The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-06-11
HAMS PUTS UP
BITTER DEFENSE
Witnesses for John Hams
Take Stand Beginning
Today.
VAT THIEL TELLSSTORY
Hams Witness Says He Was
in Place When Thomas
Gang Came In.

The defense in the case of John
Hams, charged with unlawful sale of
moonshine liquor on September IA,
1924, to Edward Thomas and others,
began to put forward its testimony
this morning ! 10:90 o'clock before
jury in the m municipal court.
Frank Van Thiel, Lake Shore road,
was the first witness called. He tes-
tilted that he was present in the Hams
saloon on Grand avenue on the Sun
day afternoon last fall when Thomas
and his gang came in the place.
Defense Puts It's Case.
Just before Van Thiel took the
stand, Attorney Roy Stephenson, who
together with A. L. Drury represents
the defense as counsel. addressed the
jury as to the facts which the defense
expects to prove.
''May it please the court and ladies
and gentlemen of the jury, he said,
"the state has charged John Hams
with possession of intoxicating Ii
quor, moonshine, on September IA,
1924. 1t is now the opportunity of the
defense to lay before you the truth as
to what took place that afternoon. We
are going to place the facts fully be-
fore you, and show you by the cred
ible evidence of disinterested witness
es, that on the AFTERNOON of September
ID, 1924, Thomas Irving, Otto and
Newman came to John Hams place
along about five o'clock. They came
in boisterously, laxative, and there
were present at that place John Hams,
Mr.. Konke, Sr., his son, Lothar Konke,
AL Wachs, John Schmidt and Frank
Van Thiel.
"All these men were there when
this intoxicated group came in. They
heard these boys ask for drink and
heard John Hams refuse. Through
out the entire time that Eddy Thomas
and his friends were in the Hams
place they did not receive even soft
drink or cigar. They played the pi-
ano, staggered about, and finally got
into the car and drove away"
Frank Van Thiel took the stand as
first defense witness. He said that he
was working for a factory last Sep
TENDER but that at odd times he did
hauling. One Sunday he did some
hauling for Mr.. Konke in the morn
ing, a moving job for a restaurant in
the afternoon on which Mr.. Konke
was also engaged, and that about ten
minutes of five left the restaurant
with Mr.. Konke, who offered to pay
him, asking him to change twenty
dollar bill.
"I had no change, said Van Thiel,
"but l offered to take him home.
When we got as far as Hams place
in, to get the change. We went to
the bar first and had a drink, and
then Mr.. Konke changed the twenty
dollar bill. Later other men who were
working at Mr.. Konke's place came in
and then a group of four young fell
lows. They struck me as though they
had been drinking before. They made
quite bit of noise. One put nickel
in the piano: l heard one say some
thing about Badly Willems running
for sheriff"
Van Thiel said that he did not see
any of these four young men given
drinks, nor did he hear them refused
drinks. He said he did not pay any
particular attention to them, and did
not know anyone of them at the time,
but later after the Parker tragedy was
told that they were the four who later
were in the car that figured in the
tragedy. Van Thiel said that these
young men were still in the Hams
place when he came out.
The state closed its case at 1890
a. m. today. Their witnesses were
Edward Thomas, now a states pris-
oner, Carl Otto and Charles Irving
Each told of having been served moon
shine drinks by John Hams at his
place of business. Thomas said that
he paid for one round, and that Ed
ward Newman paid for another.