Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-03-12
FROM HARRY K, THAW
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw VIII Try to
Secure a Divorce.
ON THE GROUND CT INSANITY
Complaint Will AlIege Young Million
aire Was Mentally Unsound at
Time of Marriage.

New York, March 11-Evelyn Mes
bit Thaw will institute proceedings
for the annulment of her marriage TO
Harry X. Thaw. The action
will be based on the allega'
ton that the defendant was insane
when the union was contracted. Thaw
purposes to defend the suit. The pa
pers in the case coon will be served
and an early trial is expected. In the
meantime the two, by mutual agree
ment, will remain apart
In official statements, by counsel for
both parties, was confirmed the sus.
pected elimination in the welded
lives of Stanford Whites slayer and
the woman whose story in his defense
brought her an unhappy notoriety as
wide as the reading world. For weeks
it had been gossiped that a divorce
was imminent and even during Thaw 5
last trial, throughout which his wife
stood gamely by him. it was pretty
generally believed that, whatever the
outcome for the prisoner, the two
would never again live together. These
reports were frequently based on ru-
mored opposition to the young woman
on the part of the Thaw family.
In their statements counsel denied
that Mrs. William Thaw, Harry s
mother, had taken any part in the pro-
posed separation.
Colonel Franklin Bartlett, counsel
for the elder Mrs. Thaw. made state
ment in which he said that there was
no truth in the reports that detectives
employed by Mrs. William Thaw had
had her daughter-in-law under surveil-
lance for months. AS to a possible
separation. Colonel Bartlett said:
Thaw Sought Reconciliation.
1.-THE matter is inchoate, There is
every disposition on the part of my
clients to be absolutely fair and just
toward Evelyn Thaw and to make lib
eral provision for her support, and
even more than that. Harry X. Thaw
| has sought a reconciliation and has
not desired that his wife should leave
him, but she desires permanent
severance of the marital relations.
Any thought of espionage upon the
younger Mrs. Thaw would be abhor-
rent to Mrs. William Thaw and has
not at any time been entertained by
her."
Soon after Colonel Bartlett's inter
/ VT
body, personal counsel to Thaw, left
for Matteawan, where since his last
| trial Thaw has been confined in the
asylum for the criminal insane. After
talk with his client Mr. Peabody re.
turned to the city and by appointment
met Daniel O'Reilly. one of Thaw's
former attorneys, who is now counsel
for Evelyn Thaw. The conference ex-
tended well into the evening and at
its conclusion Mr.. O'Reilly said:
Papers will be served on Mr.. Pea.
body by me, as counsel for Evelyn
Thaw, in an action for annulment of
the marriage. The action will be on
the ground that at the time of the
marriage, April A, 1905, Harry Thaw
was insane and did not know what he
was doing.
This action has been thought of
for some time. 1t will be tried in New
York county. AS yet no mention has
been made of any settlement in favor
of Evelyn. If after the annulment
proceedings are through and they are
in favor of the plaintiff, some action
might be taken for the recovery OF
counsel fees and alimony."