Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-14
Declares Story Told
Was False
District Attorney Says Abe HummeI
VIII Tell Of Actress Visit to
His office and Statements
That Were Made
BY Associated Press.

MS wire, Lne LTlal VI t1dIIy n. AhbN
for the murder of Stanford White was
adjourned shortly after IL O'Clock today
until tomorrow morning.
The prosecuting attorney found his
opportunity to attack Thaw and Evelyn
Nesbit Thaw in arguing on the admissi-
bility of the testimony of Abraham
Hummel, the lawyer who is under In
dictment for subornation of perjury IN
the Morse divorce case.
1t was to enable Dolphin NJ. Delmas,
leading counsel for the defense, to con-
suit authorities and frame reply to
Mr.. Jerome. and also to allow the latter
an opportunity of completing the hypo-
thetical question which he is to put to
his experts, that the early adjournment
was ordered. Mr.. Jerome said he hoped
to close the rebuttal for the people to-
morrow evening.
Wants HummeI Called
During his argument today the dis
trict attorney asserted that Humrnel
would swear Evelyn Nesbit told him
three days after her return from
Europe in 1908 that Thaw had beaten
her cruelty because she would not sign
papers he had prepared, falsely accus-
ing Stanford White Of having drugged
and betrayed her.
Mr.. Jerome contended that she had
lOhu lliiL 1tletW SOOllCh
bent upon putting Stanford White in
the penitentiary; that the statement
that White had betrayed her was not
true; that Stanford White had never
harmed her, and that Thaw was con-
sumed with rage when she refused to
sign and swear to the papers contain
ing lies against Stanford White"
These things were put in the form Of
an affidavit, declared Mr.. Jerome, and
AI.aE 1oT Nl.eI.n s1lrI % hwN
Evelyn Nesbit when she knew what
she was doing and what the paper con-
tained.
1--WE want to show the girl who told
this remarkable story here on the wit
ness stand swore at another time under
the solemnity of an oath that naked
stripped absolutely naked-she had en-
dured the lashings and beatings Of this
defendant rather than swear to his
false statements that Stanford White
had drugged and ruined her.
Mr.. Jerome argued that the material
part of the case is whether or not
Evelyn Nesbit told Thaw the story OF
her alleged ruin by Stanford White
Without the story in evidence, he de-
clared, "the reason for the defendant
alleged insanity disappears"
Would Repudiate Charges
The prosecutor plainly admitted the
Importance of young Mrs. Thaw's evil
dence, and he said he wished by Hum
rnePs testimony to show her own repu-
diation of the charges which on the
witness stand she renewed against
White
Thus" he concluded, 1.-The jury may
infer from her own statements after
her return from Europe in 1903 whether
or not she had within two months of
that time told this defendant the things
she said she did"
Mr.. Delmas objected to Hummel as a
witness on the ground that his testi-
mony had to do with the truth or fall
sity of Mrs. Thaw's narration and was
not permissible under the rules of evil
dence. He will proceed with his argu-
ment tomorrow. Mr.. Jerome's conten-
tion is that while he might not attack
the truth or falsity of Mrs. Thaw's
statement that she was betrayed by
White, he can attack the truth of heI
assertion that she told Thaw the story
at the time she says she did.
Mr.. Delmas first sought today to in
terrupt Hummel's testimony by show
ing that he was acting as Evelyn Mes
bits legal adviser and counsel when she
made certain statements to him. Hum
mel evaded this. however. by saying he
was acting solely as Whites counsel
and the negotiations had been contem-
plated in behalf of Miss Nesbit.
Received Yearly Retainer
He said he was paid yearly retainer
by White and could not say exactly
what he charged the architect for draw
ing up the affidavit. Asked If 1t was
$1,000, he said absolutely 1t was not. He
finally placed the charge at about $780,
When Evelyn Thaw was on the wit
ness stand she said Stanford White
came TO see her one evening in 1909
and asked her what she had told Hum
mel about him. adding that "Abe Hum
mel has just squeezed $1,000 out of me,
and the Lord only knows how soon he
will squeeze another"
Young Mrs. ThaW's testimony regard
ing the affidavit was that Stanford
White had taken her to Hummel's Of
fice after telling her ''lots of horrible
things about Harry" and that she had
told Hummel about her trip through
Europe with Thaw.
Mr.. Hummel," she said, then die
tated a lot of things to man and put
in lots about Harry, which wasn't true
at al"
Denies Signing Paper
She denied signing any paper In
Hummeis Office, but admitted having
signed some papers later in Whites
studio. She claimed she did not know
what the papers were. Sometime after
ward, she says, she demanded thai
White show her the papers. She was
taken to Hummefs office and there q
paper bearing her signature was showr
her and burned. She was not allowed
10 examine it, she declared.
Almost since the beginning OF the
trial District Attorney Jerome has
been trying to put In evidence a photo
graph copy of the affidavit. It de-
veloped yesterday that the copy was
made by the same photographer who
had been employed by Stanford White
TO make the "tiFed butterfly" and other
pictures Of Evelyn Nesbit.
Mr.. Jerome continues quite optimis-
tic about bringing the taking OF testi-
mony to a close this week. but others
who have followed the trial believe the
end 10 still ten days or two weeks
away.
Honnd al Inst