The Washington times., 1906-08-31
THIS THAW CASE
ALSO A MYSTERY
New York Tragedy Recalls
Poisoning Years Ago of
Eddie ThaW.
WOMAN ACCUSED OF CRIME
Acquitted After Remarkable Trial, the
Mystery Was Never
Solved.

PITTsBURG. Aug. 3l-Why did
Harry Kendall Thaw kill Stanford
White in the Madison Square roof ger
den I'm New York? Why did some un-
known person, as the story goes. murder
Edward S. Thaw supposed ilegiumate
half brother Of Harry Tha'g, by slow
poison in this city in the summer Of
1856? Why was a desperate effort then
made TO lay this murder upon the wo-
man who had taken Eddie ThaW from
the arms OF his dying girl mother and
raised him as her own child and why
was this woman tried for her life in the
Pittsburg courts and acquitted Christ
mas Day. 1886?
These questions open up the mysteries
which have concerned the Thaw family
for many years in Pittsburg.
Who was Eddie Thaw In the first
place. Pittsburg supposed he was the
iuegitimate son of William Thaw, faith
er of Harry Kendall Thaw. When the
case was on trial a handsomely dressed
man walked into the court room and
went on the witness stand. He said he
was James p Thaw, of Grand Rapids
Mich He said he was the father of
Eddie ThaW, that the boys mother was
a girl named Clark. that the boy was
born in Plttsturg in 1863. when the
clark girl was fourteen or fifteen years
or age and that she gave up her life
when she brought the little one into the
world Then he stepped down from the
witness stand. and nothing has since
been heard of him. His examination
dispeued the rumors Of alleged relation
ship between the dead boy and William
Thaw that had been IN circulation.
Story Of the Crime.
Edward S. Thaw was seventeen years
of age when he died in 1856. He had
been raised by his aunt, Mrs Elizabeth
Bunneu. She was "a daughter Of Mrs.
Elizabeth Clark and sister OF the girl
mother OF the boy. Into her charge her
sister had given her baby Mrs. Bun
nell had tended the child as though IT
were her own Charles Bunnel. his
uncle, treated him as his own child,
Euuuel was a mechanic ana worked
in the Baltimore ana ONO ralIroaa
snops at GlenWOod, The Iamlly was
poor but evidently self-rellant. FOR they
never made any demands upon the
Thaws. Eddie was known simply as
uenhCW of William IhaW.
Eddie ThaW was employed as a tele-
graph operator in the Baltimore ana
Ohio Office at GlenwOOd in loob- In
July OF that year he became III. Dr.
J. A Craighcad was called to attend
him July 3, 1856. when he was nrst
called to attend him IN what proved
10 nt MS 1drL A4A'FE1H AAAt Atg ~ eAsa sur
feriug with stomach trouble, lie treat /
ed him at the home or Mrs. Bunneit
until August II, when he ordered q "a
removed to the Homeopathic HOspil,,l.
Seutember 4 Ptttsburg was startled
when Dr. Craighea0 went before Al
dermau John Gripp and made inIoI ma
ton against Mrs. Bunnell, charging her
with administering arsenic poison 20
the boy on July and at divers oJhei
times up 20 August II, the day ne was
taken from the Bunneu home 10 the
hospital
Found Quantities of Arsenic.
At the hearing before Alderman Gripp
DR.. Craighead testified he was greatly
puzzled by the case until July S 20 u
he decided his patient was suffering
from arsenic poisoning. He took sam
pies OF his vomit and had II analyzed
by Prof Hugo Blanck, a celebrated
chemist Of this city. Prof Bianck
found arsenic in dangerous quantities.
Dr. Craighead cOnhGed his suspicious
Ia Mrs Bunneu and told her he be
lieved the boy was belng poisoned
Previous 20 this he had learned from
the druggist who nlled Ine ptescttP-
EcrintiOus he had been Wrlung LOT tle
patleut that Mrs. Bunnell had bought
1Ox Of rough on rats from hlm. IhaI
first started his poison theory.
Mrs Runnell was held for court hy
Alderman Gripp in 5000 bail 70 answer
the poison charge preferred by Dr.
Craighead.
Arrest of Mrs. Gunnell.
In the hospital Eddie Thaw was re-
ported TO be gaining daily and sure OF
recovery. October 8. 1856, II was sud
denly announced that ne was dying.
shortly after o'clock that afternoon
he passed away.
AS soon as the death was announced
from the hospital Detective Roger
O'Mara. then Of the Pittsburg Detective
Bureau and now private detective en-
ployed by Harry Kendall Thaw's attor-
news TO gather evidence 10 save that
Young man from the electric chair, went
before Alderman Gripp and made in
formation against Mrs. Bunneu Tor
murder. He went 20 the BunneI nome
10 place the woman under arrest That
was the first she had heard or the
hoy's death. She had understood ne
was recovering She tainted and went
into Mysteries. and II was several hours
later before she could be removed TO