The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-12

he asked her to become his wife. IL
was through the fact that she nal
told everything to Harry that she
was permitted under the rules of law
to give her story to the jury.
Thaw sat pale but brave faced pe,iia
his counsel when his wife took the
stand. The two exchanged glances ami
the ~faintest OF smiles played about The
firmly set lips of the girl. She wee
the same blue l~ong-cnated dress sn>
had on each day Of the trial. Abcrt
he neck was a bat-wlnged col
lar such as little boys wear. caught
together by a little black tie in front
Her hair, braided and Topped well down
on her neck, was caught with 2 ulo
black ribbon bow, the ends Of which
peeped out in dark relief from benin1
the cheeks that We're pale at first, bat
| mounted crimson when she was told
| to give all the details Of her experience
with the man who fell a victim &c her
husbands pistol.
Mrs. Thaw wore the fat, blaci.
velvet hat, trimmed only with one lit
tie bunch of violets, which had become
familiar as a part of her costume. She
was unveiled, however, for the first
time and her youth and beauty were
remarked. by every one. Masses os
black hair waved beneath the velvet
brim of her hat and helped form the
frame for the girlish face of almost
perfectly moulded features. The brcwE
eyes looked through long black lashcs.
the brows were symmetrica!ly arcled.
The sympathetic impelling story az
the girl. the girlish fascination OF a
voice Of sOftest quality, yet ringing
! clear in enunciation, the court OOH
lost view of the prisoner. But wien
there came a halt in the girls fight
against the tears, the people who haG
gazed increasingly at her lowered thtir
eyes as if their stare might bring her
the omposu she finally won. hen
they saw Harry Thaw again.
His whole frame shaking, he sat with
his head buried in his hands, a hand
kerchief covering his eyes and each
man Of the twelve seemed intent upon
some object on the floor beneath
them. Justice Fitzgerald looked out
through the long grated windows. The
scene and the story marked a ne"
, precedent In the history of criminal
proceedings in New York city. Old
court attendants gave their ready as
sent to his.
Mrs. Thaw was still On the stalu,
| her direct examination uncomplete1.
{ when the day was done. Only during
the afternoon she was excused for an
hour while Lawyer Frederick LonSfel-
! low was sworn to fix dare Of certain
letters written TO him by Harry T;law
subsequent to the revelations Mss
! Nesbit had made to him at Paris.
The girl had identified the writing.
but the court held that the date must
also become a matter OF competent
evidence. Mrs. Thaw seemed to apple
ciate the relief this incident off red,
although during the hour and 4 hall
recess for luncheon h had recovered
from the fatigue of the two hours spent
In the witness chair during the nlorE-
ing session. AS she left the stand toT
the recess she walked ~unsteadi]y and
passing back of the jury po4 ran The
fingers Of her left hand along the wall
as a blind person might.
The letters which were eventually
offered in evidence after much objec-
ton by Mr.. Jerome and a food OF az
gument by opposing counsel during the
afternoon sitting of the court, are :c-
garded as corroborative of Mrs. Thaws
testimony today. which she often de-
clared, in response to objection Offer
ed from time to time by the district ut.
torney, was a repetition of TIE reasons
she had given Thaw for refusing to be-
come his wife.
They we're also offered as tending -
show the state of mind Of the deeoud- /
ant just after he had heard from l.er |
own lips the story of the girl he loved
and her relations with a man j. is
claimed he killed as a result of insan-
ity inherited in part n induced by
a stress Of circumstances. |
The letters were written by Tnaw
to Mr.. Longfellow as his attorney. !
They told of his coming marriage with
Miss Nesbit and of the row they must |
raise. Disconnected and jerky jump !
ing from subject to subject they rey-
theless breathe the love nc bore tie
girl and he wanted among other things
that provision should be made that in
the event of his death all his property
should go to her. The letters constant
ly refer to that blackboard" who lCis-
oned her as a girl and say that her
name was falsely connected with 1wo
others besides that blackguard". Only
two OF a half dozen offered in evid 2nce
were read during the afternoon. Tie
others probably viii be presented WIN
court convene tomorrow n Ms
Thaw is again called to the stand. The
completion of the direct examination
of the prisoners wife will possibly re-