The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-08


New York Feb. S.-Mrs. Thaw was
still on the stand yesterday and her
direct examination uncOmpleted, when
the day was done. Once during the
while a lawyer, Frederick Longfellow,
was sworn. to fix the date of certain
letters written to him by Harry Thaw
subsequent to the revelations Miss
Nesbit had made to him in Paris.
The girl had identified the writing,
but the court held that the date must
also become matter of competent
evidence. Mrs. Thaw seemed to ap-
preciate the relief this incident offer
ed, although during the hour and a
half recess for luncheon she had re-
covered from the fatigue of the two
hours spent in the witness chair dur
ing the morning.
During her testimony the jurors had
no eyes for the prisoner. They bad
turned their gaze from the witness as
the tears came to her voice well as
her eyes, and each man of the twelve
seemed intent upon some object on the
floor before them. Justice Fitzgerald
looked out through the long grated
windows The scene and the story
marked a new precedent in the history
of criminal proceedings in New York.
.Thaw's Letters in Evidence.
Mr.. Longfellow identified four or
five letters and fixed their dates as
prior to June rs, 1906. Mr.. Jerome
persisted in asking whether or not the
letters came to the witness in his pro-
fessional capacity. The witness said
again that he presumed they did,
though he did not carry out the in
II communicated their contents to
Mrs. Thaw," he said. land that's all I
ever did"
To introduce the letters. Mr.. Del
mas recalled Mrs. Thaw and then pro-
ceeded to read the first one. 1t was
quite lengthy, requiring more than
fifteen minutes in the reading.
The letter began:
Dear Longfellow," and said among
other things:
Evelyn has left me six or seven let
tiers and kilograms from the black
guards. If they wish to begin row
am ready for it. prefer to reach New
York so as to go to Philadelphia and
Pittsburg and then to Port Huron In
time for the wedding on November IS.
would return to New York in time to
meet the Lady Yarmouth, who lands
ter.
Maybe we will be married after the
Lady Yarmouth arrives. maybe after
the row. Her mother don't count"
The letter then referred to some I'M
married woman, whose name was
omitted. as a, "trickster, schemer." etc.
Thaw referred evidently to Miss Mes
bit and her mother when he spoke of
them as "unfortunate and the black
guards who are blackmailing her."
1.-THE matter of being married is
most secret" the letter continued. eff
the suit for kidnapping is begun it must
not be mentioned, but we will need
two staffs of reporters. You get one
staff and I know the kind I want and
will secure them when I land.
The letter constantly referred to
that blackguard,' and said:
Miss N. would give all she possess
ed if she could have been sent to
fraef Of
should never had remained on the
stage so long and if they had listened
to me she would not 1t resulted in
her name being falsely connected with
two others besides that blackguard.
Poor girl she was poisoned when she
was Is y years old.
Remember, that If I die my prop
erty is all to go to my wife. but In the
event of her death must not go to her
relatives Her wretched mother must
for her brother, however.
Poor girl, if I die she may not live
to be 21.''
The next letter read to the jury was
dated November IS. 1903, was also al
dressed to Mr.. Longfellow. 1t said In
s.Please send some one to inquire at
202 or 204, or perhaps 206 West For
ty-sixth street If Miss -- is there,
or where a letter or phone message
can reach her. I slept ~ hours on
the train. which is a record since she
came home. My responsibility is gone,
and 1 know she can thank me for any
faith, human or divine she has. Every
thing that she had lost is like glass
of water in a river. I am overstrained.
you See
At this point adjournment was taken
until today
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