The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-26
KILLS WHITE
Sensational Murder on Roof
Of Madison Square Gar
den During Per-
formanCe.
Audience PANIC STRICKEN
MEN AND WOMEN FIGHT DES-
PERATELY TO ESCAPE.

Thaw a Member of the Prominent Pitts
burg Family of That Name and White
the Eminent Architect of the Firm of
McKim, Mead & White-Thaw Also a
Brother of the Countess of Yarmouth
Cause Of the Crime Probably
Whites Attentions to Mrs. Thaw,
Who Was Evelyn Nesbit, the Actress
-Thaw Declares Victim Ruined His
Life and He ~ Glad He Shot Him.
New York, June 25.-Stanford White,
the eminent architect, of the firm Of
McKim, Mead & White, was shot to-
night and almost instantly killed by
Harry Thaw, member Of the promi-
nent Pittsburg family, during the per-
formance of the musical extravaganza,
"Mamzelle Champagne" on the roof of
the Madison Square Garden. Mr.. White
died before an ambulance could be sum-
moned, and Thaw was arrested imme-
diately after the shooting.
The Madison Square roof garden,
which has been closed for several years,
was crowded tonight with a fashiona-
BILE audience. While Harry Short, who
fills the principal comedy role in the
piece, was signing a comic song and the
garden was echoing with the laughter
and applause Of the audience, series
of shots ratified in the rear of the audi
torium and man in evening dress was
seen to fall across a table at which he
was sitting with party of friends. The
man who had fired the shots fled, pis-
tol In hand, toward the nearest exit,
where he was seized and disarmed by
policemen.
Instantly the great audience was
Thrown into a panic and q wild stam-
pede occurred, during which chairs and
tables were overturned and men and
women fought with desperation to es-
cape from the roof.
The man who was shot was quickly
identified as Mr.. White, but his assail-
ant was not positively known to be
Thaw until after he had been taken to
the station house.
Persons In the front of the audito-
rum where the tragedy occurred say
that they saw a man who had been sit
ting with fashionably- dressed woman
In the rear suddenly walk down toward
a table in front.
The first intimation Of trouble came
when, walking in front of his seated
victim, the man exclaimed: you've
deserved this; you've ruined my home, :"
and, drawing an automatic pistol, fred
three shots. The first two took effect,
but as the third was discharged the
pistol was struck up by fireman on
duty in the theater, and the bullet went
skyward.
The woman who had been sitting with
Mr.. White sprang to her feet and, rush
ing UP to his assailant, who was strug-
Cling with the fireman, threw her arms
about his neck, exclaiming: "I'll stand
by you"
The prisoner was taken to the West
Thirtieth street station, where he de-
ecribfed himself as Jonn Smith, a stu
dent OF No. Is Lafayette place, Wash
angton, D. c., but the police on search
ing him found cards and letters ad-
dressed to Harry Thaw, Of Pittsburg,
and later his identity was fully estab-
lished.
It was reported that the woman who
accompanied Mr.. White was Evelyn
Nesbitt, whose marriage was Thaw
estranged the latter from his family.
The shooting occurred at 10;30 p. M,
while Harry Short was singing ''I Could
Love a Million Girls" Thaw had been
at the performance all the evening, and
had been noticed to be very nervous
and excited. White had previously been
at the Manhattan club, and had only
reached the garden a few minutes be-
fore the shooting, when Thaw confront
ed him.
Fireman Bruden took the revolver
away from Thaw and handed him over
to Policeman Debbs, who placed him
Mnder arrest. Thaw handed the police
man $40 and asked him to notify An
drew Carnegie that he was in trouble.
Thaw, it is alleged, said to the fire
men; observed what he got. He ruin
ed my life and deserted the girl
While Thaw was being held by the
policeman the young woman, who is de-
scribed as short, slender, dark and very
pretty. again put her arms about his
neck. Thaw told her to keep quiet and
not get excited, as all would come out
all right.
Immediately after the shooting the
curtain was rung down on the play.
The audience for a few moments be-
lieved the firing of the shots was a
hoax and applauded. But developments
came SO fast and it was so suddenly
made clear that they had been witness
tng a tragedy that panic followed.
The performance was drawing to a
close and Spices big six, sort Of up
to-day Floradora sextettte, came on,
when Mr.. White entered the place. He
came from the Manhattan club, where
he had spent the earlier part OF the
evening. He took a seat in the hfth
row and on the left side Of table,
ana leaning over engaged in conyersa-