The Elbert County tribune., 1908-02-06
THAW VERDICT
mot GUILTY"
jury FINDS THAT HE WAS IN
SANE AT THE TIME HE
SHOT WHITE.
IS SENT TO An ASYLUM
PRISONER cHEERED ON LEAVING
ToMBs IN HIS WiFE's
AUTOMOBILE.

New York.-Adjudged not guilty OF
the murder OF Stanford White by rea,
son of insanity at the time the fatal
shots were fired Harry Kendall Thaw
Saturday was held by the court to be a
dangerous lunatic and was whirled
away to the state hospital for the Grim
inal insane at Matteawan.
Thaw made vigorous fight against
going to Matteawan, insisting that his
counsel secure a writ of habeas corpus
and immediate action by n lunacy COM
mission. but Littleton overruled him.
It was a quick transition from the
dinsy little cell in the Tombs, which
has been the young mans home for
more than eighteen months, to the
white-bedded wards of the big asylum
tucked away on the snow-covered
banks Of the Hudson river, fifty miles
above the city.
The verdict came after twenty-five
hours Of waiting and when everyone
connected with the case had abandoned
all hope of an agreement ever being
reached in this or any other trial.
Few spectators were allowed in the
room and an incipient demonstration
was stopped by the officers when they
arrested Theodore Roosevelt Pelh the
well known amateur tennis player, for
burst of applause. Pell was fined
$25 by Justice Bowling for contempt of
court. He had only check book with
hnI to- TOD,
friends could be summoned.
Mrs Evelyn Thaw and Josiah Thaw
were the only members of the prison
er's family In court when the verdict
was announced. The young woman
thanked individually each member of
the jury and followed Mr.. Iittleton's
example In shaking hands with them.
The first thrill of the words of ac-
quittal brought Thaw to his feet in the
courtroom and with that lack of grace
OF action which has always character
lied his movements. he awlswardly, al
most haughtily, bowed his acknowledge
ments to the twelve jurymen as they
were discharged by the court.
A smile played about his pallid fea,
lures and there was every reason to be-
lieye that he was entirely pleased with
tae'outcome.
1t was after he had heard the words
OF Justice Bowling committing him to
Mattewan on the ground that his re-
lease, In the opinion of the court, would
endanoer the public safety, and after
the elation of the verdict had died
away, that Thaw rebelled.
He commanded his attorneys imme-
diately to sue out a writ of habeas cor
pus to have his sanity tested before he
was sent away to the upstate institu-
ton where the insane of criminal ten
dencies 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,
whose conduct of the case as chief
counsel for the defense has won SO
much favorable comment. finally pre-
vailed against the wishes of the mother,
indicating to her that he believed it
would be better for the present to
obey the mandate of the court.
Thaw was cheered by a crowd of sew
eral hundred persons as he was whirled
away from the Tombs In his wifes arl-
tomobile. II he heard, he paid no heed.
The machine was SO filled with dep
uues and members of counsel that
neither Thaw nor his wife was visible
to the waiting throngs.
On his way to Matteawan Thaw die
tated the following authorized state
ment.
Il am perfectly sane now, but am
going to Matteawan on the advice of
my counsel, who thought 1t unwise to
sue for writ of habeas corpus at this
time. Counsel will proceed in the mat
ter of nv release and inst aa coon n
they can get together the proofs they
will present them that am at present
sane. / am confident that my stay at
Matteawan will be for short period OF
time only"