The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-11-26
UNWRITTEN LAW
HARRY THAW'S PLEA.
VIII Allege That White Ira
duced His Wife During
Her GirlhOOd.
MOST SENSATIONAL MARRIAGE
Trial viii Take Place in Decem-
Der or January, and VIII
Last Weeks.

NEW YORK. November 25.-The trial
of Harry Kendall Thaw. slayer of stan
ford White. the noted architect. probably
will take place during December or Jan
uary. The trial s. looked forward TO
as one of the most famous cases in
criminal history of New York State
The prominence OF the Thaw family
socially, the wealth OF his parents, the
circumstances surrounding the young
mans marriage to Evelyn Nesbit. tho
artists model and chorus girl. and the
spectacular scene. In the midst OF which
he fired the bullets into the breast OF
the man whom he claimed had betrayed
his wife, all tend 10 attract an interest
70 tho trial extending from one end OF
the country to tho other.
The players in this extraordinary trag-
edy of real life are each Of them interest
ing. Harry Thaw. the ever wayward
son OF rich and indulgent parents. had
become widely known throughout the
country prior TO the killing OF Stanford
White by reason OF the publicity given
TO many OF his cscapades by the news
papers. His father. the late William
Thaw, was one OF Pittsburg's richest
men.
lilo had early seen that Harry was not
TO be entrusted with "A large income
lest he give himself over 70 a lie OF
luxurious idleness and liberty So when
Harry Thaw should have only 1880 "a
year. The bulk 81 the estate went TO
Mrs. William ThaW. whose indulgent
love for her children. was soon made APP
parent in the manner in which she law
ished money upon them Harry Thaw
had but to ask whatever sum he chose
and the mother gave Il 20 him lie
abandoned his $500 "a year income from
| the estate to his valet. IT is said that
the young mans expenditures often
averaged as high as $4,000 and 100000
a year.
The Marriage of Thaw.
Following the wedding OF his sister to
the Earl of Yarmouth. Harry Thaw
went abroad. when he returned 10 this
country two years ago he remained ia
New York instead OF going 10 his
mothers home in Pittsburg
1t was not long before ne was seen all
ways in company with beautiful young
girl Evelyn Nesbit, who had graduated
from the studio TO the stage. Young
Ihaw and Miss Nesbit were central fig
ures Of many theatre and supper parties
along Broadway, and there appeared iu
one Of the local papers "a story 10 the
effect that Thaw and Miss Nesbit had
been secretly married while abroad The
tact OF the wedding had not been dis
closed, II was declared, because Of the
fear that a displeased mother might cut
DiL lllt support or ncr laNorltc son. The
story OF the wedding was taken Up every
! where, and the young people were kept
busy With denials Their affairs attracted
so much attention that they were re-
questcd 10 move from the Fashionable
hotel. where they. respectively had been
occupying expensive suits This called
forth more nOtorietY. The affairs OF tho
young people were kept constantly before
I the public until Il was finally announced
that Mrs. William Thaw had consented
90 her sons marriage 20 Miss Nesbit
Ihereapon they were called 10 Plttsburg
and in the mothers home marriage
ceremony was performed.
The Death of White.
1t was late IN the evening " June 18th
last that the city and the entire country
was ringing with the tragic news that
Harry Thaw had slain Stanford White.
The setting for the fatal attack had been
1 the Madison square Roof Garden. where
the first night performance OF a summer
musical show known as Mile Cham-
payne was being given. The place was
gay ln flowers and multi-colored electri.
lights and was thronged with "A fashion
ably dressed audience. on the stage "A
man WAS singing Il Could Love a Thou
SAND Girls. when, suddenly above the
music, the pistol shots rang out The
music ceased. the chorus girls and actors
upon the stage We're terror-stricken men
and women In the audience dropped their
glasses upon the tables before them I'm
the stiffness man was heard 10 nv.
on ruined my wife. D. YOU. and now
I've got you"
stanford White lay dead at the table
where ho had been sitting: Harry Thaw
IN evening dress. stood with smoking
pistol in his hand. His Wife. who had
seen him fire the fatal shot. was lea
screaming away from the spot and Thav
was arrested. lie made NJ attempt To-
escape
u has been brought out since the
shooting that White befriendcd EVELYN
Nesnt and her mother when the young
woman first was brought 20 this cir.
20 enter the studios as a model Letters
which passed between White and the
mother of the girl have been published
and may play an important part in the
trial There have been reports that
White sought the girls society after
hgr marriage to Thaw. but this has been
admitted hy neither side. ana. so far as
they could do so. counsel for both
sides have closed the mouths OF the most
important Witnesses.
The Unwritten Law.
Thaw has sought his justification i'm
the words he uttered to his victim or
the night of the tragedy. he has claimed
that under tine "unwrittcn law uo jury
could convict him Of having taken the
lie of "tne man who had traduced his
wife in her innocent girlhood To these
accusations by Thaw the friends or STAN
ford White. many OF them influential men
of tho connunity, have declared that
the architects interest IN tac girl was
purely of "a fathcrly character.
They said hc had assisted many Young
women t0 make place Tor themselves i'm
tue world. and that he was no more deep
ly Interested in Miss Ncspt than DE had
been ln number OF others about whom
uo breath of scandal has been uttered
District Attorney Jerome VIII have per-
soual charge OF the prosecution. lie de-
Jared he Viii Introduce only such Wit
nessee as are necessary To prove that
Ilaw lad made threats against White
auI t.n witnesses OF the shooting
DO viii i, for the defenso. he declares. 10
Introduce amy evidence bearing upon TIE
past ltes Of the principals II tl.s is