and
Financial adviser.
- To gain what he knew he needed
/. <.zorder to realize his dream Of
tied office, he must patch up the
'<1&x<Astion with his wife who was
%<<<t 1000 miles away in Chicago.
<<<Dhe must act quickly, for March
.r5vas approaching.
Many quarrels with Clara Smith
Followed.
Shooting Announced
Then. late one night, it was an
znounced Hamon, while cleaning a gun
preparatory TO a hunting trip, had
shot himself accidentally.
- He was taken to a hospital. and IN a
few days he died. still sticking to his
story Of the accidental shooting.
But after his death the true fac
was revealed.
Clara Smith had fired the bullet
that ended the political career of
the multimillionaire.
Clara Smith, after one Of the most
Sensational murder trials in court his
tory, was acquitted She admitted
firing the shot. but pleaded justi1able
cause.
And so Jake Hamon passed out of
the picture. making room for Albert
3. Fall
The belated ambition for respecta-
bility had proved fatal.