Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-12
THAW WAS VERY B0SSY
KNOX AND OTHER PITTSBURG
LAWYERS REFUSED $500, 900.

! den perplexities of Mrs. William Thaw In
| the matter Of dealing with the problem Of
counsel for her son was obtained yesterday
| from an authoritative source.
| 1t was declared that 1t was Mrs. William
| Thaw's original purpose to have Harry
| Thaw declared insane and committed to an
asylum or sanitarium last summer and
! thereby avoid his trial for murder, with the
attendant disclosures.
! All the data necessary for successful
J plea of insanity had been collected within
a few weeks after the killing of Stanford
| White by Ocott. Gruber, Bonynge & Nc
Manus and Daniel O'Reilly, the original
counsel in the case. The night of the MUIR
der O'Reilly started in on his own re-
| spOnsibility on the insanity plea and round
| ed UP the different policemen attached to
| the West Both street police station. who
| subsequently testified to Thaw's irrational
| behavior the first night Of his incarcera-
! ton.
! The alienists whom ex-Judge Olcotts
| firm Immediately retained and who saw
Thaw soon after he was removed to the
| Tombs and looked into his family history
all pronounced him. it is said mentally
| irresponsible, and eX-Judge Olcott's firm
| went ahead on this theory with the full
| sanction of Mrs. Thaw senior, it is as
| serted.
Plans All Upset.
| These plans were all upset by Thaw him
| oSiI. fAltei lie tdAhCu win hi' wv
| personal friends. Clifford w. Hartridge and
John B. Gleason, Thaw. 1t is said. became
| convinced that an appeal to the higher or
| Gnwritten law would result in his acquit-
| tai and a comnlete vindication Of his kill
! ing of White. He was confident not only
! OF escaping the electric chair but of avoid
| ing Incarceration in an asylum or SANTA
| rum. His wife, 1T is said, took this view
! of the case also.
| Mrs. William Thaw opposed any change
ia fIa nptspi paI vNTo Will, prN
| termina ton. but was powerless to shake her
! sons resolve. He being of age and sup
! poSedly mentally competent. it was impos-
| sible for the mother to compel obedience
| to her wishes. Most reluctantly she con-
scented to the retirement of ex-Judge Oh
| colts firm and the substitution of the ether
lawyers
Shortly before the trial began Mrs Will
liam Thaw greatly perturbed in nliTd. made
a hurried tip to Pittsburg and held Sc
risS of conferences with Cnlted states Sen
ator Knox. d. c. Watson and Charles f.
McKenna, former United States district at
torney for Porto Rico. She besought each
| one of them in turn to take charge of her
sons defense. 1t IS said that she offered
Senator Knox and Mr.. Watson S1OO,000 and
Mr.. McKenna almost as much
Harmony Impossible.
Each of the Pittsburg lawyers. it is said.
objected to entering the case on the ground
that the lawyers with whom young Thaw
DaG surrounded niinScl1 maze EdFINOnlCuS
cooperation impossible. Each one also in
sisted that insanity the only tenable
plea which the defense had.
Orc o. tie PittsbuTg lawyers told Mrs.
IhaW it is said, that if she could eliminate
certain of her sons counsel and make him
understand that insanity must be the plea
her offer would be given consideration. This
lawyer told her it was his wish that Daniel
OReilly lie continued in the case, and that
Dolphin NJ. DelTas might remain but only
as assistant advisory counsel.
Mrs Thaw returned to this city. it being
arranged that Mr.. Watson should follow in
a few days and see what progress had been
made along the lines indicted by the Pitts
burg lawyers. MIR. Watson did come here
and. it is understood, had a conference. Iii
which Mr. Hartridge was the chief speaker.
What happened could not be learned. but it
is stated that the conference terminated
suddenly. Mr.. Watson. much incensed,
washed his hands of the whole matter. and
when he returned to IittSburg and related
the happenings to Senator Knox and Mr..
Mckenna they absolutely refused to have
anything to do with the case.
The Final Outcome.
They explained to Mrs. William Thaw
that 1t would be utterly impossible for
them to conduct the defense along proper
lines so long as Harry Thaw had one word
i to say about its management. and that if
the course which the y, ung man wanted to
pursue were followed it would simply
mean the exhibition to the public Of fam
lily Skeletons while the final outcome would
be the same-yeung Thaw in an insane asy--
lum.
1t is stated that peculiar sliding scale
system of compensation has been arranged
with Thaw's lawyers. Should young Thaw
by any chance go to the electric chair the
lawyers were to get but s.0.HO. If he went
to an asylum the fees were to aggregate
S10o.U and should he be acquitted, It is
said the stupendous sum of s5OO,6OO would
be paid
One of Thaw's lawyers. when asked about
this sliding scale of payment, said he did
not knew what arrangements had been made
by the Thaw family with the other coun-
sci. He said he simply knew the arrange
ment which had been made with himself.
and that his compensation was not depend
ent upon the outcome Of the trial.
1t was learned yesterday that when Oh
colt. Gruber. Bonynge & McManus were in
charge of the defense. one of the members
of the firm, after a long conference with
Thaw in the Tombs failed utterly to get
the prisoner to take a reasonable view of
the matter being discussed Somewhat ex-
asperated. the lawyer finally said
See here, Mr.. Thaw. you fail to see this
case in the proper light. We are the doc
tors. you the patient"
oh. no. replied Thaw haughtily, you
misunderstood cur relative positions. i am
the general in command; you are merely my
adjutantS.