The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-02-04
THAW IN ASYLUM
Slayer of White Not Guilty on
Grounds of Insanity.
IN OBSERVATION WAR;

Mother May Bring Proceedings to Have
Him Transferred to Private Asylum
Lawyers to Decide On Course to Be
Taken.
New York. Feb. s-After furiously
seviling his attorneys because they did
not procure his instant freedom. Harry
X. Thaw. who was acquitted of the
murder OF Stanford White was thrust
within the gloomy portals OF Mattea-
wan asylum for the criminal insane.
Thaw upon his acquittal by the jury
had expected TO 90 free, but Justice
Victor J. Bowling. Immediately follow
ing the rendition of the verdict. an
nounced that the testimony adduced by
defense in the long trial had convinced
him that the defendant could not safe
ly be set at liberty. and he. therefore.
directed his Incarceration at Mattea-
wan as a dangerous lunatic.
Upon the request OF his chief counsel.
Martin w. Littleton. the execution of
the commitment was delayed several
hours In order to give an opportunity
.or conference between Thaw and
his family and his counsel. Then.
after many rumors concerning writs
and stays. the prisoner, in charge of
Under Sheriff Bell and ccompanied by
Daniel O'Reilly and A Russell Peabody.
two Of his lawyers, was placed in an
automobile and taken to the Grand
Central station. where the party board
ed the train for Aatteawan.
AS soon as Thaw reached Matteawan
ward OF the State Hospital for the
Criminal Insane. where he will remain
for week or two until the authorities
can note his mental condition and make
some definite arrangement for his flu
ture stay in the institution. The new
patient slept In a small iron bed in a
dormitory where about fifty other men
were quartered. An attendant Is on
guard constantly to prevent any of the
men from arising
On his way to Matteawan Thaw die
tated the following statement; II am
perfectly sane now. but am going to
Matteawan on the advise OF my coun-
sci. who thought II unwise to sue for a
writ OF hebeas corpus at this time.
Counsel will proceed In the matter Of
my release just as soon as they can get
together the proofs they will present
that | am at present sane. I am con-
fident that my stay at Matteawan will
be for short period OF time only"
One of Thaw's lawyers said: Mrs.
William Thaw is by no means pleased
with the result. She does not counter
ance nor appove In any way OF the
commitment of her son to an institn-
ton for criminals Mrs. Thaw be-
iieves II he we're taken to a sanitarium
and removed from the scenes of the
tragedy that he would quickly recover,
and all signs of his nervousness would
pass away. She still believes he Is
simply nervous and not insane"
Lawyer Dan O'Reilly said that the
lawyers would get together and decide
on what course to take to Iiberate
Thaw from the asylum. There are
two courses open to u.s." he said I'VE
can secure a writ OF habeas corpus and
take Thaw before jury and have his
sanity questioned In that way or we
can begin an action against the sheriff
for Illegal detention. In which case a
sherif's jury would pass upon Thaw's
present condition Of mind. In any
event we shall have the question
thrashed out before jury at the earli-
est opportunity and have no doubt we
will be able to convince the jury that
he Is sane and rational now. We shall
have Thaw out Of Matteawan before
the summer"