Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-11-10
IhaW Undecided as 10 Who Shall
Plead his Cause.
PLAN OF DEFENSIVE UNDECIDED
No Noted Counsel Ready to Defend
Slayer of White, in View of Feel
ing that He viii Sotrn Their
Adv;ce-Prisoner in Despair.

NEW YORK Nov. o. With only
a few weeks Intervening before he
must face jury. charged with tha
murder OF Stanford White, Harry X.
lhaw now breads The ordeal. He
finds hlmslf undecided as to who shall
plead his case before the jury and is
Without settled plan for defense.
score OF famous lawyers In this
city Pi.tsbuiR. and PHILADELPHIA have
pecn negotiated with, but warned by
IN" experience Of the firm OF Black
Olcott. Grnbcr & Bonynge. they have
heSitaied To accept Il retainer eXcep,
upon the mos; explicit terms.
Judge Blacks firm entered upon tho
defense with I'LL the acumcn acquired
III yeas Of successful practice, hit
could not induce young Thaw to nc.
cept their advice and counsel whore
his own impulses were opposed ana
went through the experience of being
pcrcmptorily dismissed as counsel.
hartridge Southern-Born.
Clifford w. Elartridgc, u lawyer Of
some civil practice ana an oh friend
OF Thaw, has been his legal adviser
since. Lawyer Hartri,igc IS Southern
born, and is believed TO have greater
fl!th In tho efficacy OF the plea of
the higher law" justification for the
Murder OF Stanford White than a
lawyer CT 4 geographically cooler
temperament.
ihaw has all along RACED at the
lea of his pleading insanity. even
Nmottonal ins 'nity, as prompting his
'hootSnS OF White. lie has wanted
be tried as the avonger OF his
Y'fe's betrayal.
Noted lawyers who have asked TO
defend Thaw before jury are I'M.
Wiling to risk their regulations upon
Nch Il defense. knowing that infor.
nation i'll the possession of the dis
rict attorney will be used to combat
testimony representing Mrs. Thaw rs
@ victim OF the wiles OF the slain
lrchitcct.
They have also been unwilling to
accept the retainer OF a client who
I'll not be bound in reasonable
legree TO abide by their dictum In
no matter of the theory of defense.
There are countless lawyers anxious
. have the Pittshurg millionaire as
ne!r client and just as willing to
hey his wishes in the matter of dc.
ending him On the charge of murder,
nut they are not the caliber which
You'll promise the acquittal OF tho
defendant
Mr. liartrldec will not say whether
will himself undertake the defense
If Thaw on trial
Defense Not Vet Outlined.
Four months and one week have
laDscd since Thaw shot ana killed
White at the Madison Square Roof
arden performance OF "Mamselle
'hampagne." ana although he has
oeen IN almost daily consultation
With his wilo and relatives and with
Attorney Hartridge. no satisfactory
outline of defense has been made
except that III pleading justification
because of Whites treatment of Mrs.
Thaw.
At times Thaw is driven to despair
by what he fancics is the weakness
Or futility of such a plea. and his
inability TO retain CONSEQUENTLY able
counsel adds TO his depression.
When hc was first put in the
rombs cell, Thaw was impatient for
rial and exasperatcL at the rule that
he must take up his turn with a
score OF other homicide defendants
Now he fears and trembles at the
mmincncc CT the ordeal of facing i
Jury and hetring testimony that may
send him to the electric chair.
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