Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-19
THAW DEFIES HIS MOTHER
Prisoners Personal Attorney Gets Order
from Court for Papers in Case.
REFUSES TO MAKE PLEA OF INSANITY
Action Follows a Two Hours Confer
ence Between Young Man and
His Mother and
wife.

NEW YORK. July ls.-The chaotic con-
ditions surrounding the preparation Of
defense for Harry X. Thaw, accused OF
the murder OF Stanford White, were accen-
tusted today and apparently the breach be-
tween the prisoner and his mother, Mrs.
William Thaw OF Pittsburg, as to the char
acter Of the defense IL wider than ever.
Following quickly upon a conference OF
two hours with Thaw in the Tombs after
the mother had twice during the day en-
deavored 10 gain the boys consent to the
unemployment Of the law firm OF Black,
Olcott, Gruber & Bonynge, and to consent
to a plea OF insanity, Clifford j. Hartridge,
Thaws personal counsel obtained from
Justice Blanchard, in special term Of the
supreme court late today an order direct
ing Judge Olcotts firm TO show cause next
Friday why they should not turn over to
Hartridge all the papers in Thaw's case.
Mr.. Hartridge based his motion on a petit
tion signed by Thaw, which was placed on
record in connection with the proceedings.
Move IL n Distinct Surprise.
This move was a distinct surprise being
contradiction OF reports which had gained
wide circulation earlier in the day to the
effect that Thaw had consented to his
mothers plan Of action. The rumor that
mothers will undoubtedly had its origin
In the fact that Mrs. William Thaw and
Mrs. Harry Thsw. who were in conference
with Thaw at the same time today, emerged
from the prison arm in arm. 1t was the
first time they had been seen together.
Thaw's wife has all along supported him
in his demand for trial on the issues of
the case and has opposed the insanity
plea. She has thus been arrayed against
the elder Mrs. Thaw, who seemed to think
that the only hope Of saving her son from
the electric cair is to depend on a defense
or insanity. The success of this plea
would avoid the further publicity and
| ignominy Of a trial and has been inslstently
urged upon the prisoner. who. however ap-
parently remains obdurate
Injunction Case IL Postponed.
| Justice Mclean adjourned until tomorrow
the hearing on the writ of Injunction OBJ.
tained yesterday by counsel for Harry X
Ihaw to prevent District Attorney Jerome
and the grand jury from examining further
| witnesses in the Thaw murder case
During discussion in court prior tc
the postponement Assistant District Attor.
hey Iaylor objected to the writ on techni
Cal ground, that II was not directed TO a
court nor to an inferior tribunal, but with
dreW his objection when informed that Il
was directed TO the court OF general ses
sions.
Mr. Taylor said: ~
How rhaw can be hurt by any proceed
| lngs OF the district attorney / cannot sec
es ne is now in the Tombr under an r4ict-
ment, ana the only fact, appearing In tns
| complaint which seems a fact is that d
subpoena was served on Nellie Leahy. bu
1t does not appear to have anything 10 uC
| with the ThaW matter
| Nellie Leahy would not be entitled 10
writ OF prohibition, but could have tht
matter dealth with II she declined to obey
| the subpoena
John d. Gleason of counsel for Thav
asked for a postponement and said the as
sistant district attorney had agreed to Il
before going into court. The hearing Wa,
then put over.