Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-08

NEW YORK. Feb. 5.-Evelyn ,Nesblt
Thaw told her stoTy today To save the
life Of her husband, charged with murder.
she barred to the world the innerInost So
crets Of her soul. 1t was the same story
she told Harry Thaw IN Paris in 1s8
when he had asked her to become his wife
the confession of one who felt there was
an insurmountable barrier to her ever be-
coming the bride Of the man she loved.
In tbe big witness chair she appeared
but a slip OF a girl and she told the pitiful
story OF her eventful young life in a frank.
girlish way. When tears came unbidden
10 her big. brown eyes and slowly trickled
their way down scarlet cheeks. she strove
IN vain 10 keep them back She forced
the words from trembling lips and by a
marvellous display OF courage, which took
her willingly 10 her staggering ordeal. she
shook on depression which once threat
ened TO become an absolute collapse.
AS the young wife unfolded the narra-
tive OF her Eirlhood and told the early
struggle Of herself and her mother to
keep body and soul together; Of how gaunt
poverty stood ever at the door. and how
she finally was able TO earn a livelihood
by posing for photographers and artists.
she won the murmured sympathy OF the
throng which Allied every available space
in the court room
Parties An Architects studIO.
Then came the relation OF the wreck
OF that giFihoOd at is years of age II
was the story OF her meeting with Stan
ford White. the story OF the sumptuOus
studio appointment whose dingy exterior
gave TO hint of the luxurious furnishings
within; Of q velvet-covered swing in which
one could swing until slippered toes
-. T,~..
parasol swung from the ceiling; the story
OF glass OF champagne; OF black. whirling
sensations and OF mirrored bedroom walls.
In short. she told all the story.
Don't scream 80. II is all over. II 10
all right
'.And this was Stanford whltsY"
,rhe question came from Dolphin ~
Defmas. tow c6nauetipg tho defense
Yea SIR
The Stiffness OF the great crowd was Its
own tribute 70 the effect cf the girls
story. Into the narrative she injected many
little touches Of a young girls hopes and
disappointments. or her early life she re-
lated how her mother had gone from Pitts
burg 10 Philadelphia to secure assistance
and how she and her brother. Howard.
were placed on a train by friends and sent
on 10 their mother. She recalled that the
two little travellers had trouble with the
conductor. who wanted TO put their cat out
OF the car. But. she naively added she
held fast possession Of It.
First Meeting with white.
She told Of her arrival in New York. Of
her life here and eventually the acceptance
BY her mother OF the thrice-retused invi-
tation Of girl OF the theater to meet some
Of her friends at luncheon. The girls
mother told Evelyn's mother they were
New York society people and perfectly
PROPER. else she would not let her girl so
wlth them
when she came for me in the hanson. -
said the witness. II remember hearing we
were going 10 the Waldorf. l had heard
so much about IL and wanted 50 to go there.
But the hanson stopped IN front cf dingy
looking building in West Twenty fourth
street and I was told to get out. Mother
had dressed me- NY skirts were just to
my shoe tops then"
This was In August. 1901
he was a big and fat and ugly man
remember him meeting US at the head OF
three dights q stairs" she continued. He
gave me presents and my mother let me go
70 other parties. Then he said my mother
should visit some friends in Pittsburg. She
said she could not leave me. He said #
would be all right; that he would look
after me. Finally she went Then came
an Invitation to a party. but no one else
was there-just two. They all seem %
have turned as down he said. After we
had dined and / wanted 20 90 home he
said ] hadn't seen AL OF the apartments
ard We went 70 the bedroom with the mir
rors an over walls"
Thus the ran. with here and there
an interruptl,h By Mr.. Delmas 20 advise
the sirl TO ax the dates OF the various
happenings ana always 20 tell just what
she had told Harry Thaw. when he asked
her 70 become his wife II was through
the fact that she had told everything to
Harry that she was permitted under the
rules OF law TO give her story to the jury.
Coart and Jurors AReeted-
In the sympathy impening story OF the
girl the giriish fascination OF voice OF
softest quality. yet ringing clear IN enun-
citation. the court room lost view OF the
prisoner. But when there came a halt IN
the 6ari's hsht against the tears. the people
who had saEed unesasingly at her lowered
their syes Rs il the relief from their stare
might bring her the eomposure she finally
won
Harry ThAw. with his whole frame shAt-
ing. sat with his head buried IN his hands. 3
handkerchief covering the eyes Where
the dsfendant sits he is all but shielded
from tbs jury. Bent over the table az he
sobbed he could not be seen al all Thus
Thaw sat for many minutes. ana wheu
he nnhfiy lifted his head his eyes were red
ard Swollen.
Even Il they could have seen. the Jurors
would have had no eyes for the prisoner
They. too, hae turned their ga1s from the
witness As the tears came 10 her voice as
wen as her eyes and every man OF ths
twelve soen8d intent on some object OF
the noor before them. Justice F1tzgerald
looked ont through the LONG grated win
dOWa The scene and the story marked .
new president IN The history OF criminal
prOcesdings IN New York.
Letters Connrm HeF story.
Aua ThaV WAs still vn ne stand. her
direct eEamlnafton uncompleted. when ths
49, -. 49, o,rr. a,,-l-,.- -. .e,.