New-York tribune., 1908-01-23
THAW PRIDE SET ASIDE
MOTHER TELLS OF INSANE
anthony ComstocL, Found STORES
About White To Be Untrue.

considered the affidavit made by her at the hfst
trial denying sny ereptic taiut in the family SUI
rcjert for his purpose in this affidavit which was
read Mrs Thaw said that she wished einphaucsif
90 state that in the direct line OF ascent for four
generations including the defendant there was no
trace Of either epilepsy or insanity
Anthony Con1stock the stand most oi the
morning sud = good part of the afternoon He
foId ahoyt the letters he had had from Tha~ begin
fuE late Ioos and continuing to gust petoIe 'le
shooting Mr. Constock's testimony left strong
ir,pression that the charges against Stantorn
White in regard TO young girls had been droppen
as existing only in unbalanced mind Inc iet-
ters were mentioned at the last trial. out were not
put in evidence.
,y- cornx,ocl, .,s-,@ed that he met Thew first in
Feb-,,s-r 1aa4 ct his Office in this city His next
interview with Thaw was in November OF the same
wear Thaw told him Of certain person VINO
tonl DoJus girls 70 q in I'd street The num-
h.r and the street were not those mentioned by
-b.r,. wife retz-eeu the first visits Thaw
wrote several letters 20 Comstock- On the second
visit q diagram of the I'd street house vas sHo"H
and Thsu sIso told about what he ceHed Ih7
den IN the Madison Square Garoen tower te
said that there collection Of improper PCT
,,,e. .re-s AND that young girls were taken there
and made drunk with wine. Thaw told ComstocK
ths- his agents would find old going TO these
two places with young girls and gave the men
names, which the witness could not recall
THE HOUSE IN I'D STREET
T5sw made another visit 20 the witness the fol-
i,sing month Mr. Comstcck told him that MS
men had investigated and found no evidence OF
snv one going into the house In I'd street "nioh
s-eTned to he closed. Mr.. Litteto1 then READ a
letter describing the tower room. the one IN "a
street and the in 24th street. the last haiheu
-be scenes of concentrated orgies" according 10
Thsu workrnen outside this last place. accordns
tn Thsx had heard screams Of girls. Ihls place.
he said had been dismentled after the pie girl
incident The I'D street place. he said. was USED
nv only Z few men He also suggested how one
OF the Connstock agents disguised as a workman
might gain admjttance 10 the place IN anotheT
letter he mentioned a chorus girl whom he had
tried TO save from White. Stn another letter told
OF the fifth girl he said had been victim in four
feen months Of the cotsTie which gathered at I'd
street Other letters from Tha~. signed "FerSu-
son % had 10 do with contributions 10 Comstocks
work
On cross-exauination he said that his dealings
with Thaw covered a period OF close TO two years.
and that he last saw him few days before the
shootins He said that he understood the word
sRlackg1srd in several or the lettels ieieIIeu ~
Stanford White
.f+e- recess Mr Cornstock produced his letter
hook The letters referred 10 his work and that
q. IN. Children's Society In investigating the
charges made by Thaw- Then MI Comstock was
excused and followed by John B. Gleason
Thav-s friend st the Whist Club and one of his
former counsel Thaw waived professional priVi-
leFe and Gleason identified the Thaw viii pre-
serted at the last trial. He declined 10 answer
about the letters which Thaw turned over TO him
and excused
Mrs William Thaw then took the stand for the
second tine. She told about the nervous shock re-
sDl,ing from the death of an about thirteen
months before the defendants birth After his
firfia she said he slept only about the third Of
the time q healthy child should. For years hls
head was sbnormaly large He had an unsteady
gait was unable TO talk inteIligibly and was sub
jet TO paroxysms of rage For several years ne
was subject 10 attacks Of St Nitus's dance
An of his education was irregular, she said.
and 5deslaItory he did not apply himself
resTfarlys nor did we wish push him. because
Of his temperament. The doctors advised Us not
TO press-ti7e old wise. old Dr. Cody
She said that until ne was youth he treat
ed for St Eitus's dance and after that was al
ways nervous The day OF his wedding she SAID
he vas particularly excited Then she took up
the irsa nifty in the family. Her uncle Henry. sFe
said became ueakminded when five six years
old and continued until his death Her brother.
Josiah -Co1iey. jT.. after making line record AT
Amherst. had brain fever. and had to go 70 an
ssvlurn for several months Later his health was
rood eroer4 for nervousness. and al present he is
living IN salt Lake Cit. Deg about seventy years
cid Her sister-ir-IsV. Mrs Hersch. she said
was subject epilepsy, and died Vhen about MY
years old-
CROSS Elk ANIMATION WAIVED
vhen IL came rIrne for Mr. Jerome cross-eI-
anime the witness he contented himself with read
ing the affidavit made when the application for
commission in insanity Was made by him a. the
last trial This said;
John Trsu. the paternaI srandparent Of Harry
X Thsx lived 10 ba eighty-five years old. He
man Of such determined viii and force of charac-
ter rher up 10 a week before his death he would
have been equal conducting meeting of bank
directors save for bodily infrmi;ies-
william Thsv father Of the defendant. was one
IF eleven children The youngest Of this large fam
Il, 1t the aye Of seven years after severe attack
Of yellow fever developed a tendency 10 epileptc
attacks and these attacks continued at intervals
until her death. the age Of sixty The children
and grandchildren Of Mrs Hersch are absolutely
free from any suggestion Of epilepsy This is the
only case of known epilepsy insanity in this line
OF the prisoners family
Josiah Copley. grandfather Of the defendant.
xss an editor and writer until within three months
Of his death at the age Of eighty-three years.
The grandmother Of the defendant my
side snd on the psteTnal side were beloved and
revered for their excellent and well balanced
qualities of head and heart The family records
on both sides for tWo more generations back IN
dicate nothing different
Cf +he collateral cases Of insanity I'm her own
family Mrs Thaw that time that Josiah
f7onIev fr despite his brain fever and subsequent
slne.s at Amherst. and following fourteen
months Imprisonment at Andersonville where
rnen went mad every dsy. Was stiiI in perfect
mental health. Her brother Henry W. Copley,
although described chs medical records
sr,h.ciIe from birth" she said perfect
physical and mental condition until he six
years old He frightened 50 that his intellect
usS impaired although he served through the
wal While under age He died when forty years
u!d.
LET ne ssv once for all" Mrs Thaw continues.
-ahere Is no secret be guarded family skele-
tor 20 b. hidden, on either side Of the family OF
'he defendant
INSANITY OK MOTHERS SIDE
-hs tv.5 cousins Of William Thaw, Mrs Tlraw
rsr,..e fe 5eigcd heir tendency TO insanity from
.r,,- tt s1-ay