Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-01-26

New York-Slowly, relentlessly,
toilsomely, the mills of justice began
their grinding in the Thaw case We'd
nesday, when Harry X. Thaw faced
the first of the iurymen who are to
mete out to him life and freedom,
death or that death in life which
those endure who suffer the doom of
the criminal insane.
AS the mill wheels creaked and
groaned in their preliminary turning
their human grist watched with in
tent and fearful eyes the deliberate
course Of events. For the machinery
of the law is grinding out fate, not
only for Harry Thaw, but for the fam
lily whose name he has despatched
with the mud of scandal, and who, un-
swerving, loyal to their own flesh and
blood, in spite of all, witnessed with
an anxiety as feverish as his own,
the first act of the stern and formal
drama
How wearily the sluggish process
must have dragged for Thaw's peo-
pie no outsider may guess. From the
first it was an ordeal for them, bit
ter ordeal, the pain of which one can
but hope will be dulled by the daily
repetitions which they must face.
1t began when the party arrived
at the criminal court building in two
motor cars. Instantly it's members
were surrounded by a crowd, made
up largely of those abnormal souls
who fatten on sensationalism. The
women of the crowd were the most
morbid. They commented with an
opehness that would have been un-
seemly at wax works exhibition.
Immeditely upon the entrance of
Justice Fitzgerald, Dist. Atty. Jerome
moved the trial of Harry K. Thaw for
the murder of Stanford White. A
court officer called sonorously: 'Har-
ry X. Thaw to the bar"
There was an effect of drama, per-
haps even of staginess as the heavy
door at the rear of the room was
thrown open in response to an at
tendant's knock. In a few seconds
there was complete stiffness, as
every face was turned to the opening
from the prisoners pen. Then the
central figure of the drama appeared.
His eyes were fixed with military
precision. Not until he had nearly
reached the seat held for him at his
lawyers table did his gaze swerve.
Then he glanced at his family, bowed,
smiled family, polite and formal
greeting, bowed again and took his
place beside his counsel. Haggard,
eager, intent, unstable, Thaw sat sur
rounded by those who stand between
him and the electric chair, now I'M
easily pensive, again as if struck by
sudden recollection of his perilous
position, starting upright in his chair
and focusing his faculties upon the
opening battle for his life.
For a time in the morning session
he was chilly. He threw his overcoat
which he had brought with him over
his shoulders and turned the collar
up as if against a draft. Presently
he slouched down a little in his chair
and sat as if benumbed.
In repose his face looks blurred and
dulled; not dull, but dulled To his
family he paid little heed AS he en-
tered, the elder Mrs. Thaw made
motion as if to rise, the pathetic in
stinc yearning of the mother crea-
tuIc fer her offspring. Instantly she
checked it and sank back. Mrs. Car
negie and the Countess of Yarmouth,
TLaw's sisters kept their faces turned
toward him, with a certain question
ing turn of the head One could be-
lieye that his fairly composed, if not
genuinely calm bearing, had assuaged
some fear within them.
At the outset Thaw ana his entire
family were absolutely intent upon
the formal proceedings. But while,
time to time in wandering thoughts,
the eager attention of his women
folks never for an instant wavered
Watching their strained features, one
could feel, underneath the dull and
droning routine of jury box filling, the
nently overhanging the lives of the
innocent. From time to time a whis-
pered word between two of the wom-
en-, a sudden pressure of fingers upon
an arm, or a swift question asked of
Carnegie or Edward Thaw-these
were the only outward signs of their
interest until the first juryman was
accepted.
"Jurymen, look upon the prisoner"
came the sharp command Of the clerk.
Thaw got hastily to his seat. His
dark blue coat seemed too large and
loose for him. With an effort he
squared his shoulders, as if he could
feel the eyes of those who loved him
set upon him.
Prisoner. look upon the juryman!"
Harry Thaw raised his eyes. They
looked into the eyes of a kindly,
shrewd-faced man with gray hair;
eyes that would give a man conf
dence in the right-mindedness of their
owner, and Thaw's eyes, blinded,
wayered nervously and fell.
Deming B. Smith, the first juryman,
took the oath and stepped into the
box He did not see the quick lean
ing forward of the group of seated
women; he did not feel the thrill that
the sudden motion loosed upon the
courtroom. The women sank back in
their seats after a long look only
the nrisoner's mother continued to
couptiro HIs saoo cbioLans