The San Francisco call., 1906-06-27
LEDERER SAYS THAW
Is A MORAL idiot.
Continued from Page 1, Column 4.

said that Stanford White saw ner
when she was singing in the chorus,
and being struck by her great beauty
decided to assist her and her widowed
mother.
"Thaw met the girl when she was
only Is yeras DID," said Mr.. Lederer.
That was before | knew her and
when she was posing in Philadelphia.
She and her mother were afraid of
the young Pittsburg millionaire and
would have nothing to do with him.
He followed the girl all around the
country He sent her grand piano
and numerous gowns and Jewels, but
her mother always returned them.
No repulse, however, seemed to ac-
compIish anything and the girl finally
gave in.
"I found Miss Nesbit in Philadel-
pIlia and was so impressed with her
great beauty that made her prop
osition to put her on the stage. be-
Iieved could make star out of her
and astound the country. But her
beauty was all she possessed. On the
stage she was seIf-conscious and made
no hit outside of being pretty cho-
rus girl.
1t was about that time that she
met White. Although the architect
had been mixed up in many affairs
and was known as quite man about
town, he declared to me that his In
terest In the girl was that of a platonic
friend. He said he felt sorry for her and
wanted to see her placed In better
position. Her mother seemed to feel
that he was only interested as he
said, and so, when he fitted out
apartments in New York, she and her
daughter moved into them.
"AIl during this time Harry Thaw
was following her about the country,
sending her flowers, Jewels and other
things They were all returned to
him, as far as know. Then the girl
quit the 'FIorodora' company and
went with the wild Rose company
But she didn't do any good. She had
no talent whatever. Finally White
proposed that she enter private
seminary in New Jersey and finish
her education, which had been ne
elected. The fact that the architect
placed her in school caused me to be-
Iieve that his interest in her was
nothing more than honorable.
Then she quit school and heard nothing
more from her for some time She practically
disappeared, and when ! met White on the
street one day he told me he didn't know where
she was The next | heard of her she was
travelling In Europe with employed com.
panlon and In the company of Harry Thaw
| was greatly surprised, for knew she always
had a great aversion for the young Pittsburs
man.
Some months passed and ! heard nothins
from her outside of the club gossip about hei
and Thaw. One day was sitting in my office
when the door opened and Miss Nesbh ap'
peared. She pumped herself down into 9
/ chair and burst into sobs. When she recovered
her composure she told me that she had rur
away from Thaw In Paris and had come to mc
for advice She was dressed in magnificent
nloIeskin cloak, although she did not wear any
Jewels.
''She told me a story of Thaw's actions ir
Paris that was simply too horrible to print. L
seems that while they were together In Pari:
he had become intimate with a number o.
young girls. She told me that he was a mora
! degenerate, and that upon the discovery of thi:
she prepared to leave him. She said that she
had known for some time that he was addicted
to morphine and cigarettes. Thaw discovered
that she was getting ready to leave him AND
locked up all of her gowns and Jewels, with
the exception of the dress she wore when she
came to New York.
81 advised her to go to her mother and she
went. presumed that her separation from
Thaw was final, but about the next thing
heard was they had made II all up and were
again travelling In Europe. Then came tn,
news of their marriage, and since that time
haven I seen either of them