Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-07-06
HARRY K. THAW INDICTED.
GRAND JURY CALLS MRS. THAW
AFTER CORONER'S VERDICT
DESPITE VOW.
DEFENSE TO BE CHANGED.
Finding That Slayer Is Sane, 1t Is Said
Means a Plea of Justihable
Homicide.

K. Thaw.
The grand jury soon after returned an
Indictment against Thaw charging muir
der in the first degree. Thaw will plead
to the indictment before Justic Cowan
tomorrow.
Mrs Thaw Before Grand Jury.
Soon after the close of the coroner's
inquest the proceedings against Thaw
were begun before the grand jury. At
noon Mrs Harry K. Thaw entered the
grand jury room. She was accompanied
by her counsel, Judge Olcott and Ter
renee McManus.
Mrs. Thaw remained in the grand
;ury room about fifteen minutes. She
then left with her husbands counsel,
and together they went to the Tombs to
visit the prisoner.
No Delay for Indictment.
At that time it was understood that
an Indictment against Ihaw was being
drawn up and that it would be ready
for presentation to the court this after
noon.
The most important testimony at the
inquest was given by Lionel Lawrence,
stage director at the Madison Square
roof garden theater. Lawrence said
that Immediately after the shooting
MIS-. IHdW IhSleu UP w HcI Ald0D"!o
and, throwing her arms around his neck,
said: Never mind, Harry, now III
stick to you through thick and thin"
Thaw turned to the crowd which sur
rounded them and said: THAT --
ruined my wife, and L got him and |
fixed him for it,
Said She Would Not Talk.
A decision was reached earlier in
the day that Mrs. Harry X. Thaw
would refuse to testify regarding
Stanford White before the grand jury
and that she would plead that she should
not be made to give any evidence that
might be damaging to her husband.
Mrs. Thaw asked permission of her huS-
bands counsel to attend the coroner,s
inquest today and sit by her husbands
side, but her request was denied by the
attorney.
The legal question of what testimony
wife may or may not give against
her husband is important III Thaw's
case Under the old common law
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
To Change the Defense.
The coroner's inquest and the meeting
of the grand jury today divided public
interest with the Developments of
yesterday when an insanity commission
declared Harry X. Thaw sane, and Mrs.
Thaw visited her husband in his cell in
the TOmbs prison. The Tribune, after
commenting on the alienists decision that
Thuw Is sane, will say tomorrow:
This fact, it is now believed, will
change the defense. Various episodes III
the life Of Stanford White, quoted yes
terday, indicate that defense of justi-
fable homicide will be entered. 1t is I'M
derstood that the famous case of Maj
Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, who shot Barton
$. keey III Washington, will be held up
as Il precedent. Sickles was acquitted
without the jury leaving the box.
All Were to Sail Same Day.
"a statement was made that Stanford
White, John j. Delany, corporation coun-
sci, his daughter and a close business as
sociate Of Mr.. White, We're booked to
sail today on the La Provence. 1t is also
reported that Harry X. Thaw and Mrs.
Thaw were also to be passengers. Owing
to the statements of Mr.. and Mrs. Thaw
against White, the fact that they were
all to be passengers on the same boat
puzzles the police"
The district attorneys office completed
the examination of the more important
witnesses so far discovered yesterday
and Immediately shifted it's attention to
the investigation of the relations exist
ing between Evelyn Nesbit and Stanford
White prior to the girls marriage, and
the attitude assumed by Thaw after he
had made her his wife. Mrs. Thaw has
been instructed by her husbands coun-
sci to furnish to him every scrap of writ
ing she has from White.
White Heavily Insured.
A man connected with the Equitable
Life Assurance society said last night
that Stanford Whites life was insured
in that company for $4,000 by poll
cies taken out at various times in the
past twenty years. During that pc
Rod it was said, Mr.. White paid to the
Equitable $4,000 in premiums. All of
the policies were made payable to his
wife.
Thaw's Night Is Restless
Thaw passed rather restless night
in his cell in the Tombs. He seemed
in fairly good spirits when he arose,
however. and after a careful toilet ate
his breakfast with evident relish.
The first witness called was Coroner's
Physician DR.. Timothy d. Lehan, who
performed the autopsy on Whites body.
He declared that death was caused by
q gunshot wound in the right eye.
n. L. Stokes, the wealthy coal dealer,
was foreman of the jury.
Edward II. Conway, a foreman of la
borers at Madison Square garden, said
that he saw both White and Thaw the
night of the murder. He described
Ihaw's movements, saying that Thaw
had passed him twice, going back and
forth behind the table at which White
sat.
Says Thaw Looked Wild.
The second time Thaw approached
Whites table he saw Thaw extend his
arm and then three shots followed in
quick succession. White fell and fire.
man seized Thaw, who Vas walking
away, and took away the revolver with
which the shooting was done. Conway
said that he noticed Thaw particularly
that night. His eyes were bullying
and dilated," said he, ''and his face was
very white. After the shooting I heard
him say: He ruined my wife and l
did it,
Wife Scolded the Slayer.
Warner Paxton, an engineer. testified
that he accompanied the prisoner and
Mrs. Thaw down In the elevator and
when asked as to what conversation
passed between Mr.. Thaw and Mrs.
Thaw said: THE woman said, Look at
the fix you have pushed yourself into
now. y
What did Thaw say?"
He said: It's sill right. dearie. 1 have
probably saved your life"
Anthony Z. Debes, the policeman who
arrested Thaw, said the prisoner was
NO PEACE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR.