The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-07-05

During the singing of a comic song
at the Madison Square roof garden in
New York. and while the garden was
echoing with the laughter and APP
plause of the audience, a series OF
shots ratified in the e of the au-
ditorium, and a man in evening dress
was seen to fall across a table at
which he was sitting with a party OF
friends. Stanford White, the eminent
architect of the firm Of McKim, Mead
& White, was the victim, and Harry
Thaw, a member Of a prominent
Pittsburg family, did the shooting.
Instantly the great audience was
thrown into a panic, and a wild STAN
pede occurred, during which chairs
and tables were overturned, and men
and women fought with desperation
to scape from the roof.
The first intimation Of trouble came
when walking in front Of his seated
victim Thaw exclaimed, "You deserved
this. You've ruined my. home" and.
drawing an automatic pistol, fired
three shots.
A woman, who had been sitting
with Mr.. Thaw, sprang to her feet and
rushed up to where Thaw was strug-
Cling with a fireman, threw her arms
around his neck, exclaiming. I'll
stand by you, Harry"
The woman who accompanied Mr..
Thaw was Evelyn Nesbitt, whose mar
rage with Thaw for a time estranged
the latter from his family. She was a
member Of the original "Florodora"
sextette.
Thaw was arrested and taken to the
police station.
The following day he had his pre-
liminary examination. and later was
indicted by the grand jury on a
charge Of murder in the first degree
Thaw frankly admitted that he killed
White. and pleaded in justification
that White had ruined the life Of his
wife, the beautiful former chorus girl
and artists model, Evelyn Nesbit.
Thaw was examined by alienists IN
an effort to pave the way for a de
Tense built on a plea Of insanity. Inc
young millionaire absolutely refused
to answer any questions or submit tC
an examination, and the doctors gave
it as their opinion that he was per
fectly sane.
Mrs. Thaw appeared before the
grand jury, but refused to testify fol
fear that she might harm her husband
Emotional insanity will be the de
Tense at the trial, which will be begun
soon. II is proposed to lay bare the
entire life of MI. White, especially his
association with young girls, whom
he entertained in his studio in the
tower of Madison Square Garden.
It will be proven, it is asserted, that
Thaw was goaded on to commit the
murder by White himself-that the
architect constantly annoyed Evelyn
Nesbit Thaw, the prisoners wife.
Tries to Renew Friendship.
It is said that White had seen Mrs
Thaw at least a dozen times in the
past year and a half. and that when
they met casually he had tried TO re
new the friendship that had existed
between them before her marriage.
The defense will endeavOr to prove
that White was a roue, and hat many
young girls In this city have been his
victims. Former members Of the dis
trict attorneys Office staff may be
summoned TO tell the complaints o.
White hat have come to that office
The Gary society agents, also, it was
said, can be summoned to tell Of the
complaints they received agains'
White and his studio in the Madison
Square tower.
Whites End Near, Anyway.
In the opinions of physicians wht
performed the autopsy on Whites
body. the life of the architect wa'
shortened not more than two years b!
the bullets from Thaw's pistol. HI
was found to be suffering from