The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-02-04
THAW NOT GUILTY
But Ordered to Insane Asylum
BY Justice
JURY WAS OUT 25 HOURS
Every One Connected NTH Case
Had Abandoned All Hope

Four Hours After Verdict Was Re
turned Thaw Was on His Way &c
the Mattdewan Asylun-Prisoncrs
Consent Not Won Until After II
| Lively Scene With His Counsel and
| Wife-Thaw Protests His Sanity
and Issues Statement to Associated
Press.
New York, February 1.--Adjudged
not guilty of the murder of Stanford
! White by reason of insanity at the
time the fatal shots were fred. Harry
| Kendall Thaw today was held by the
court to be dangerous lunatfc and
| was whirled away to the state hospital
| for the criminal insane at Mattewan.
II was quick transition from the dfngy
| little cot in the tombs, which had been
1.-The young mans home for more than
! eighteen months, to the white bedded
wards of the big asylum tucked away
on the snow covered sloping banks of
| the Hudson river fifty miles above the
| city.
The verdict came after twenty-five
| y
connected with the case had abandon
ed ali hope of an agreement ever be-
| ing reached in this or any other trial.
| Four hours after the foreman's lips
| had framed the words mot guilty."
| with the accompanying insanity clause,
Thaw protesting that he was sane,
was on his way to Mattewan. A little
after nightfall, he had been received
| in the institution under commitment
papers which directed his detention
| until discharged by course of law"
No more unwilling patient ever made
a journey to a state institution. Thaw's
train on it's way to Fishllill Landing
where a carriage was taken to Matte
wan, passed beneath the very walls of
grim Sing Sing, but at no time since
his arrest on the night Of June 25.
1906 had the young millionaire ever
held the thought that he would see
the inside of the famous prison. and
he needed it not.
The first thrill Of the words of ac-
quittal brought Thaw> to his feet in the
court room and he awkwardly. almost
haughtily, bowed his acknowledgment
to the twelve jurymen as they we're
| discharged by the court, A smile
played about his pallid features and
there was every reason to believe that
he was entirely pleased with the out
come It was after he had heard the
words of Justice Bowling committing
him to Mattewan on the ground that
his release, in the opinion of the court,
would endanger public safety and after
the elation of the verdict kac died
away, that Thaw rebelled. He COM
manded his attorneys Immediately to
sue out a writ of f1abeas coTp&s to
have his sanity tested before he vas
sent away to the Up state institution
where the insane of criminal tenden-
cies were confined. Mrs. William
Thaw from her hotel, where she had
received over the telephone the news
of the trials end, joined in the de-
mand of her son. Martin W. Littleton.
chief counsel for the defense. finally
prevailed against the wishes of the
mother. indicating to her that he be-
lieved that It Euc.7i be better for the
present to obey tire ::iaLIate of tie
court, Justice Bowling Il was said,
had been consulted in the matter after
he had signed hiC order ~ commit
ment and informally advised Thaw's
counsel against making al immediate
contest The rriscZeIs eanCent was
not won until after lively scene with
his counsel and his wife. the latter
pleading with him for more than an
hour to be content for time at least
with what fate had given him.
Under promise that some action
speedily would be taken looking to the
appointment of a commission to in
quire into his present sanity, or for
his transfer to private institution
where his wife and other members OF
the family might reside with him.
Thaw consented to go without further
protest.
On LIS way to Aattewan. Thaw die
tated the following authorized state
ment to a representative of the AS
sociated Press:
/ am perfectly sane now, but I am
going to Mattewan on the advice OF
| my counsel who thought 1t u0wise to
sue for writ of habeas corpus mt this
time. Counsel VIII proceed In the mat