Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-21
THAW HEIR IN COURT.
Young Pittsburger Persistent-
 ly Refuses Insanity Plea.
SHOT STANFORD WHITE AT NEW YORK
Trial Set For Today, but May Be Postponed Until Wednesday-COunt- ess of Yarmouth, Sister of the
 Prisoner, Will Aid Defense.

Postponed Until wednesday-Count-
 ess of Yarmouth, Sister of the
 Prisoner, Will Aid Defense.
 NEW YORK, Jan. 21.-Harry Ken. dall Thaw, heir to the famous Thaw millions of Pittsburg, left the gray half light of the Tombs this morning. crossed the Bridge of Sighs' and stood in the tribunal of justice where he confidently hopes to prove before a jury of twelve good men and true" that his killing of Stanford White, eminent architect and patron of the stage, on the Madison Square Garden roof was not .willful and deliberate murder in the eyes of the law.
 It was the first time Thaw had left the Tombs since his commitment there June 2S last, just three days after the tragedy which furnished an interna. tional sensation.
 Thaw still has few days to wait. His trial was set down to begin this morning and he was accordingly pre- sented at the bar. But Justice John J. Fitzgerald had another case pending, that of Matthew Hilgert, the maker of magic boots" and this must be dis posed of before the cause of the PeO- pie versus Harry K. Thaw, which is expected to prove one of the most un- usual in the criminal history of the state, can be taken up. It is thought that "Wednesday will be the very earli, est moment that the real work of the Thaw trial can be begun.
 There is still u feeling in usually we'll informed circles that something may yet happen to put an abrupt end to the proceedings. The great pressure which has been brought to bear upon the prisoner to permit request for the appointment of lunacy commission, the authenticated statements from a number of alienists who have exam ined Thaw in the Tombs pronounced him irresponsible, the arrival of his ti- tied sister, the Countess of Yarmouth, who is said to have more influence with the brother than any other member of the family, all tend to keep the follow CTS of the case on the alert for new and sudden developments.
 Thus far Thaw's persistent refusal to agree to plea of insanity, his anger at the very suggestion of appearing be fore commission and his curt dis missal of several of the best known lawyers of New York who had been engaged for his defense have baffled those of his friends and relatives who had urged upon him the advisability of a course which, while leading to con finement in an asylum for the criminal insane, at least would avoid the awe some possibility of a worse fate.
 Intent upon being tried upon the mer- its of his case, no one beyond the pris- oner, his intimate relations and his present counsel know what the de fense will have to offer in Justification of Thaw's undenied act Choosing the crowded roof garden of the building which stands as one of the best exam ples of the art of his victim, Thaw fired the three fatal bullets which brought instant death to Stanford White during the closing minutes of a gala first night performance of an ear ly summer comic opera called "Mam- zelle Champagne" The incidents of the night leading up to the tragedy and all that followed are remembered history With the smoking pistol still within his clutch Harry Thaw pro. claimed to the assembled multitude that he had killed the man "who ruin ed my wife"