The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-10
SHOW OF HANDS.
Policy Of Both the Prosecution
and the Defense
In the Thaw Case Is Being
Made Apparent.
THE LAWYERS TALK.
Much Depends Upon Existence
of Alleged Affidavit.
Thaw's Attorneys Say 1t Will
Be Proven a Forgery.


K. Thaw's counsel are collecting evi-
dence with a view to proving that he
was insane at the time he killed Stan
ford White, Assistant District Attorney
Francis P. Garvan continues TO seek
witnesses who are reported to have
heard Thaw threaten the man who is
supposed to have been his rival in
the affections of Miss Nesbit before
she became Mrs. Thaw The theory
of the prosecution Is that Thaw had
no motive for the shooting except
hatred and jealousy dating from the
time Miss Nesbit consulted lawyers
and made a sworn statement rejecting
upon the man whom she soon after
wards married.
Although the defense has adopted a
policy of silence, Terrence ]. McMan-
US, one of Thaw's lawyers, said that
If any document purporting to be an
affidavit made by Mrs. Thaw was in
trOduced it would be proven a forgery.
"Then you expect to bring hand
writing experts into the case ?" was
suggested.
None will be necessary" returned
Mr. McManus. I'VE can show that
Mrs. Thaw never signed any paper;
that whatever may have been pre-
pared she was not cognizant of its
contents, and she did not subscribe
to it,
Mr.. McNanus refused to discuss the
number of alienists who will be called
into the case to assist DR.. Allen Mclean
Hamilton who has had several long con-
ferences with the prisoner.
DR.. Carlos Macdonald. one Of the ex-
perts for the prosecution. had a talk
with Mr.. Garvan. DR.. Macdonald and
several other alieniSts tried to examine
Thaw on the day after he was indicted
and he then refused positively to an
swer any questions put TO him, despite
the advice of William NJ. K. Olcott,
who was present in his interests.
Mr.. Olcott was not In his Office and
it was said he was not expected dur
ing the day. He went to Philadelphia
on Saturday and 1t was reported to OBJ
tain information about Miss Harriet
Thaw, q cousin of the prisoner, who
/ has been confined in the Friends asy-
lum for the insanes in Frankfort. for
the last two years. An effort viii be
made, It Is believed to show that Thaw
suffers from hereditary taint and Of
/ hcials Of the Friends asylum may be
/ called as witnesses in his behalf. Mr
/ Olcott's associates denied knowledge OF
] his whereabouts, but said he expected
/ to visit several places in search of wit
/ nesses.
The presence of Mrs. william Hol-
man. mother of MIS-. Harry K. ThaW
is said to be much desired at the dis
trict attorneys Office. According to the
report the attorneys who are at work
on the prosecutions case would like tC
i question Mrs. Holman particularly with
regard to one Of the trips to Europe
made by ThaW and Evelyn Nesbit. Ac-
cording to one story. While Thaw ano
1 the girl were in London an appeal was
made to the American embassy to
/ break up the relations between ThaW
and Evelyn Nesbit and have the gir
sent home. This appeal. 1t is said, was
made by Stanford White, who acted or
the request of Mrs. Holman It was al
this time the story goes that Mrs. Hol-
man was much prejudiced against
/ ThaW. It was said today that if Mrs
Holman should come within the terri
tory covered by a subpoena from the
| district attorney she should be at once
summoned to his Office.
James L. Lederer. of Philadelphia
! who was manager of 1.-The Wild Rose
company when Mrs. Thaw was a mem
Der Of the chorus. was examined by
Assistant District Attorney Garvan to
day. Lederer is said to have told Mr.
Garvan that he had long believed ThaV
to be insane. This opinion, he said
was based upon his observance of Thav
during the time 1.-The Wild Rose" com
pany was playing in this city. In thii
connection he mentioned several Incl
dents In which Thaw was the centra
figure
1T was common talk among all tn
people who knew Thaw,' said Lederer
that ThaW was a dope fend.' I re
call one night when Thaw was abou
to send two of his chorus girl &C
quaintances home in a hanson cab. H
was there with a friend of his name'
Mackay.
Suddenly Thaw insisted on tryin
to jump over the roof Of the hanson.
f'Of course he could not actually junl
over the roof of the cab. but he trie'
and succeeded in crawling up one sid
of the cab, over the roof and down tn
other side. Mackay demonstrated wit
him, but it was no use. Then Macka
apparent disgusted turned aside an
said, You can't do anything with
crazy man: he's drug crazy.
Edna Mcclure, the show girl who ap
I'peared before Assistant District AttoT
ney Garvan last Saturday for examina
tion concerning the Thaw- White trag
edy, said today that she did not tell Nj
Garvan of any threats made by Tha,
against White. She never heard sue
: threats She said she told Mr. Sarva
of many reports concerning Thaw, Mr.
Thaw and White which had reached be
ears but that of their truth or falsit
she had no knowledge.