Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-01-21
mother AND wife
IN THAW DEFENSE
FORMER TALKS AT LENGTH,
AND EVELYN is CALLED
soon AFTERWARD.

AGED PARENT TELLS
KNOWLEDGE OF CASE.
Relates Sons Grief at Learning of
Stanford White story-lntroduc-
ton of More "lrrational" Evidence
Marks Fridays Proceedings.
New York, Jan. 18.-In defense of
Harry K Thaw, on trial for his life,
charged with the murder of Stanford
White, Mrs. William Thaw, his moth
err took the stand late Thursday after
noon, relating Evelyn Nesbit's story
as told to her by her son.
Mrs. Thaw saw her son for the
first time in months during the noon
recess. The meeting was affection
atet. Evelyn Thaw, the wife, came
in during the interview, and, it is
said, she was cordially greeted by
the elder woman. Mrs. Harry Thaw
was called to the stand, but dismissed
without testifying.
Thaw Eyes Mother.
Thaw looked intently and earnestly
at his mother, who was very pale and
weak, in sharp contrast to the ruddy
good health which marked her APP
pearance a year ago. Her testimony
closely followed that of the last trial,
beginning with the return of her sou
at his Pittsburg home in November,
1908, after Evelyn Nesbit had told
him her story in Paris that summer.
Usually Harry came home buoyant
and joyous" she declared, but this
time there was not SMILE" Mrs.
Thaw said she asked her son what
was the matter. Il can't tell you,
mother" he replied. Il never can
tell you"
Tells Name of Wife.
Harry Thaw eventually told his
mother the young girls name was
Nesbit. The name meant nothing to
me-" declared the witness, for I had
never heard of the young woman be-
fore. Harry said it had all occurred
when Miss Nesbit was little girl.
It was in New York, she said. / tried
to impress upon him that he was not
responsible for the sins of other
men" Did you call in physician?"
asked Mr.. Littieton. Il did not, but
Harry called in Dr. Bingaman, our old
family physician"
Young Mrs. Thaw Talks.
Young Mrs. Thaw finally was al
lowed to say that when living in Phil
adelphia before coming to New York
she posed for various artists, among
them Elizabeth Shipper Green, Jessie
Wilcox Smith, George Gibbs and Peel
Thompson. At this time she was Ia
years of age. Only about one ques-
ton in five was allowed to be an.
swered by the court, the others be.
| ing ruled out on the ground of imma.
teriality. The witness was allowed
| to tell of coming to New York at the
age of Is and of posing for Carroll
Beckwith, Carl Blenner and other art
lists here. She was not allowed to
tell how much compensation she OBJ
tanned or whether her mother was en-
ployed at the time.
New Witnesses Introduced.
The defense continued Friday to
build up its ever-tightening net of ir-
nationality around the man accused of
che murder of Stanford White. Two
important witnesses were Miss Alice
G. Fletcher of the archaeological bu-
reau of the Smithsonian institute at
Washington, longtime friend of the
Thaws and a frequent visitor at their
home, and Miss Catherine O'Neill, who
nursed Thaw during six years of his
childhood. They both declared he was
an irrational youth, and detailed the
| many incidents in his life which had
| led them to the conclusion. Mrs. Eve
Ign Nesbit Thaw. unexpectedly, was
called to the stand, but was withdrawn
later to make way for other witnesses.
ThaW Visitor Explains Actions.
Miss Alice c. Fletcher of Washing
ton, d. c., who said she had been a
frequent visitor at the Thaw house
hold in Pittsburg and had known Har-
ry X. Thaw for 26 years, was the first
witness Friday. She declared that
Thaw was an unusual child nervous
and moody, with wild and staring eyes.
He seldom talked coherently and was
unable to carry on sustained CONVEX
sation. Throughout the period you
knew Harry Thaw did his acts and APP
pearance impress you as rational or
irrational?" asked Mr.. Littleton. 'Ir-
rational" declared the witness.
Says Defendant Wanted to Die.
Miss Fletcher told Of seeing Thaw
at his morther's home in 1903. Thaw
said he had had an awful experience;
| that he believed he had a terrible
disease of the eyes and thought he
was going to die-in fact, he wanted
to die. He mentioned Evelyn Nesbit's
name frequently, but his talk usually
was too incoherent to follow. His
eyes looked without seeing, appar-
emily.
On cross-examination Miss Fletcher
said that although frequent guest
at the Thaws she had never known
Harry to be placed under restraint in
any way.
Darr Inquest in Session.
Smithton, Pa. Jan. 17-The in
quest into the Darr mine disaster at