Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-06-30
SHOT TO DEATH
ON ROOF GARDEN
Harry Thaw Kills Stanford White,
Noted New York Architect.
HIS DEFENSE TO BE INSANITY

New AOrk. June ~. FRANKLY aunt
ling that he killed Stanford White. the
famous architect. and pleading in jus.
tification of the deed that White had
ruined the life OF his wife, the beau
tiiul former chorus girl and artists
model Florence Evelyn Nesbit. Harry
Kendall Thaw. brother of the Coun
toss of Yarmouth occupies cell In
the Tombs awaiting the action of the
grand jury on charge Of murder. His
counsel will offer the defense of in.
ined BY eminent alienists retained on
his behalf. and BY the district attor-
ncy's Office The coroners inquest
WILL be- held on Thursday and in all
probability the case will then be con
sidercd by the grand jury, when the
pear before that body. she having been
served with a subpoena while in con
sultatiun al the Office Of her husbands
counsel Every effort Is now being
made by both sides 10 expedite the
legal preliminaries. so that the M-
at the earliest possible date
Not since the killing Of James
Fisk. Ir.. BY Edward 5 Stokes on the
staircase of the Grand Central hotel
more than 30 years ago has the me
tropolis been shocked by So startling
and dramatic tragedy as that which
was enacted in the presence of an au-
dience OF more than 1909 persons in
tho roof theatre OF Madison Square
Garden Not the least dramatic feature
OF the tragedy is the fact that Mr.
WHITE met his death in the structure
which Is perhaps the most conspicn-
Gus memorial of his architectural
genius
The district attorneys Office has re-
ceived no communication from mem
bers Of Mr. Whites family. Mrs White
came from her summer home at st.
James. Long Island. accompanied by
her sister. Mrs Prescott II Butler,
and went to tho town house In era
mercy Park. where she now is with
her son Lawrence who came down
from Harvard and parted with
his father only an hour before the
tragedy Mrs White was reported &c
BE- completely Frustrated by shock
and grief
The autopsy held showed that three
bullets had taken effect one In the cor
ner of the left eye. which penetrated
the brain and was instantly fatal.
one in the upper lip knocking out Sc,
eral teeth and one striking the left
shoulder ana lodging in the elbow
Thaw Declared Sane.
That Thaw is perfectly sane was
the report made by the aienists
retained BY the district attorneys
Office 10 examine into the prison
er's mental condition This report
was made after the physicians had
spent an hour with Thaw, who. in dc
fiance OF the advice Of his counsel.
former Judge Olcott. refused TO answer
any questions and declared that nothing
short OF actual force would compel atm
TO submit TO a physical examination.
After the alienists had departed Mrs
Thaw was permitted 10 see her hus.
band for the first time since his arrest
She came TO the Tombs in carriage
accompanied by her husbands brother
Josiah Thaw The meeting between
husband and wife was afiectionate and
they remained together talking in an
undertone for nearly an hour Thaw
also received a visit from HIS sister,
Mrs George c Carnegie and Clifforo
w Hartridge. Of Pittsburg
Before visiting the Tombs Mrs Thaw
had long conference with former
Judge Olcott and Frederick Delafeld. at
which Il is believed that the line of DE-
fensc was discussed and the Intention
TO interposc plea OF insanity was con.
firmed When asked about the letters
from White which Mrs Thaw turned
over to Mr. Delafeld Mr. Olcott said
that he believed they would be OF ma
terial value to the defense. Further
than this he declined to comment on
the case
Thaw Quarreled With wife.
In the course OF the Investigations
as 10 Thaw's recent movements. In
the killing Of White, II was learned
that Thaw sailed for Europe on April
"a last. on the Kaiser Wilhelm II after
a stormy scene with his wife with the
avOwed purpose OF never returning e
her on the same boat with him was
his sister, the Countess OF Yarmouth.
Al the time of the sailing OF the boat
the sister was not aware that her
brother was n passenger for he ap
parently took pains that his presence
should be concealed from her until
after the sailing hour According 10
a report made to the agents of the
line. Thaw said several times In the
smoking saloon that his life had been
ruined and that he had left that
woman for good and all" Thaw Is
said 10 have made this announcement
to the Countess Of Yarmouth as soon
as he made his presence known 90 her.
II was reported aboard the boat that
his sister pleaded with him 10 return
TO his wife on the next boat from the