The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-02-22
KILLING OF WHITE
ACT OF PROVIDENCE
HARRY THAW so REGARDED HIS
DEED, SAYS DR.. EVANS,
THE ALIENlST.

Talks in the Tombs Told-Will and
codiciI Admitted in Evidence-Lat.
ter Provides for Other Alleged Vic.
tins of White.
New York, Feb. 19.-"I never want
ed to shoot the creature. / never
wanted to kill him. l knew he was a
foul creature, destroying the mothers
and daughters of America, but want
ed through legal means to bring him
to trial. l wanted to get him into
court-to bring him to justice. But
Providence took charge of it; 1t was
an act of Providence"
This is Harry X. Thaw's own story
of the killing Of Stanford White. 1t
was told by him to DR.. Britton D.
Evans, the alienist, last August in the
Tombs. Monday DR.. Evans repeated
the prisoners words to the jury
which is trying Thaw for his life.
District Attorney Jerome fought
hard last week against the introduc-
ton of this evidence, which the de-
Tense believes is conclusive proof
that Thaw did not know his act was
wrong. Once the testifying physicians
had declared that in their opinion
Thaw was insane at the time he made
the statements, to them, however, the
rules of evidence permitted the intro
duction of the prisoners words.
Will Placed Before Jury.
In further bulwarking their conten-
ton that Thaw was insane when he
killed White, the defendants counsel
succeeded Monday in placing before
the jury the will executed by Thaw
the night of his marriage in April,
1908, and a codicil to the will execut-
ed at the same time.
Again Mr.. Jerome fought the evil
dence, but he significantly withdrew
his objections after DR.. Evans had
given it as his expert opinion that
Thaw was insane at the time he exc
outed the will. The fact that the dis
trict attorney seems disposed to let in
testimony of every character provided
there is preliminary opinion from
the witness that the man was of I'M
sound mind at the time to which the
testimony refers, was taken as further
indicating that Mr.. Jerome may, at
the psychological moment, if he
deems his hand strong enough, de-
mand the appointment of a commits
sion to pass upon Thaw's state of
mind at the present moment.
contents of Will and codieiI.
The will and the codicil, as read to
the jurors Monday, were offered in
evidence as cumulative testimony of
Thaw's mental unsoundness prior to
the killing of White. In his will Thaw
provided that his executors should
set apart the sum of $4,000 for the
investigation Of his death In case OF a
violent or suspicious end, and for the
prosecution of the persons suspected
of having had hand in his taking
of. In the codicil Thaw left to law
yer in Pittsburg the sum of $500 to
be used in securing legal redress from
Stanford White and one other person,
whose name was not allowed to be
read, for the benefit of four young
women who, Thaw declared, had been
the victims of degrading assaults" in
a house furnished and used for or
gies by Stanford White and other In
human scoundrels" The names OF
the four young women were mention
0I 1,xy ho hut 40
lie.
Thaw also bequeathed sums of ST.
500 each to Rev. DR.. Charles H. Park
hurst, Anthony Comstock and a law
yer in his codicil to be used in discov-
Stanford White and securing redress
for the women.
Two other physicians will take the
stand Tuesday, Drs. Hammond and
Jelliffe, and it is said that it will be
part of their function to detail the
improvement in Thaw's mental condi-
ton during the period of his conf1ne-
ment in the Tombs, declaring that the
stress which caused the mental explo-
sion was removed with the putting
away of Stamford White. 1t was also
said that Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
might 60 on the stand Tuesday after
noon to complete her story.
DeImas Doesn't Quit Thaw.
New. York, Feb. 1S-Late Sunday
night it was stated that through the
intercession of Mrs. William Thaw,
mother of Harry X. Thaw, the dissen-
sion between counsel which threat
ened the disruption of the forces of
the defense has ceased, and D. M.
Delmas, the California lawyer, will
continue as the principal in the ex-
animation Of witnesses and, when the
evidence is all in, make the closing
plea for the defense. 1t was added
that Mr.. Delmas' lay partner, Henry
T. McPike, would not figure actively
In the future court proceedings.
The following statement was credit
ed to Mr. Delmas: Cali statements
that I intend to withdraw as counsel
or that / have been asked to with
draw, in the case of Harry Thaw, are
without foundation and absolutely
false. will be in court Monday as
usual ready to perform my duties"