The Washington times., 1908-01-16
Letter She Wrote II
Years Ago IntrOduc-
ed by LittletOn.
as Strong
Link in Evidence TO
Show Insanity.
Teacher Says Harry
Was Irrational and
HOWiedLike Animal.


NEW YORK, Jan. l5.-Attorney
Martin ". Littloton, attorney for
Harry Kendall Thaw, played a
strong card today when he intro.
duced 4 letter, written 10 a school
teacher twenty-seven years ago by
the mother of Stanford Whites
slayer, in which the mother ex-
pressed the fear thta the boy was
insane.
jerome tried TO keep the letter
out Of the record, but the court
overruled his objection and into the
record the missiye went, there TO
be read by the jury and TO rest one
of the strongest links in the chain
of circumstances urged by the de-
tense in support Of their plea OF
insanity. Here is the letter:
October q. 1851.
Dear Sir: Yours OF yesterday Just
received To attempt 10 describe how
-----e+~ e-4=e-7N AfhAaA Al oA4hA GHtiLlE Ae--
ters gave me IS needless Can YOU bear
with him a while longer To yield 10
his wishce now Gas he would tnink IL
sent hcrnel might ruin him.
II did not think him capable of
such behaviour and begin to fear
that it may not all be badness and
rebellion, but that his mind Is more
or less unbalanced. DO You think
there is any danger of that! The
uncle, to whom | referred as having
become Weak-minded, was. when A
child, subject to just such outbreak
ing temper, and. therefore, / can
not help horrible feeling OF dread.
Deal gently with him, if possible,
for my sake as well as his own.
His father viii be home on Thurs
day, and can help TO advise also.
I have written him just now. How
would it do 10 avoid noticing him in
any way Tor one day. l really do not
know what TO suggest. He is so dif-
ferent from the other four children, and
ought TO have been more closely reared
and trained"
Former Teacher on Stand.
This brief but pointed opinion by the
mother was introduced during the ex-
animation Of Abram H. Beck. Of Allen
town, Pa, to whom It was written
while Thaw was a pupil at the Beck
School for Boys, of which he was prin-
cipal. Mr.. Beck. a good-natured we'll
preserved man Of sixty years. proved an
exceptionally good witness for the de
fense and threw some light on the
character Of Harry Thaw as boy.
He was examined by Mr.. Lituetou as
follows.
Q.-During the time Thaw was at your
school, from 1881 TO 1852, did you observe
him daily2
A.-Yes. I was the sole teacher of ff-
teen boys who attended the school
Q.-What was his appearance Wnen he
came to your schOOl2
Alt was that OF a boy unwholcsoms
in health. He was very nervous.
Q.-Was your attention attracted 10
/ him during school hours2
A.-Yes- I was attracted by his loud.
sudden passionate animal-Ike hOwIs.
His fearless crying, mis- picking at his
| fingers and then by a renewal Of the
anirnal-like cries. His eyes were cast
down and they rolled. The spell would
last for fifteen or twenty minutes some
times.
Odd the occurrences take place fire.
quently.
A.-Yes.
Q.-Was he social with the other boys2
A.-Nos He was sullen.
Q.-Was he broodins?
A.-Nes.
Odd the outbursts take place at
night?
Odd you hear from his mother2
Al did.
Why He Seemed Irrational
o.-why did you believe that the boy
was Irrational?
A.-Because Of my wide experience
with boys. and never having seer one
like him befJre. I believed that he must
have been irrational Ills attitude OF
obstiRacy to the wishes OF his parents
was so much that together with his ac-
tions, I believed him to Je affected.
Thaw leaned over the counsel table,
his hand 20 his ear. intsntIy ca,chinS
every word Of the important testimony
Of his old school teacher.
The letter Of Mrs. TLaw, written when
Harry was but ten years OF age. was
by far the most impressive evidence
(. offered by Littieton up 20 this time
The witness said he had never said 10
| Mrs. Thaw that Harry was irrational.
and thought him only obstinate, until
| the receipt OF Mrs. Thaw's letter
Jerome's attitude in abandoning his
/ oopositicn OF Mrs. Thaws letter 10 Ar.