The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1908-01-26
EARLY LIFE OF
THAW LAID BARE
MRS. WIN. THAW TELLS OF HIS
BIRTH.
HAD sPASMS AND PAINS
In His Head Until Twelve Years
Old-An Attack of Pneumonia at
Three Years Affected His Brain
Mrs. Lawrence on the Stand.

Ccmstock, ice-president of the So
ciety for the Suppression OF Vice,
was the principal witness at the trial
of Harry K. Thaw today. He testi
fled that late in 1904 Thaw came to
him and complained of vicious prac-
tees by Stanford White and several
of White 'sfriends. During the year
that followed Thaw wrote to him
several times and was a frequent Wis
itor. The letters xere read in evi
dence
1t was 1920 O'Clock when the
Thaw trial was resumed today anG
Mr. Littleton of the defense, began
at once the preliminaries of proving
Harry Thaw's will and codicil execut-
ed the day of his wedding to Evelyn
Nesbit, in Pgttsburg. Miss Francis
Pierce, who witnessed the signature,
and who testified at the last trial, was
called to the stand.
Aged and weak, Mrs. VIM. Thaw
agsin took the stand to save her son.
She was assisted to the witness char
by her attending nurse. She no long
er looks the society leader Of Pitts-
burg, that she once was. On the stand
she told the story of Harry's birth,
and SAID that an infant of hers had
died before Harry was born, and that
she suffered from nervous prostration
said. was an extremely cratic child
had pains in his head and spasms TN
til he was II years OF age. She added
that when he was three years old
he had an attack of pneumonia which
affected his brain.
Mrs Belle Moorehouse Lawrence,
who taught Thaw when he was five
years old, testified to the Unusual
and irrational child She stated that
frequently she had to pour cold wat
er on him to quiet him. The court
adjourned with the defense ready to
Call tllC Insanity CNpSl IS
Mr.. Littleton then read the codici
TO the jury The codicil provided d
others to aid alleged victims of Stan
ford White, to prosecute claims for
damages against him, and for the
prosecution of all persons engaged
in such unlawful practises as said Sar
ford White
Following the reading of the co
deal Mr.. Iittleton created something
of a, stir by calling Anthony Com
stock 10 the stand-his first appear
ance in the case
Mr. Coinstock sad that Thav
called at his office in February 100.
and complained Of party who wa,
wronging young girls.
Thaw went into details, which tn,
witness repeated, as far as he coul'
remember Mr. Comstpck also sal,
he received several letters from Thav
muncation from Thaw, one of tn
papers being a diagram OF the prem
Uses where he declared evil men wer
carrying on criminal practices Thav
declared that workmen on building
near these premises had heard youn
girls scream and suggested that me
be sent to watch the place.
Thaw told me he had been followe
to mby office the second time b.
men who were employed TO waite
lleIn, continued the witness | sen
several men out in the hallway t
see if anyone was there.
Mr. Jerome objected to the witnes
telling the result of this search, bu
it came out in the discussion that n
one had followed Thaw.
Mr. Comstock here Identified tire
more letters from Thaw, enc havin
been received as late as April, 1906
two months before the tragedy
Mr.. Littleton first read to the jur
communication from Thaw to Con
stock, written in November. 1904
intended to- give in detail the desert
ton of the Twenty-fourth sire,
house. with crude diagrams appearii
here and there in the text.
Thaw declared that one room ";
furnished like forrest, and that IS
cret starts led to sthe room of Il
mirrors. The door in the FORE
room was hard to find, the letter. d
clared, and there was no escape II
the young girls who were druggc
Thaw claimed that six or sevs
'ersrninal scoundrels controlled 4
place.