The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-01-09
TESTIMONY FOR THAW
vii be Given by No Less a Person
than Apostle of Purity Anthony
Comstock

New York, Jan. 9.-Miss Ida Simon
ton, the former close friend and asso-
ciate of Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, is
expected to be one of the most sensa-
tional witnesses for the prosecution
at the trial Of the murderer of STAN
ford White. Upon several occasions
Miss Simonton has publicly declared
that she would AK Thaw' and that
her testimony would have much to do
with sending him to the electric chair.
The testimony Of Miss Simonton
was very much desired by District At
tOrney Jerome during the first trial.
but the young woman could not be
found and was reported to have been
in Africa. Nor has she returned with
ia blare of newspaper trumpets. Miss
Slmonton was Evelyn Nesbit's closest
friend before the marriage Of the lat
ter with the Pittsburg millionaire. She
was called to Europe to bring Mrs. G.
j. Holman, Evelyn Thaw's mother.
back to America at the time Evelyn
Of the continent. 1t is declared that
Miss Simonton Is familiar with many
of Thaws escapades and alleged bru-
talities, and that the story she will
have to tell upon the witness stand
will be a spicy one.
Martin W. Littleton. chief counsel
for Thaw, scouts the idea that Miss
SimOnton's testimony will have any
important bearing on the trial, and
declares that her public statement that
she would Fix Thaw" is sufficient to
condemn her testimony in advance as
being inspired by malice. 1t Is known
that detectives for the defense have
Miss Simonton's history. and it is said
that they have discovered facts that
will discredit her as a witness.
Anthony comstoek
A new and important witness for
the defense will be Anthony Comstock
head Of the Society for the Suppress
sion of Vice, and Thaw's attorneys
are confident that his testimony will
do much to establish the theory that
the young millionaire was insane at
the time of Staying White Comstock
will produce and identify several let
ters he received from Thaw relating
to Whites alleged crimes with young
girls in Madison Square Garden tow
| er, and asking the anti-vice crusaders
intervention. In these cOmmunica-
! tiOns Thaw denounced White savage
ly as human brute, whose principal
occupation was sucking the blood Of
| innocent girls" and asserting that if
the proper authorities did not put a
stop to such bestialities God will in
| spire an avenger to STAY the devil"
| The letters abound in statements
| tending to show that Thaw was a
mOnOmaniac on the subject of the
wrong doings Of White.
The letters to COmstock followed
private detectives to watch Stanford
White. These sleuths reported to him
| the ALLEGED revels of White in the
| studios Armed with these reports.
Thaw called upon Anthony COmstOck
and attempted to induce the reformer
to use his influence and that of his
| society to put an end to Whites or
| gies. After several interviews with
Thaw and the receipt of a number of
letters, COmStock decided that the
young millionaire was Of unsound mind
and that the charges against White
were probably nothing more than I'M
| founded vagarieS. Comstock referred
Thaw to the Society for the Proven
ton of Cruelty to Children. but that
| body also refused to take up the mat
ter.
Temporary Insanity
On the morning after Thaw killed
White the murderer asked that Com
stock visit him. ComstOck complied
with the request and called upon Thaw
at his cell in the TOmbs. AS q result
of this interview, it is said, COmStOck
was further convinced that Thaw was
suffering from temporary insanity.
While Attorney LittletOn refuses to
say positively that Evelyn Thaw will
| be called to the stand, it is definitely
known that the defense now contem-
| wife will again tell the tragic story of
| her life. Mr.. BrittOn Evans, who
coined the word "brainStOrm.' as de-
Scribing Thaw's mental condition at
no Of No nriy nd