Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-04-18


New York, April 11.-Charged with
the responsibility Of deciding the fate
Of Harry Kendall Thaw, the jury
which since January 20 has been sit
ting In Judgment on the young slayer
Of Stanford White retired at SIT p.
M, Wednesday to begin the considera-
ton Of their verdict. Six hours later
they had failed to reach an agreement
and shortly after II D. m. were locked
up for the night in the jury room OF
the criminal courts building. Justice
Fitzgerald, who had been waiting for
some word from the jury room, be-
came convinced at that hour that the
chances Of reaching verdict Wednes-
day night were too remote to warrant
his remaining up any later. Justice
Fitzgerald had earlier in the evening
gone to his club uptown and had held
an automobile In readiness to make
quick trip to the courthouse should
he be needed. His instructions re-
garding locking up the jury were tele-
phoned.
1t was said that when Justice Fitz-
gerald's message was received at the
courthouse the officers on duty there
put the matter up to the Jurors them
selves, asking II there was any posi-
bility Of a verdict within the next few
hours The reply was strongly mega
tive. The jury was said to be almost
hopelessly divided and nobody con-
nected with the case would venture
the hope Of anything better than a
disagreement as the climax Of the long
drawn out trial.
Thaw, who was much depressed at
the close Of District Attorney Jerome's
impassioned attack on him as a Cow
ardly, brutal murderer-a rich Tilt
crate who always had had his own
way until he fell into the clutches of
the law" revived in spirits as the ev-
ening wore on and the chances Of an
unfavorable verdict seemed to him to
become more and more remote. He
was reluctant to wend his way back
over the dlmly lighted Bridge Of Signs
to his cell In the Tombs, to say good
night to his wife.
The disagreement Of the jury is the
most unfavorable outcome that Thaw
had at any time anticipated during the
progress OF the trial. His family and
consul were much alarmed Wednes-
day afternoon, however lest the jury,
under Justice Fitzgerald's charge
might find a verdict Of some less
crime than murder In the first de-
gree. The prisoner did not share this
gloomy outlook and laughed and joked
10 dispel the serious looks on the faces
Of his mother and wife.
In the life Of Harry Thaw wednes-
day win go down as the most trying
he has ever experienced. From the
opening Of court until the Jury retired
the fates dealt numerically with him.
Beginning with District Attorney Jer-
ONES final argument and throughout
the judges charge Thaw had to listen
to a scathing attack upon his char
acter and to a narrative drawn from
the evidence. which was meant to
strip his deeds Of the halo Of chival-
ric glory which his own attorneys had
thrown about them.
The judges charge, lasting about an
boar. was concise outline Of the law
and gave to the jury the alternative
Of rendering any one Of the following
four verdlcss-murder In the first de-
gree: murder IN the second degree;
manslaughter IN the first degree. or
not guilty On the ground u insanity.
The statute governing the plea q
Insanity vas defined clearly. much
stress being laid On the fAcl fhai an
irresistible impulsc % Nm had no plaes
a fts Nv