Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-26
THAW IS READY FOR TRIAL
sPsndthrift Who Slew Stanford White
ssOrns Insanity Plea
OLILNsL WlL % UNwMr[N LAw
stery of Sensational TruEedy In
Madison square Roof Garden
snd Events LeadiuE
20 a..

the noted architect, will probably take
place In December or January. This trial Is
looked forward TO as one OF the most IA
nous cases Ia the criminal history OF New
York state. The prominence. OF the Thaw
family. socially, the wealth OF his parents.
the circumstances surrounding the young
mans marriage to Evelyn Nesbit. the ar
tists model and chorus girl, and the spec
tacular scene IN the midst OF which he
fired the bullets into the breast OF the man
who he claimed had betrayed his wife all
tend to attract an interest to the trial ex-
tending from one end OF the country to
the other
For long time an effort has been made
10 have young Thaw rely upon a defense
OF emotional insanity" but be steadfsstiy
has declined to give his assent to any such
plan. and In his determination not 20 agree
70 hide behind a cloak Of insanity the
cause which he 4mpauehtly asserts to be
Just. he has at one time and another since
his Imprisonment dismissed several OF the
lawyers engaged to help in his defense.
among them former governor OF the state
OF New York
Principals in the RrsEedy.
The players in this extraordinary tragedy
of real life are each Of them interesting.
Harry Thaw. the ever hayward son Of rich
and indulgent parents. had become widely
known throughout the country prior to the
killing OF Stanford White by reason OF the
publicity given to many OF his escapades
BY the newspapers. His father the late
William Thaw. was one Of PittsburE's
richest men. He had early seen that Harry
was not to be entrusted with a large in
come lest he give himself over to a life Of
luxurious idleness and liberty So when
the elder Thaw died he provided that Harry
ThnWv obCft1d bos 90 roa
bulk OF the estate went to Mrs William
Thaw, whose indulgent love for her chill.
dren was soon made apparent In the man
ner Ia which she lavished money upon
Them Harry Thaw had but to ask what
ever sum he choose and the mother gave it
to him. He abandoned his g., 500 a year in
come from the estate to his valet. II Is
said that the young mans expenditures
often averaged as high as $4,000 and 100000
a year
-Four or hve years ago the Thaw family
came into unusual prominence through the
announcement Of the engagement of Harry
Iha"s sister to the earl OF Yarmouth
Ihis young English. nobleman had been. in
America for two years or more at that time.
He was entertained at Newport and AT the
end of successful season there during
which he had led the gay set In many
amateur theatrical productions, he decided
to go upon the professional stage to earn
livelihood in this country His Efforts
along this line were indiferently success
ful' and then came the engagement and
marriage Of Miss Thaw. Since that time
the earl and the countess OF Yarmouth
have lived abroad.
Thaw Goes Abroad.
Following the wedding OF his sister.
Harry Thaw also went abroad When he
returned to this country two years ago he
remained In New York instead OF going.
TO his mothers home IN PittsburR 1ts 4
IL was not long before he was seen "A +
ways in company with beautiful Young
girl, Evelyn Nesbit, who. had graduated
from the studio TO the stage. Young Thaw
and Miss Nesbft were central figures OF
many theater and supper parties along
Broadway, and there appeared in one of
the local papers story to the effect that
rhaw and Miss Nesbit had been secretly
married while abroad. The fact OF the
wedding had not been disclosed, It was
declared, because Of the fear that a dis
placed mother might cut on the support
Of her favorite son. The story OF the we'd
ding was taken up everywhere and the
young people were kept busy with denials.
Their Affairs attracted so much attention
that they were requested to move from the
fashionable hotel where they respectively
had been occupying expensive suites. This
called forth more notoriety. The anairs
Of the young people were kept constantly
before the public until it was finally an
nounced that Mrs William Thaw had con-
sented TO her sons marriage to Miss Mes
BIT. Thereupon they were called 20 Pitts
burg and in the mothers home a marriage
ceremony was performed
For a long time following the wedding
the Thaw's AFFAIRS were practically lost
sight of. They spent most Of their time
in New York were often seen together at
the theaters and cafes and apparently their
lives ran happily together.
stanford white slain.
1t was late in the evening Of June Is last |
that the city and soon the entire country
was ringing with the tragic news that
Harry Thaw had slain stanford white
The setting for the fatal attack had been
the Madison Square roof garden. where
the first night performance OF a summer
musical show known as Mile Champagne
was being given. The place was gay IN
flowers and multi-colored electric lights
and was thrOnEed with fsshlonably
dressed audience. on the stage man was
singing II Could Love a Thousand Girls"
shots rang out Tho music ceased, the
chorus girlg AMI actors upon the stage
were terror stricken, men and women IN
the audience dropped their glasses upon
the tables before them. In the stiffness a |
man was heard to say:
you ruined my wife. ana now I've got !
you"
stanford White lay dead at the table
where he had been sitting; Harry ThaW. IN /
evening dress, stood with smoking pistol ]
IN his hand. His wife. who had seen him |
FIRE the fatal shot, was led screaming /
away from the spot and rhaw was ar !
rested. He made no attempt 10 escape
White was vice president Of the Madi- |
son Square Garden company and was |
the arohiteet-of that famous structure ia |
whose tower he had always maintained a |
studio. II was in this tower that Thaw I
HAD charged time ana time again since
his arrest that White entertained young |
women al the sayest Of parties. rhaw 4
said he had frequently complained Of these I
studio parties 70 the Society for the Pre- |
vention OF Vice. and Il has been stated |
on authority that this society mad MADE |
several Investigations prior 70 the roof /
garden tragedy
white Befriended Miss Neabif.
II has been brought out since the shoot 1
fnm fhas Whit bafrfanaad Esr..l.r, nr..tft I