Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-28
MRS. IHAN before
The GRAND JURY
The Wife of the Millionaire
Murderer Compelled to
Testify Today
INDICTMENT CHARGES MURDER
The Inquest Also Held and Verdict is
That White Was Shot and Killed by
(, Thaw-Muct, Interest centered in the
Proceedings Today--Mrs. Thaw Wis
lie the Prisoner.

New York, June aS.-The coroner's S
ii1auest and meeting of the grand jury
today both to formally name the muir
derer of Stanford White, divided the
public interest today, with develop
ments yesterday when the insanity
commissi declared Harry 4. Thaw
sane and Mrs. Thaw visited her nus
K band in his cell in Tombs prison.
There was much speculation TO-DAY as
to lust what position Mrs. Thaw would
take when she appeared before the
grand jury today. IL was asserted the
wife had told her friends she would go
to prison rather than testify in the
grand jury room where ae proceedings
are secret and where the only counsel
is the representative of the district at
torney's office. The legal question of
what testimony wife may or may not
give against her husband is important
In Thaw's case. Under the old common
law the wife could not be compelled to
give any evidence against her husband,
but the revised penal code of the state
of New York modified this absolute
barrier. Section 715 provides as fol-
lows: Husband or wife of the per-
son indicted or accused Of a crime is IN
all cases competent witness on eX-
animation or trial of such persons, but
neither husband nor wife can be COM
pelled to disclose confidential commun-
ication made by one to the other dur
ing marriage" AS the proceedings in
the grand jury room are secret no an
nouncement of the testimony in today's
examination is expected. Only wit
nesses sufficient to establish the fact
Of the crime and who, committed 1t will
be called, the district attorneys office
not wishing to disclose it's whole hand,
either at inquest or the grand jury in
Quiry.
.ThaW passed rather restless night
In his cell in the Tombs.i He seemed
in fairly good spirits when he arose.
however. Every seat in the coroner's
court was filled at 10:30 when the cor
oner arrived. Thaw was brought in
moment later and took his seat beside
his counsel The coroner's jury was
then assembled and sworn, and exam
ination of witnesses begun. Nicholas
L, Stokes, a wealthy coal dealer. was
foreman of the jury. The coroner's
physician, DR.. Lehan, who performed
the autopsy on Whites body, declared
death was caused by gunshot wound
IN the right eye The most important
testimony was given by Lionel Law
renee, stage director of the Madison
Square roof garden theater. Lawrence
said Immediately after the shooting
Mrs. Thaw rushed up to her husband,
and throwing her arms around his
neck, said: Never mind Harry, will
stick to you thru thick and thin" Thaw
turned to the crowd which surrounded
them and said: THAT --- ruined
my wife. 1 got him. l fixed him for
It," The jury brought in verdict
that White came to his death by gun
shot wounds inflicted by Thaw.
A decision was reached today that
Mrs. Harry K Thaw will refuse to tes-
tify before the grand jury, that she
will plead she should not be made to
give any evidence that might be dam
aging to her husband. Mrs. Thaw
asked permission Of her husbands
today and sit by her husbands side,
but the request was denied.
Soon after the close of the inquest
proceedings against Thaw were begun
before the grand jury. At noon Mrs.
Thaw entered the grand jury room, a.
companied by her counsel.
Mrs. Ihaw remained about fifteen
minutes. She then left in company with
her husbands counsel and went to the
ton1bs to visit the prisoner. At that
time it is understood the indictment
against Thaw was being drawn up.
The grand jury returned an indict-
ment against Thaw charging murder
In the first degree Thaw will plead
to the indictment before Justice Cow
in tomorrow.