Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-06-10
HAM TESTIFTES
IN OWN BEHALF

Hearings were held Tuesday after
noon, before Judge Jesus Rojas in
Matamoros, in which Dee Ham,
Weslaco youth charged with homi-
eide in connection with the fatal
shooting OF Miss Nina Clark, testi-
fled on his own behalf and was
cross examined with State witness
eS and Rio Rico policemen involved
In the affair.
Ham. in his testimony declared
that he did not remember what
happened on the night OF the shoot
ing, stating that he woke I'D, In
the early hours Monday. feeling
pains In his head and face and with
blood streaming from different
wounds. He was in Jail at the time.
Ia answers to direct questions made
by st. Edmundo de la Cara. Judge
Rojas aide. Ham stated that he did
not remember having fought with
anybody. and that when he regained
control of himself he was in Jail
with Gound.
When confronted with Policeman
Arnulfo de la Rosa. and asked II
he knew the man who was wearing
plain clothes, Ham said he did not,
adding that he remembered that he
was one OF the mel that accompani-
ed him to Matamoros Monday morn
ing.
DE la Rosa. Rio Rico policeman,
declared that he saw two men. NAM
ing Gound and Ham. inside the
dance hall arguing in loud tones.
that Gound was insulting Ham.
and that he called Gound outside
the hall and told him to stop.
At this point, de la Rosa stated
Ham came out Of the hall. snatc Ted
his nine millimeter Paraveio gun.
He lodged. and the bullet crashed
thru the wall Of the hall, he stated
Ham had the gun in his hands,
and was threatening him. De IA
Rosa called Rogerio Olivares, night
Waterman v.o happened TO be
around. and the two together sue
ceeded in disarming Ham. De "a
Rosa taking Ham to jail and Olivar-
es taking Gound, the witness testi-
fled.
WATCHMAN
GIVES VERSION
Rogerio Olivares, night Waterman,
was questioned net by Judge Rojas.
OlivareS declared that he was a
night Waterman in Rio Rico, and
that Sunday night. while acting in
that capacity. r. had noticed two
men scuffling.
He rushed to the spot. Olivares
declared, and noticed that both men
had their hands on the gun. and
that as Re approached. the gun was
discharged. De Ia Rosa asked him
70 help subdue Ham and he hit
Ham cncs. he stated.
judge Rojas questioned the night
Waterman over and over on the
point regarding the duration of the
Scuffle. Olivares saying that the
scuffle lasted from 5 TO 8 minutes.
When asked by Rojas IL he could
name the exact time, the night
Waterman could not. When asked
at what distance he had seen the
scuffle. Olivares declared that he
was not ten PAGES away and that
both men had hands on the gun,
when 1t went off.
The next witness was Harvey
Mitchell. from Weslaco. to ques-
tons made by Judge Rojas. Mitchell
stated he had not seen the fight,
that he had seen Miss Clark "
ing on the corridor and that he hal
left for home shortly afterward.
He had seen Ham in Rio Rico the
day Of the shooting and knew Ham,
he stated.
Woodrow Sound. young Baylor
university student. was cross ex-
amined with de la Rosa. verifying
his statements made before. that
he did not know Miss Clark and
that he did not remember what had
happened until he was In Jail. After
some more questioning Gound was
released by Judge Rojas at four
thirty Tuesday afternoon.
Clyde Ham, brother Of Dee. testi-
fled that he had seen the scuffls.
that de la Rosa the officer, was
trying to hit his brother over the
head with the pistol. and that as he
la Rosa hit Dee over the head. with
the pistol. the blow glanced off
and landed on Hams shoulder, the
weapon being discharged nc that
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