The Grit-advocate., 1906-06-29
PLEADS INSANITY
SUCH WILL BE DEFENSE OF MILL
loNAIRE MURDERER.
KILLED ARCHITECT WHITE

Most Startling Tragedy Since the
Shooting of James Fisk, Jr, Thirty
Years Ago-EHorts to Bring Case
to Early Trial.
New York.-Not since the killing of
James Fisk, Jr., by Edward Stokes on
the staircase of the Grand Central no
tel. more than thirty years ago, has
the metropolis been shocked by so
startling and dramatic tragedy as that
which was enacted Tuesday night in
the presence of an audience of more
than 1000 persons on the roof theater
of Madison Square Garden.
Not the least dramatic feature OF the
tragedy is the fact that Mr.. White met
his death in the structure which is per-
hapS the most conspicuous memorial
of his architectural genius.
Frankly admitting that he killed
Stanford White, the famous architect,
and pleading in justification of the
deed that White had ruined the life OF
his wife, the beautiful former chorus
girl and artists model, Florence Eve
lyn Nesbit. Harry Kendall Thaw OF
Pittsburg, brother of 1he Countess of
Yarmouth, occupies a cell in the
Tomhs awaiting the action of the
grand jury on charge of murder.
His counsel will offer the defense OF
insanity. and Wednesday the prisoner
was examined by eminent alienists, re-
tained on his behalf, and by the dis
trict attorneys office.
Every effort is now being made by
both sides to expedite the legal pre-
liminaries so that the arraignment
and trial may take place at the ear
liest possible date.
Rarely has the case against any
prisoner moved with more rapdity
than did the proceedings to-day which
ended in Thaw's formal commitment
to the Tombs.
Save in this unusual and almost
frenZiod haste the routine followed
and the treatment accorded TO Thaw
differed in no respect from that meted
out TO any prisoner charged with cap
ital offense
Reused early this morning from his
cell in the West Thirteenth street sta
tion house, Thaw, alfred in fresh
clothing brought TO him by his valet.
was shackled, in spite of his protesta-
tions. to a detective, and taken in the
patrol wagon to police headquarters.
Thereafter. awaiting his turn in the
long line of petty criminals arrested
during the night, he was photographed
and his measurements taken on the
Bertillon system.
Again in the patrol wagon he was
taken TO the criminal court building,
where great multitude gathered to
catch passing glimpse OF him, and
was arraigned in police court.
There the proceedings were of the
briefest, and after the bare formality
of arraignment had been undergone
Thaw was remanded to the custody OF
the coroner and on his order commit
ted to tine Tombs to await the result OF
his trial.
Mrs White. wife Of the murdered
man, has returned from her summer
home to New York and. with her son.
is now stopping at her town residence.
She is completely Frustrated with
shock and grief.
The remains of the deau man were
removed from the morgue yesterday
afternoon and taken to his nome. Tho
funeral will be held Thursday from
St Bartholomew church.
Pittsburg friends of young Thaw,
men and women who have known him
intimately for years, say he has been
mentally unbalanced since babyhood.
They tell how he ran away from col
lege and went TO Europe to buy spc-
cial brand of cigarettes, and how un
tractahe he was when mere child.