New-York tribune., 1907-01-24
TWO JURORS FOR THAW
QUICK WORK FIRST DAY.
Family iB Court-Jerome Quisses
TaIesmen on 'fUnzCrittep Lac"


fifth street, married; Juror I.
GEORGE ~. FEcKE, manager; Nc. 6of West
fs5th street; married; Juror 2
At the end Of the first days examination or
taIesmen these two men had definitely been
chosen as Jurors to try Harry Kendall Thaw
for the killing Of Stanford White on the roof
OF Madison Square Garden the night Of June %
A third man, Frank p Hill. a baker, Of No
1891 Seventh avenue. had proved acceptable to
both prosecution and defence. but upon his ur-
gent plea to Justice James Fitzgerald he was
excused The selection OF two Jurors. however.
was looked upon as an unusually good start IN
such an important case.
The first day Of the trial had it's dramatic
periods as was to he expected. The moment
when young Thaw. with swinging stride. entered
the courtroom where the legal battle for HIS life
Is TO be fought was one OF these But all the
attention Of those in the courtroom vas not
centred upon him. OF at least equal interest We're
the five women who had come there to give hin
the moral support OF their pressnce-his white
haired mother. Mrs. William Thaws his young
wife. Florence Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, the cause
of his being prisoner at the bar OF 1ustices MS
two sisters. much alike in appearance. the
Countess of Yarmouth and Mrs George Lander
Carnegie. and the stanch friend Of himself and ..
his wife, Miss May Mckenzie.
The time set for the beginning OF the trial
room was uncomfOrtably crowded hundred
policemen under Inspector McCIusky kept ths
morbid curiosity seekers away from the halls
about the court but in the streets there were Big
crowds waiting to see the principals IN the case
enter Every seat except that OF Thaw hhnselc
was taken when Justice Fitzgerald assembled
the bench. At a few minutes after 10 oeiocs
the women relatives had quietly entered ths
courtroom through a private door, escorted bT
f-f-4 fnar
defendant.
Mrs. William Thaw led the way. She wss
dressed in black, with a. heavy veil which shs
wore continuously during the morning session.
The Countess OF Yarmouth was In brown. with
a veil OF the same color, and Mrs. Carnegie In
green. Mrs. Evelyn Thaw's dress was OF soma
blue hued material and she wore a heavy white
chiffon veil. which at all times she kept down.
Miss Mckenzie gave the only bit OF color tn
the group. as she wore purple cOlored dress
and a big hat, feathers and veil to match. The
women had seats In a row directly back of ths
chair where Thaw would sit. Mrs. w. ThaT
was in the centre. while on the inside sat her
two daughters and on the outside Mrs Evelyn
/ Thaw and Miss Mckenzie. With them. sitting
| in 'front.' were Edward Thaw and George Lauder
/ Carnegie.
PRISONER TO THE BARI
The taIesrnen were still entering the cOurs
| when the women were seated, and. although
| staid business men of apparent good breeding
/ many Of them arose and stared. II it was an
/ involuntary action which could not be denied
| The counsel for both sides soon followed. and
as soon as Justice Fitzgerald opened court and
/ the roll of the special panel was called Mr.
Penny. clerk of the court. in moment Of quiet
| called:
Harry X. Thaw to the bar"
Instantly every one turned his or her head
toward the rear door through which the de-
| fendant would enter. wait of two or three
/ minutes ensued. which seemed much longer, and
then Deputy Sheriff Bell entered. followed by
| young Thaw. Without tremor. as If he did
| not appreciate that several hundred people Vera
staring at him. Thaw walked down the aisle to
/ his seat. He carried long ulster over HIS
right arm and his hat was IN his left hand.
When he reached his relatives he bowed
slightly. smile spread over his features. and
| then he placed his coat over the chair and sat
down with his back to them. Not once during
the trial did he turn around to speak OF even t0
smile at them AS he walked out at the noon
| recess he dio not give them a glance. nor did hs
/ when he entered in the afternoon When he Iefs
| to return to the Tombs for the night he smiled
| at his wife.
| As soon as he had taken his seat and arranged
his hat and coat Thaw whispered to A. Russell
Peabody, his counsel who sat nearest to him.
All during the trial he showed great interest I'm
every question put. and frequently whispered tn
either Mr.. Peabody or Dolphin NJ DaInnas
/ another OF his counsel. and questions he suxs
gested were put to the prospective Jurors.
Thaw's appearance showed his long inurison-
ment of nearly seven months very notfceabIy.
He had the Unmistakable prison paIIor. and his
| shoulders as he walked appeared stopped ana
rounded. as from lack OF proper exercise. Ha
seemed thinner, too. and his hands were as
white as his cheeks. He was dressed neatly IN =
double breasted blue suit. black tie and high
collar his hair was neatly brushed and parted
and he had been cleanly shaven-
OFFsETTING "UNwRITTEN LAW PLEA.
When the examination Of taIesmeu began
District Attorney Jerome. who took charge tor
the prosecution. made it evident that he msans
to try to offset any plea Of emotional fnsanftys
OF the sO-calIed "unwritten law which ufgha
be urged by counsel for the defendant. Bright
and early DTs. Carlos +. Macdonald Austin
Flint and william MabOn were seated In ths IN.
closure alongside of the District Attorney hav-
ing been retained expert alienists for the
prosecution. In Mr.. JerOme's examination os
! talesmen he asked each one II he would take ths
law as written in the statute books and not as
he said. "a higher law. moral law a law os
equity any other law than the law of tha
State Of New York" On the other hand. at no
time did Thaws counsel give any inkling as 10
what their line of defence would be.
At the afternoon session the five relatives or
Thaw were again in court. but Mrs. Evelyn
Thaw and Miss Mackenzie had changed places
with the Countess Of Yarmouth and Mrs. Car