New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-20
MRS. THAW UNDER FIRE
DEFENCE FORCES MOVE.
Jerome Tries to Spare Hcr-She
Makes Damaging admissions.

10 spare Evelyn Nesbit Thaw the ordeal of a
cross-examinatioE which undoubtedly would
bare all the hitherto hidden sordid details OF a
life familiar with vicious SURROUNDINGS and
failed Not only for the girl herself he pleaded.
but for the community. before which this story
must be placed IN all its uakedness
Il will take the position 1 have always taken.
your honor" he said TO Justice FNtzGerald
that II in my opinion an honest case Of insanity
Is made out here viii stand up in court and
say So The only question is whether or not
Thaw was insane when he killed Stanford
White 1t is not proper that should take this
unfortunate young woman through the course T
would have to take her through unless II be-
comes a matter of stern necessity. and 7 am
surprised that any reputable counsel should at
tempt to force cross-examina ton under those
circumstances"
But all the District Attorneys arguments ana
pleas availed not. Thaw's counsel adberinp n,
their strict right to produce their witnesses In
the order they thought best in the interests OF
thelr client refused to aCCede to the suggestion
that Dr. Deemar. DR. Bingaman and Mrs
Thaw. who could give valuable testimony d.
rectIy bearing upon the mental condition of the
defendant, should be called and Mr. Jerome
was, perforce. obliged 70 go on with his cross
examination. Il was a momentary victory for
MI Delmas. but it is doubtful If the Jury would
rather not have been spared the spectacle of the
young wife writhng under the searching probe
OF Mr. Jerome's examination. ard listening TO
the iteration and reiteraton Of her pitful story.
MRS. THAW's CROSS -ExAAIINATION
1t was late yesterday afternoon when Mrs.
Evelyn Thaw's ordeal began. and 1t lasted for
not much more than half an hour but
in that short time Mr.. Jerome had be-
gun the unfolding OF a chapter in her
career that had not been referred TO- and the
public mention Of which caused the girl to
shrink and tremble the stand II concerned
certain letters she had written to the Mercan-
tile Trust Company IN the early part Of 1902,
only a little while after her alleged maltreat-
ment by Stanford White and at . time she had
testified. when she was filed with dislike for
the architect and absolutely refused TO see him
alone. Four letters TO the company and eighteen
other papers, apparently checks or receipts she
hesitatingly admitted, had been signed by her.
Were you not during the year 1902. or pOr-
tions of it. drawing from the NIerCantiIe Trust
Company the Of S25 a week when you were
lot pIaying?" asked Mr. Jerome. Yes" said
the witness
The girls face was ghsstly white. her eyes
stared appealing at the prosecutor: she seemed
TO shrink back i'll the large chair.
Just when 1t appeared that the name OF her
benefactor would he made I,nowu-and one name
was on the Tip Of everybody's tongue-ATr Je-
rome shifted suddenly 70 the time Of Mrs
Thaw's return from Europe. in the fan of 1903.
By the register of the Hotel Savoy it shown
that she had gone straight from the steamer to
that hotel and registered Evelyn Nesbit and
maid" on Saturday. October %. 1905
WHY SHE REFUSED THAw.
Mr.. Jerome had Mrs Thsv say that the only
reason she refused Thaw's suit i'm Paris was be-
Of bzv.
due 10 your great love for him that you made
this renunciationc' Yes"
once again the girls early life was gone over.
Your surroundings were pure and soodc" asked
Mr. Jerome and received an affirmative reply.
Then. apparently without any relevancy 10 the
previous questions he turned 10 the witnesses
direct testimony about posing for photographs in
1901 and read it,
An objection made by EIr. Delmas at this point
brought an important ruling from the court
Those things YOU told Mr. Thaw as having
occurred to you at the hands Of Stanford Whlts
were true. were they not2" NIr- Jerome asked
Il object on the ground that We ourselves
were not allowed 10 testify as To The truth OF
the occurrence"
Justice F1tzGerald ruled that the prosecutor
could cross examine on the question of credi-
bnity.
Then he may cross-examtne 70 undermine or
impair the iaCt tnaI she stated 70 her husband
these things" said Mr.. Delmas. and the court
ruled
Mrs. Thav was asked when she learned she
had been cited as a correspondent in the Lederer
divorce suit Mr.. Jerome tried 10 have her ad-
nit that it in 1908 after her return from
Europe. but she insisted 1t was in 1904
In the development Of this line Of crozs-sx-
animation there came from tho witness an
admission that while in Rouogne. Francs.
shortly after she had confessed TO Thaw. and
at a time when she had testified 10 her abhor-
renee Of White. she had written one or two let
ters to the architect but could not remember
whether she had sent a cable message 10 him
1t a damaging admission and the younx
evidently relieved when the District
Attorney asked for an adjournment. As she
went from the courtroom her head was bowed
and her checks ashen. Not even a glance dtd
she cast toward her husband. who during her
examination had watched her with b-eathlesx
eagerness.
DEvEL LOPMENTS OF MORNING SESSION.
Mrs. Thaw had finished her direct exanins-
tion at the morning session Very little had
been developed that affected the case. More
sCandalOus stories OF White were told including
the girl in the pie" tale. all from hearsay, aud
the defence got in evidence the communication
Thaw sent to Anthony Comstock concerning two
places where. Thaw said. orgies were carried
on. Although Comstock investigated the places
mentioned. his investigation apparently failed to
substantiate the truth OF the complaint. as moth
ing was done in the matter
The only other witness yesterday was Mrs. J.
J. Caine. who took Evelyn Nesbit when she
and Thaw ordered from the Hotel Cum