The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-05
YHkW,S HOTTER NOT COERCED
DECIDED or Her OWN FREE WILL
THAT HER son WAS RIGHT.
Thaw Doesn't Believe mat Edna Thomas
ID Dead-Cegtain He Never Settled q
Suit She Brought --Alienists stu 70
Work on Cage-Tfie Prisoner Che erful.

work on Caso-1he PTisOner aheertui'
Both Mrs. william Thaw and her son
Harty made statements yesterday concern
Ing certain developments since the killing
OF Stanford White.
Mra. Thaw Is anxious to have 1t under
stood: that she was not influenced in dis
missing the Black, Oloott, Gruber q Bonynge
Arm and accepting the advice Of Clifford
w. Hartridge either by her son or his wife,
who was Evelyn Nesbit. Mrs. Thaw say
that she came to her decision of her own
will and not because OF the stubbornness
of her son or the pleadings Of his wife. 1t
was only after she had looked over the
situation carefully, learned her sons story
Of tho killing Of White and listened to many
explanations that she came around to the
view OF her son that he was justified In
shooting White. Mrs. Thaw would not be
interviewed by the reporters, but she made
this statement through a friend:
Fl would Like to have my position In the
matter stated. I was not won over by the
views Of my son, or by his pleadings, or by
any one else. I came to my decision after
observing tho situation in all its details,
That may explain my letter to Black, olcott,
Gruber & Bonynge, In which I said: After
fully considering the question, I have de-
cided that my son's position Is the right
one'.'
Mrs. Thaw would add nothing to this
statement or explain just what the observa-
lions were that made her determine that
her son was taking the right course. 1t
was asserted, however, that at no time
had there been any friction between Mrs.
Thaw and her daughter-in-law.
When Harry Thaw heard yesterday morn
ing that Miss Edna Thomas, who is said to
have once accused him of having beaten
her and then started q suit, was dead he
was much surprised. According to Lawyer
Shay, who was counsel for the girl, Miss
Thomas died about two years ago.
Il do not believe that Miss Thomas Is
dead said Thaw. -She certainly has not
been lead for two years. or that l am
sure.
Il nave no recollection Of having been
told of a suit against me except what /
have read in the newspapers. am sure
that / was never served with any papers.
Another thing l am very positive about is
that / never settled the suit, II there ever
was one"
The information in the possession OF As
bkbtb1b Attci Ioy odi Ill III Oiihi 80
Of the Thaw case, Is that Miss Thomas
is dead. About two days ago Mr.. Garvan
examined Lawyer Shay. According to the
stories that lave been told, Thaw settled
the young woman's suit for $500. Thaw's
counsel, Mr.. Hartridge, has hunted for ny
record OF the suit, but he has been unable to
get any trace Of it. 1t is probable that
Assistant District Attorney Caravan will
look into the thing further.
A fanciful story was printed yesterday
that six a~lienists who had examined Thaw"
had, reported that he was insane. This
story caused Mr.. Hartridge to smile. In
the first place only one expert, DR.: Allan
McIlane Hamilton, has actually talked to
Thaw in the Tombs, and another expert,
DR.: Dana, got as far as the bars to Thaw,s
want to see him or talk to him. 1t was also
said that Thaw had q mania for buying
gloves by the. hundred and biting of the
finger tips. He has not done that in the
.Tombs, and be has been cured Of the habit
II he ever had it.
Expert testimony will figure IN the trial
Of Thaw, however. None Of the ~alienists
employed by the Oloott firm has been dis
missed by Mr.. Hartridge. In a few days it
Is expected that Mr.. Hartr1dge will seek
tho advice Of other aieniets. These men
viii b called upon to decide whether the
acts which Thaw AYERS were committed by
White would be sufficient provocation to
cause Thaw to become temporarily insane
and commit murder.
Il was reported yesterday that William
Jerome's chief assistant, and as suoh prose-
cyted Nan Patterson, Sam Parks, Diamond
Phil Weinseimer and appeared in other i'm
portant cases, had been retained by Mr..
Hartridge TO conduct Thaw's trial. This
was denied by. Hartndge, who said that 10
nAhnr laurvar had hoap rafQinad for TINT
particular purpose, although he had several
lawyers looking up certain points Of Thaw's
case.
II will be q week or ten days before the
Thaw 70 picked and one thing is sure. money
will not stand in the way OF getting the man
who is assumed to be most eminently fitted.
II Is known that lawyers with large expert
ence In criminal cases have been considered,
not only In his city but all oyer the country;
aocspt a retainer. He spent yesterday. with
Mr.. Jerome at Lakeville. Mi. Rand will be
worry busy this fall in insurance oases.
Mrs. William Thaw and Mrs. Harry Thaw
went to the Tombs together yesterday and
had . talk with the young man who viii be
that because Mrs. William Thaw looked
flushed and Mrs. Harry Thaw was pale there
had been o disagreement between them.
Az Q matter of fact they went straight
70 mI. hdTIIl0Bc . OiiOo uiUoi cnNiuS lLo
Tombs and there was nothing to show that
the relations between them were unpleasant.
Thaw was In good spirits. He seems to
think that his case IL In very good shape.
Although when he was first in the Tombs
he had half o pint of wine with his meals,
under q doctors advice Ne has given up the
wine entirely. PERSON. III have talked
with Thsw say. that he Is very much i'm
proved phsrdoaliy.
An Official Of the District Attorney's office
who Is familiar with the prosecutions side
Of the case said yesterday In commenting
upon the talk about missing witnesses>that
many persons had queer ideas OF the testi-
mony that would be admissible at the Thaw
trial.
About thFee-quarters Of the information
that has been printed in the newspapers will
not be heard cf .. the trial > he said. Just
because. somebody was told by somebody
else that somebody had told him some bit
Of scandal about White or Thaw, many
persons think. that will be very good evil
denoe. Az q matter Of fact. little or none OF
It will eyer be admitted. The evidence will
all have 70 deal with Thaw, his wife and
An effort WIN also be made to shut of the
se~nsationalism and false reports that nave
characterized other trials recently. II some
Of the things that have been done at other
trials are attempted In this one it may be
that the Court will take some action looking
toward contempt proceedings. Although
- A---- 4 AL-k M w-I-