The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-03-07
THAW'S MOTHER
TREATED GENTLY
Breaks Down When Testify
ing, But Bravely Struggles
to Keep Up For Sake of Her
Boy on Stand
THE TRIAL is PROGRESSING

New York, March Postpone.
ment of the Thaw case until tomor-
row was caused by the death of James
Walsh husband of Justice Fitzger-
AIDS wIfe's sister. u,
The Prisoners Mother.
Another dramatic chapter was add
ed to the history of the Thaw trial
when the mother of the defendant
took the stand. Mrs. Thaw's stay be-
fore the jury was brief. When Del
mas had definitely limited her exami-
nation to the change she had noted in
her sons condition following his re-
turn from Paris in 1908 after Evelyn
Nesbit had told him of her life story,
and when jerome had with great con-
sideration, conducted a short and In
effectual REORGANIZATION, the moth
er love welled strong in Mrs. Thaw
and she felt she had not done her all.
She was loath to leave the witness
chair.
"There is the question of heredity,"
she protested when both Delmas and
Jerome told her she might step down.
81 have asked you, madam, all that
is considered necessary" said Thaw's
attorney, with the utmost Difference.
Mrs. Thaw half rose. hesitated and
was about to sit down again when
Delmas offered her his hand to assist
her from the stand.
Mother Nears Break Down.
Twice during her recital of the
events which had caused her to fear
that all was not right with her son,
Mrs. Thaw broke down and was un-
able to proceed. Her face flushed and
she made an effort to speak but the
words would not come After few
moments Justice Fitzgerald asked So
licitously If she felt able to proceed
and Mrs. Thaw, evidently much cha
grined that her great grief had over
come her strong will of resistance,
nodded in the Affirmative.
She declined a glass of water. made
an effort once more to proceed but
failed. Fitzgerald then interposed a
relief for which the elderly woman
facing him must have been deeply
grateful. He said as that many Of
the witness remarks had been uttered
in a very low voice It would be neces-
sary to have the stenographer read
all her testimony up to that time to
the jury. when the reading was end
ed Mrs Thaw had regained her COM
posure and was able to proceed to the
end of her narrative.
Thaw Was Deeply Depressed.
She said that when Harry came
home in 1903 he seemed depressed
and apparently had lost all interest
in life He passed sleepless nights,
would often leave the table at meals
and go into the parlor to play upon
the piano. the music growing softer
and softer until It finally died away.
She told in motherly way of her
so,Icitude for the body.
AS Mrs. Thaw bravely told of her
sons statement to her. tears welled
up in her eyes and for several mo-
ments she was unable to proceed with
her story
Gle told me that a wicked man
probably the wickedest man In all
New York-had ruined his life"
It was not until some time after he
had offered this explanation of the
change in him that she learned the
story of the young woman who was
to become her daughter-in-lay
Mrs. Thaw told OF her son breaking
down at church in Pittsburg and
afterward explaining 1t was because
of sorrow which prevented the young
woman he loved being at his side.
Mrs. Thaw told of coming to New
York to meet Evelyn Nesbit and of
giving her consent to her sou'a mar
riage the one condition being that
the girls past life in New YORK
should be closed book. never to be
referred to in any way. Then cahlo
the story Of the marriage In Pitts
burg in April. 1905, the honeymoon
trip and then a happy placid summer